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Research |
Sport Science |
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EVALUATION OF RHYTHMIC ABILITY IN RHYTHMIC GYMNASTS AND NON GYMNASTS |
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Eva Pavlidou1,
Olga Mertzanidou2, & Vasiliki Zisi3
1School of Prescool Education Sciences, Aristoteles
University of Thessaloniki, Hellas
2Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences,
Democritus University of Thrace
3Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences,
University of Thessaly, Trikala, Hellas |
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Published: September 30, 2009 |
| © Inquiries in Sport and Physical Education (2009),
7, 203-209 |
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Abstract |
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Aim of this research was a) the
evaluation of the ability of all categories of RG gymnasts to reproduce
rhythm and b) to study the differences of that ability among different
ages, locating therefore, criteria of choosing gymnasts for the sport,
as well as potential coaching deficiencies. The participants of this
research were 124 girls in total, from the age of 9 to 15, who were
divided in two groups (62 RG gymnasts and 62 non-gymnasts) and three
sport-related age categories-levels (pre-juniors, juniors, seniors
according to this sport). For the evaluation of the maintenance of
rhythm, four devices were used (electric time-switch, device that
produces light-stimulus, metronome and bright-signals recording camera).
The results showed that the differences between gymnasts and
non-gymnasts in kinetic performance of rhythm are significant, however
only in the age of pre-juniors. This suggests that RG gymnasts develop
the rhythmic ability, which is necessary for their compulsory routines,
from an early age. However, this ability does not develop enough in
time, thus it equalizes with the rhythmic ability of non gymnasts, as
they also mature physically. This fact ensures that the sense of rhythm
is indeed a criterion of choosing gymnasts, but also that the RG
gymnasts’ training during puberty is so oriented to technical elements
that their rhythmic performance doesn’t seem important anymore. |
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Key words: rhythm,
Rhythmic Gymnastics, choosing criteria, training |
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