A. GAVRILENKO: The ribbon is considered the heaviest item, despite its beauty. The ribbon for adult gymnasts is six meters long. And these six meters need to be constantly in use, so that the tip of the tape never dangles on the floor, so that it rises. You also need to throw these six meters, do two somersaults under them, let’s say, catch them. The ribbon tends to tie into bows, which is considered a huge mistake for a gymnast. If a bow is tied and the gymnast does not untie it, then one tenth will be removed from each element.
E. KANEVSKY: Is it necessary to untie the bow right during the performance?
A.G.: Yes, we need to have time to untie the bow. And if you don’t have time to untie the bow, you understand that the bow is not so easy to untie, but you can work with it, continue the movements that are intended in the exercise, then they will remove one tenth from each element. And there are a lot of elements.
Listen to the full version of the program “4 to 12” with Anna Gavrilenko in audio recording.
E. KANEVSKY: A project dedicated to everything related to our health is on air. Today I am speaking with a representative of the most graceful sport, rhythmic gymnastics. My guest is Anna Gavrilenko.
A. GAVRILENKO: Hello.
E.K.: Hello. Russian gymnast, member of the Russian national team, Olympic champion 2008 in Beijing. Hi again.
A.G.: Hello.
E.K.: Rhythmic gymnastics is a relatively young sport. And when I was preparing for the broadcast, I was surprised to discover that the impetus for the development of this sport came precisely from the Soviet Union after the Second World War. And all the first international competitions were won by our athletes, except for the 1984 Olympics, when the Soviet Union boycotted the Olympic Games in America. Then the Canadian won, as far as I remember, the first gold. And then our athletes took and took bundles of these medals. I would like a little history of this sport, provided that it originally came, in fact, from dancing.
A.G.: Yes, it's true.
Gymnastics originated from dance because it began to move to the music of Isadora Duncan
Anna Gavrilenko
And all this later turned into sports. It has become not just a dance, it has already become a real sport, where the fight for medals has appeared. And, of course, the grace of this sport has not gone away. Moreover, there are now new rules in gymnastics and dance is being revived again. That is, dance tracks have become a predominant element for us, we dance a lot again.
E.K.: That's great. Will this affect your uniform and equipment? After all, the equipment of gymnasts is typical.
A.G.: Our equipment is swimsuits with skirts. Yes, skirts were not always there. Skirts were introduced probably 10 years ago. And now the dances and we have become one. Naturally, we have elements of sport on which the judges judge us.
E.K.: Should dancing be returned specifically to rhythmic gymnastics?
A.G.: I think that this only beautifies the sport, because doing elements and risks, throws - we still have objects, we shouldn’t forget about them - this is very cool, there is more dance, more grace. And I think that's great.
E.K.: What do the audiences like best?
A.G.: In principle, we have not lost anything. We have a certain set of elements. It’s just that now it’s become full of dance... The dance tracks that were included in our show were lengthened to 10 seconds. I think it's great. Movement, dance, girls - this is the most feminine sport. Doing only elements and throws is somehow not so interesting, it seems to me.
What materials are gymnastics ribbons made from?
Ribbons are made from several materials. Either satin or viscose.
Both fabrics are highly durable. They allow the product to be used for a long time and not wear out for several months.
Also, such materials are soft. Tapes made from them are very convenient to use. They do not slip or fall out of your hands. The girl will be able to hold the ribbon even if she rotates it very hard during her performance.
The design of most of these products is very beautiful. Ribbons are available in different colors. If you choose a model with an unusual appearance, it will allow you to decorate a girl’s number at competitions.
Expensive models of rhythmic gymnastics ribbons, in addition to having bright colors, also shine. They look very nice at competitions.
Requirements for performances
Exercises in rhythmic gymnastics correspond to female nature - they are smooth, soft, and performed in the form of an expressive dynamic dance to music. The exercises are connected with different wave-like movements, swings, so the dance performance lasts without stops and fixing hitches. The movement takes into account changes in tempo, speed, amplitude and rhythm, the strength and direction of movement, emotional coloring are controlled, so serious training is needed for light, airy performance.
The composition is drawn up by a choreographer; he must draw a diagram of the athlete’s movement on the mat and clearly imagine which movements are performed cyclically and which ones without situational repetitions. The dance consists of movements of different directions, acrobatics, elements of artistic gymnastics, ballroom dancing (polka, waltz), elements of Russian folk dances and other sports and dance styles are involved. The athlete must develop flexibility, jumping ability, memory for movements, an ear for music and a sense of rhythm. The physical properties of an athlete are beautiful posture, stretching, beautiful gait, graceful movements, muscle strength.
The elements of performing on the carpet are:
- step (can be soft, high, sharp, wide, rolling, springy);
- running (can be high, wide, sharp, similar to walking, but at a more intense pace);
- spring gymnastic movements;
- wave-like movements in the joints and “waves” in the arms and body;
- swing your leg, arm; when swinging, your torso can bend to the sides and make turns;
- swings similar to a wave, but done with an uneven speed, which decreases towards the end of the trick;
- also in rhythmic gymnastics, among the exercises, an important place is occupied by balances, which can be dynamic and static (in statics they can be horizontal and vertical);
- turns can be made on one or two legs, on two they are made by stepping over or crossing 180 or 360 degrees, and on one they are divided into opposite ones (in the direction opposite to the leg) and like ones (in the direction the leg is on);
- jumps are performed using a push of one (crossover, jump, and so on) or two legs (with bent legs, straightened and other varieties).
Tape length
The length of the ribbons must be selected based on the level of professionalism of the young gymnast, as well as her age category:
- For fourteen-year-old and older athletes, we recommend purchasing ribbons whose size is six meters. Elements of a similar length should also be purchased by master gymnasts.
- If the girl is between nine and fourteen years old, she will need a shorter ribbon. The one whose length is five meters.
- If the baby is under nine years old, then she needs to purchase a ribbon four meters long. Also, girls with third grade in rhythmic gymnastics will need similar products.
Complex design
If you try, you can make a gymnastics ribbon that will rotate freely relative to the stick. This wand is more difficult to use, but the tricks will be more beautiful.
- Take a plastic tube or the tube is made of tin.
- A plug is placed on one end, and a cap with a hole in the middle is placed on the other. The cap can be made from tin.
- A wire about eight centimeters long, bent in half, is inserted into the hole - hooks are made on one side to hold it in the cap, and a ring on the other. The burrs should not interfere with the free rotation of the ring.
- At the edge of the tape you need to make a tube into which a rope 14 centimeters long is inserted. The edges of the rope are sewn together.
- Now the rope ring is connected to the wire ring using a carabiner, possibly a fishing carabiner (they are intended for attaching a spoon to a fishing line).
How to store the tape?
In order for the tape to last as long as possible and not lose its beautiful appearance, it must be stored correctly. We will tell you how to do this.
Rewind the tape onto a reel when transporting
We do not recommend carrying tapes in bags or backpacks. They may become deformed or lose their beautiful appearance.
When a girl goes to training, the tape needs to be wound on a special reel. It is a structure around which the product can be wrapped.
Thanks to the reel, the tape will retain its beautiful appearance and will not tear. Also, with it you can save space in your backpack when traveling to training. It will be difficult to put an unwound 6-meter tape into a bag even if there is a lot of free space.
Wash and starch the tape periodically
If a girl gets the tape dirty, then there is no need to worry about it. You can wash it if necessary. However, during this process you need to adhere to a number of rules:
- The washing water should not be more than thirty degrees. Otherwise, the tape may be damaged.
- Soap cannot be used. You need to use shampoo to wash the tape. You can also use washing powder. We do not recommend using other means. They may damage the tape.
Important!
There should not be a lot of shampoo and powder when washing. Otherwise, it will negatively affect the fabric of the tape. It may become deformed or lose its beautiful appearance.
After you wash the tape with detergent, we recommend starching it. This is necessary to ensure that the tape remains elastic. And it hasn’t lost the properties it had when purchased.
After washing, the tape needs to be dried and ironed
After washing the tape with powder or shampoo, leave it to dry. When all the moisture has left the tape, you need to iron it.
This should be done as carefully and slowly as possible. Otherwise, you risk damaging the product.
To prevent the tape from sticking to the athlete's suit, use an antistatic agent
Young gymnasts say that in most cases the ribbons get caught on the costume. When the products stick, it becomes very difficult to rotate them. This jeopardizes the success of the athlete's performance.
To prevent the tapes from sticking to the suit, they must be treated with a special substance. It's called antistatic.
This must be done before each performance in competitions. We also recommend treating the tape with an antistatic agent before training. So that the girl does not have problems while preparing for the performance.
Wand
The gymnastics ribbon can have a cylindrical or conical stick.
They produce a structural element from plexiglass, plastic, and other lightweight materials. The stick is connected to the ribbon using a nylon pigtail or carabiner. Sticks are selected based on the length of the existing tape:
- for 6-meter products, sticks up to 55-60 cm in size are usually chosen;
- For 3-4 meter ribbons, sticks up to 50 cm long are used.
How to design a feed?
Ribbons in gymnastics receive a lot of attention. A beautiful product will increase the loyalty of judges. A poorly chosen design, on the contrary, can worsen the overall impression of the performance.
Parents are not always able to purchase beautiful ribbons. However, even if you bought a product with a regular design, you can always decorate it with decorative elements.
Various stickers, drawings, colored paper and so on. You just need to show your imagination.
Important!
Be sure to consult with your trainer about which products can be glued to tape and which cannot.
Also, take a closer look at the range of products in stores for gymnastics. They offer a huge number of ribbons with different colors and designs. You can go to the store with a young athlete and choose a beautiful, and at the same time, not very expensive product for her.
Starting a career at three years old: about young gymnasts
E.K.: We will move on to children’s and youth sports. For example, my daughter is growing up. I myself, as an athlete, would like a sports career for my child. Although, to be honest, I understand that you can regret it for many reasons, we’ll talk about this a little later. At what age is it best to send girls to gymnastics and is it possible to predetermine its results - whether she will succeed or not? Sports selection?
A.G.: In fact, the question is very relevant. Almost every parent, when they come to practice, asks the coach this question. I'll tell it like it is. Now gymnastics has changed a little. If earlier it was possible to come to sports at the age of six and succeed, now it will be very difficult to come at the age of six and succeed. Either this child must be very talented, and in general everything must coincide: the coach, and everything, everything.
Nowadays it is better to send girls to classes at three or four years old
Anna Gavrilenko
The first year is in the form of a game, introductory, with elements of stretching, coordination, some kind of dance training, choreography. From the second year everything will start more seriously. And it is almost impossible to predict whether a child will be able to become a champion at four, five or six years old. I realized for myself that everything should coincide. When I was training, there were a lot of talented girls who were left without a European Championship medal, without a world champion medal and without the Olympic Games. But they were no less talented than me, no less hardworking. But somehow it all coincided that I became, say, an Olympic champion, but my teammate, who seemed to be good at everything too, didn’t work out. Either the injury could have let me down, or something else. At the age of 12, it seems to me, the result is already visible - whether the child is capable of going into elite sports. 12-13 years old is already the age when a child begins to take part in major championships in Russia. And if he hits them, then that already says a lot. It is not necessary to take any high places - first, second, third, or be in the top ten. I generally took 37th place out of 45 at the Russian Championship.
E.K.: Is this an expensive sport? Not like tennis, won't you go broke?
A.G.: I think that this is an expensive sport, because we have swimsuits, our costumes, in which gymnasts and little gymnasts perform, and, of course, parents want the girl to look very good.
Swimsuits are really very expensive now. They are usually with Swarovski stones, with difficult sewing work
Anna Gavrilenko
Good items also cost a lot.
E.K.: What does the school provide at the first stages? Does it provide it at all?
A.G.: The school does not provide subjects. Equipment is provided only when the gymnast joins the Russian national team. That is, the federation directly allocates some resources for items.
E.K.: How much can the school itself cost? At least in the central regions?
A.G.: A school can cost from 5 to 10 thousand.
E.K.: Per month?
A.G.: Per month. Depending on the number of days, number of classes, how much per month? The first year, of course, is smaller. We also have public schools. But not everyone gets there, that’s the problem, because they take the most talented girls, already the most promising in terms of their texture. After all, children who want, who like this sport - why not? They were not accepted into the Youth Sports School or any public school. Of course, parents are looking for commercial schools. They are also very good. At the same time, the main thing is that the specialist who supervises monitors everything, because there are different schools with different formats. There are like sections, there are like circles, there are, of course, already like sports, which prepare gymnasts for the same youth sports schools, so that they are prepared and accepted in three years.
Why is it important to buy only high quality tapes?
The selection of ribbons for gymnastics should be taken very seriously. If you buy a low-quality product, it will constantly fall out of the girl’s hands. Not only will it visually spoil the athlete’s number, but it will also negatively affect the final score. Remember: the judges will deduct points for each time the tape hits the floor.
Therefore, your task is to purchase the highest quality product.
The tape should be soft and durable. Do not slip in the girl's hands. Don't fall out of them.
Products from well-known sports manufacturers have positive properties. They are expensive, but they also guarantee appropriate quality.
Ribbons from well-known brands do not fall out of your hands, do not break, and retain their beautiful appearance for a long time. We recommend purchasing them!
There is no need to skimp on tapes. This may negatively affect the girl’s performance results.
Technique
To work with tape you need to have trained hands, especially hands. You will have to move your body and arm at the same time, and also make sudden movements with a small amplitude with your arm without moving your torso. Playing with a ribbon is similar to drawing in the air; it is based on the inertia of the ribbon in flight and thus the long train remains in the air. And if you combine the movement of the stick and complex tricks, you get a strong load on the body and nervous system, thus the physical impact on the gymnast increases significantly.
During the exercises, the tape moves in figure eights, circles, throws and spirals. To make such movements, you need to hold the stick correctly - it should be freely grasped (so that it can be extended without effort) with the thumb and forefinger and supported by the middle finger. The end should lightly touch your palm near your thumb. All exercises, except throwing, can be used not only in sports schools, but also in physical education lessons and choreographic schools.
Unlike other apparatus, the tape must be constantly in motion to be straightened, ideally the end of the tape should not touch the athlete. If you make circles and swings slowly, without dynamics, matter becomes uncontrollable. But if you do it quickly and not thoughtfully, it can even get tied in a knot. To make the accessory easier to control, the ribbon at a distance of one meter from the stick is supplemented with another layer of material and also covered with starch, thus making this part heavier and less elastic.
Swing exercises in rhythmic gymnastics can be horizontal, vertical, and also done in the lateral planes. Exercises with circles are done with a straightened arm, which tends upward, this way you can avoid touching the body tape, which in rhythmic gymnastics is punishable by penalty points.
Simple design
Such a ribbon will not have such free movement around its axis as the previous one, but this is the simplest scheme for making this gymnastic apparatus. Such a stick will be easier to control and is suitable for beginners.
- To make it you need a stick, tape and glue.
- Take a satin ribbon four to six centimeters wide. The length for preschool children should be no more than five meters; adults can be given a ribbon even 7 meters long. The color should match the color of the suit; you can sew ribbons of different colors if necessary, but due to the seams, the strip of material may lose its initial elasticity.
- The stick should be about one and a half centimeters in diameter and fit well in the palm of your hand. Children can choose a diameter of 1 centimeter to make this stick convenient to use. The stick should be light, so you can take a plastic tube or a wooden blank, but it can also be made of iron or aluminum.
- The edge of the tape can be hemmed so that they do not unravel, but it is better to treat them with fire, for example with a lighter.
- Bend the ribbon a centimeter and sew this edge, a small linen tube will form at the end. Thread a key ring through this tube, drill a hole in the stick, and place the ring and ribbon in this hole. No carabiners are needed, this is the simplest fastening design.
- The stick can be decorated with a pattern or applique. Cover the pattern with varnish so that it does not wear off. It is much more enjoyable for children to perform with a handmade and decorated stick.
If you don't need to rotate the ribbon, just spread glue on any stick and wrap the ribbon, this is the easiest way to make this gymnastic apparatus. If you do rhythmic gymnastics professionally, the ribbon must meet all standards and it is better to buy it in a specialized store.
Rhythmic gymnastics ball
When choosing a ball for rhythmic gymnastics, you need to remember a few basic rules: The ball is rubber. Or made from synthetic materials that are as elastic as rubber.
Diameter - 18 - 20 cm, weight not less than 400 g, any color.
For children under 7 years of age and up to 130 cm in height, it is better to buy a junior ball with a diameter of 16 cm. Despite the fact that the child will grow, it will be possible to train with such a ball for another 2-3 years. Standard balls at this age are inconvenient to use and are too large for a child.
For older athletes (9-10 years old), gymnastic balls with a diameter of 18.5 cm intended for adults are optimal. In addition to the ball itself, each girl will need a pump to inflate the object and a case for storage and transportation. How it behaves: “Rolls away.” It is round and often difficult to catch. However, many gymnasts love it more than other objects - it is pleasant to hold in their hands.
Clubs for rhythmic gymnastics
To perform, each athlete must have two clubs made of plastic, natural or synthetic rubber. When choosing a mace you need to remember the following:
Rubber or synthetic. Length - 40 - 50 cm, weight - at least 150 g (each). The diameter of the head is no more than 3 cm.
Junior (children under 10 years old) Sasaki clubs have
the length is only 36 cm. Also, children under 10 years old can immediately start working with Amaya clubs with a length of 41 cm. The wide part is called the body, the narrow part is the neck.
The neck and body are usually covered with adhesive tape - plain or multi-colored.
When choosing a material for making a projectile, you need to remember that plastic clubs are easier to handle - when they fall on the floor, they do not give a strong rebound, but if they accidentally fall on an athlete, they can cause a rather painful injury.
To prevent slipping, it is recommended to use implements with velvet handles. How they behave: They are considered the most traumatic: despite their low weight, they sometimes cause bruises and even cuts. Especially in group exercises where they are thrown very high.
