I always admire dancers and gymnasts when I watch their performances and admire not only how masterfully they perform tricks, but their amazing flexibility.
It seems that these girls have fewer bones in their bodies than ordinary people, so they slide across the parquet like beautiful snakes.
Naturally, I also thought about how to become flexible like them.
I did something in this direction, and the gym sessions, which I don’t miss, include several stretching exercises.
It is clear that I have not reached the level of flexibility of dancers and gymnasts, but no one is stopping you from working on yourself to become a snake girl.
Is it even possible to become flexible?
Flexibility is a very interesting concept.
Well, first of all, how to determine whether a person is flexible or not?
The one who can tie his body into a knot is certainly flexible, the one who, bending over, does not reach the floor with his hands, is a wooden Pinocchio.
But there is also an intermediate link.
So, what to do with girls who can do the splits, but don’t demonstrate any other special tricks?
Should they try to become more flexible or not?
Another question that worries the minds of girls is whether it is possible to become flexible at all or is it a natural talent?
The true answer to this question lies somewhere in the middle.
There are people who are already born with gutta-percha, and there are those who, through long training, manage to develop at least a little flexibility and their results do not seem too impressive to anyone.
It depends on your luck, but any girl can become sufficiently flexible if she is not lazy.
Why become flexible and do special exercises?
- You strengthen your muscles, especially your legs and back.
- Make your posture more beautiful.
- You gain elegance and grace.
- Better sleep.
- Become more resilient.
- Activate your sexual energy.
- Increases the overall tone of the body.
Physical form: what will help, what will limit
- Firstly, to build a successful career in gymnastics, you need to start training from childhood, because the best stretching is developed through systematic training from the age of 5-6.
- Secondly, professional sport is a heavy physical and psychological load for anyone; the presence of chronic diseases or joint problems can greatly limit the capabilities of a future athlete.
- Thirdly, when participating in championships, it is necessary to take into account age restrictions: girls receive the youth category up to 9 years old, so if you manage to get into the group at an older age, you will have to defend yourself next to the kids.
Remember, the sports title of master of sports is awarded from the age of 15, sports categories: candidate master of sports - from the age of 12, I - from the age of 11, II - from the age of 10, III - from the age of 9, I junior. - from 8 years old, II junior. - from 7 years old, III junior. - from 6 years old.
Gymnastics is truly a young sport! International junior championships introduce age restrictions: for girls up to 16 years old, for guys up to 17.
Also, do not forget that in professional gymnastics there are restrictions on height and weight: with a maximum height of 179 cm for girls, the maximum weight is 52 kg. There is a special measurement table that indicates the height and normal weight of the gymnast. For example, with a height of 160 cm, the weight should be 39 kg +/- 1 kg.
Think about whether you want to become flexible?
You can test your level of flexibility to see what you need to work on in the following ways:
- Gradually lowering your head, try to reach your chin to your chest.
If you were unable to do this or felt pain during the exercise, this indicates insufficient flexibility of your spine.
- Start bending back, you can even try to stand on the bridge with the support of a reliable partner.
Are you in pain?
Do you hear a nasty crunch?
This indicates that you don't move much and could use some flexibility.
- Can you lean forward and place your palms on the floor?
Yes?
Then you are not a completely lost person in terms of flexibility.
- Slowly begin to sit in a diagonal split.
Does not work?
Is there at least 30 cm left to the floor?
No problem, special exercises will definitely help you.
If after all these checks you find that you lack flexibility, then think carefully about whether you are ready to work on this problem.
Becoming flexible without having the natural ability to do so is not so easy, because:
- Flexibility develops quite slowly.
- Exercising too intensely will exhaust you and can lead to health problems.
- To achieve good results, just home training is not enough.
How to determine your flexibility and whether you need to develop it
From a physiological point of view, there are two types of flexibility:
- Active. This is flexibility that a person can achieve only through muscle effort. To determine its degree, just stand against the wall and raise your leg as high as the stretch allows.
- Passive. This is flexibility that can be achieved under external influences: with the help of a projectile or pressure from a partner. To test this flexibility, you can rest your leg on the back of a chair or sofa and bend over as far as possible.
Passive movements always have a slightly larger amplitude. In general, flexibility in the shoulders, hips and spine is important for all people. Developing flexibility at home can later help improve coordination of movements, reduce the risk of injuries and sprains, and make it easier to master exercise techniques.
Thanks to its high flexibility, you can:
- improve musculoskeletal health;
- reduce the risk of developing arthritis and arthrosis;
- get rid of some excess weight;
- relieve fatigue and get a feeling of lightness;
- increase concentration;
- make movements smoother and improve posture;
- increase resistance to physical stress.
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What activities can you do to become flexible?
You can significantly improve the flexibility of your body by playing sports.
If you choose the right sport, which devotes a lot of time to stretching, then you won’t have to do special flexibility exercises at home.
What sports are the best to help you become flexible?
- Yoga.
She will work magic even with those who are made of rigid wood.
It is enough to devote 15 minutes a day to yoga to show decent stretching within a month.
- Dancing, of any style.
It doesn’t matter what you do (be it strip dancing or hip-hop), any dancer needs stretching.
- Gymnastics.
Naturally, you won’t demonstrate Olympic results as an adult, but you can become more flexible.
How to lose weight by summer: what should you do?
In general, to become more flexible, you can engage in any kind of sport.
Going to the gym, running in the morning, and even 15-minute exercises at home help improve stretching.
What does it take to become flexible at home?
If you don’t like to exercise in the company of strangers or don’t have extra money to pay a trainer, but still want to become flexible, then you can successfully perform special exercises at home.
Training flexibility and stretching without the supervision of a trainer can be dangerous, but if you follow the precautions, nothing bad will happen:
- It will take at least a month for you to see real results.
Remember that you are not trying to set an Olympic record, but are training stretching solely for yourself. Take your time, don't be nervous and everything will work out.
- It is advisable to do stretching exercises in the morning, on a half-empty stomach.
- It is very important that you feel good and are in a good mood.
What is Thai massage?
- Wear comfortable clothes for flexibility training that do not restrict your movements, you can even train in underwear if you live alone or are not embarrassed by other family members.
- Before you start doing flexibility exercises, you should do a 5-minute exercise to warm up your muscles.
- Plan your workout so that it includes different exercises: stretching the arms, legs, spine, buttocks.
You cannot pay attention to some parts of the body and ignore others.
- If you feel severe pain, stop pulling the muscle immediately.
Our goal is to become a graceful flexible girl, not a disabled person.
“It’s an insanely expensive sport.” Children in rhythmic gymnastics: how everything works
“We started rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 3.5,” says Alla, mother of seven-year-old Violetta. “In our case, it was dad’s choice.” He insisted that the child go in for sports, and not necessarily rhythmic gymnastics; we chose between dancing, figure skating and gymnastics, and settled on the latter. In the first year it was very difficult for me and Violetta. The coach even forbade me to attend training because I was peeking from behind the door, and my daughter, seeing me, started crying and refused to train. All year, her father took his daughter to training, instilling in her sports discipline and patience.
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You need to understand that at first the child will try in every possible way to avoid training, because stretching is really painful, plus the trainer may scold or yell, so you need to be prepared for the child to cry.
When you send your child to such a sport, you need to clearly understand why. Some people lead for health, and others to achieve sports results. If sport is your priority, then you need to train almost every day.
End of torment
Our period of constant struggle and tears ended after the first competition. After they dressed her in a beautiful swimsuit, put on makeup, did her hair and let her out on the carpet in front of a large crowd of people, she was transformed. On the carpet, Violetta showed something that she had never done, and I was incredibly happy for my daughter. Having felt the taste and excitement of competition, she understood why all this training was needed.
Your expectations are your problems
Very often in gymnastics, and in many other sports, parents demand from their children that they always be the best. Of course, you need to strive for first place, but constantly telling your child that he is worse than others is stupid. For almost four years in gymnastics, Violetta only came first in a tournament once, but I tried to instill in my daughter that with each start she would try to make the elements cleaner and more confident. It is necessary to criticize after unsuccessful starts; you should not praise if not everything worked out, so that the child does not lose motivation.
According to Alla, now her daughter was forced to interrupt training for several months due to synovitis (inflammation of the joint capsules). Inflammations began to occur due to constant stretching and pulling, so she recommends that before sending your child to any sports section, thoroughly check his health.
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“In this sport, synovitis or dysplasia are quite common. Violetta was diagnosed with it at a training camp this summer, when she was sent for a massage. Unfortunately, we had to interrupt our preparations and go home,” says Alla.
Rhythmic gymnastics is expensive
If you think that a swimsuit and Czechs are cheap, then I may greatly disappoint you. “Art”, like figure skating, are insanely expensive sports. Let's start with the fact that almost all competitions are paid. Swimsuits for children can cost 30 thousand or even more, you cannot save on this, because the better quality and more beautiful it is, the more advantageous the child looks on the carpet. Limiting yourself to just one swimsuit won’t work either. Usually we take 2 different ones for competitions, and ideally the ratio is: one swimsuit - one exercise. The item and swimsuit should preferably also be combined. Of course, if you perform in the same swimsuit in all exercises, the judges will not deduct points, but the attitude will be different.
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The items also cost a decent amount of money. Of course, you can buy a ribbon for 100 rubles, but then you will have to worry about ironing and starching it before each workout, and such a ribbon will get tangled on the carpet. A good ball can cost 5 thousand, a good hoop - from two thousand and above. Don’t skimp on the hoop wrapping either; a cheap one will look unsightly after just a couple of workouts and you’ll end up overpaying by constantly changing it. It’s better to buy a good one, for 800-900 rubles, that won’t fall apart at the most crucial moment.
A significant part of the expenses is fees, which gymnasts have to pay several times a year. In general, gymnasts rest for a maximum of a couple of weeks a year. Children generally should not take long breaks in the first years of classes, because after a month the stretching will disappear and they will have to start all over again. Typically, training camps take place in winter and summer; some also hold camps in the fall. On average, three-week training camps in Bulgaria, for example, will cost 80 thousand per child. At the training camp they train every day for 8-9 hours.
Winter and autumn training camps are not mandatory, but the higher the level of the gymnast, the more emphasis is placed on work at the training camp, where the basis for further progress is laid. This is an opportunity for an athlete to improve their skills and learn something new. If the training camp is held with the participation of honored Russian coaches, then this is an opportunity to learn new techniques and new elements, and learn the secrets of the success of Olympic champions. In the future, if a gymnast performs well at the training camp, this will help her reach a higher level and even get into the national team.
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On average, in the last couple of years, we have received about 30 thousand per month, which was spent only on gymnastics - training, equipment, additional individual lessons... This does not take into account the fact that if both parents work in a family, then you also need to pay a nanny who will pick you up child from kindergarten, drive and pick up from training.
Apartment per season
There have been a lot of seamstresses in Moscow lately, as the demand for swimsuits is quite high. Prices are also different. If you can buy a swimsuit for a 5-7 year old girl for 20-30 thousand, then for a junior girl you need more swimsuits and they cost more. In our team, one of the mothers became a seamstress. During the season, I practically earned enough to buy an apartment on the outskirts of Moscow. Good seamstresses who sew leotards for top gymnasts are far from poor people.
Sports schools and sections
Our section does not belong to the sports school system. We have an ordinary commercial section, which is approved by the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, so children can receive ranks at competitions. Many sections exist without such approval from the federation, where children engage in general physical training with elements of rhythmic gymnastics. In sports schools, training is daily, but, as a rule, in sports schools there are 5-6 favorites who earn this status either with talent or money. The rest of the kids don't get enough attention from their coaches and finish quickly. Competitions are also divided by rank, but sports school teams try to come to those where their gymnasts have the highest chance of winning first place.
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Classes there are free, but there is a whole system of various fees. A coach may recommend that you sew three swimsuits from the seamstress he recommends, and go to exactly the training camps that they say. In general, there is not much difference between paying a private owner or paying this way.
If you think that playing in a sports section is a child’s business, then this is not so. This is the work of the whole family. For example, I devoted almost all my free time to gymnastics. She was the head of the parent committee, collected money, and handled applications for competitions, which took place quite often. I spent my weekends at competitions. You need to be prepared for this.
“I don’t regret sending my child to art school.”
Do I regret sending my child to this species? Not at all. Yes, we had to interrupt our classes due to health problems, but I see how these trainings benefited Violetta. Teachers at school and kindergarten teachers note her ability to listen and understand what the teacher is saying. She has respect for elders, perseverance and attentiveness. Initially, her father wanted sports to instill discipline in her, and in this sense, rhythmic gymnastics really played a big role.
What are the types of flexibility exercises?
Flexibility exercises can be static or dynamic. Let's look at their differences and identify the advantages of each type.
Dynamic flexibility exercises
This method of developing flexibility involves repeating the exercise a specified number of times with a gradual increase in the range of motion. Dynamic stretching promotes greater mobility and flexibility in the joints, and also increases blood flow to the muscles, so they are better supplied with oxygen.
Static flexibility exercises
Here it is important to take a position in which the muscles are stretched to the maximum and held in it for 30-60 seconds. Static stretching improves joint and ligament flexibility and helps lengthen muscles and ligaments. This type is considered safer and the chance of injury is almost zero. Despite this, it is optimal to combine two types of stretches.
Clothing and equipment
Workout clothing is a one-piece swimsuit with high leg cutouts, with or without sleeves. The leotard can be made of modern elastic materials or cotton (for beginners), as a simple choreographic one. The requirements for the color of a training swimsuit are set differently in different training schools. In amateur groups, swimsuits can be of different colors; for sports activities, as a rule, all swimsuits are the same color. Black, white, blue. Under a swimsuit, if the temperature in the room is not high, wear leggings or bicycle shorts. In a number of sections, gaiters are worn to better warm up the joints. Shoes for training – half shoes with non-slip soles (preferably leather) and training socks.
Girls in rhythmic gymnastics perform in beautiful bright outfits embroidered with sparkles, sequins, and beads. Previously, it was only a leotard, but now it can be a leotard with a small skirt, which further emphasizes the beauty and femininity of the gymnast. Modern materials are used that stretch and promote proper heat transfer.
Items for training
Rope, ball, clubs, ribbon, hoop. High-quality items for rhythmic gymnastics are expensive and are purchased as you learn.
Natural data for training
Rhythmic gymnastics presupposes thinness, lightness, jumping ability, and a certain ratio of body proportions. Enrollment of girls in sports groups begins in the spring and ends in the fall. Preference is given to flexible and slender girls.
Checking body proportions for young children 4-5 years old is simple. The legs should be longer than the rest of the body. Your knees and elbows should be fully extended. Bending in the opposite direction is acceptable, but not encouraged, as it increases the possibility of injury when jumping. The ability to pull the toe, mobility of joints and feet, musicality, and the ability to keep a rhythm are tested.
Being a little overweight at the beginning of classes is not an obstacle to classes in a health group. With good natural abilities, a transition to a sports group is possible.
Much attention is paid to the health of female athletes. Examinations are required 2 times a year. There are often cases of scoliosis correction as a result of exercise.
The right choice of sports school, section and coach
If you decide to enroll your child in a sports section, answer the simplest question: “Why?” Few people dream of raising their children to become Olympic champions. Most parents bring their children to sports for general development or for health. If you belong to this category, any gymnastics section in Moscow will suit you. You can choose a sports school based on geographic accessibility or cost of training. The situation is similar with rhythmic gymnastics. Without dreaming of world fame, you can limit yourself to training in a school section or the nearest cultural palace. But if you want your child to try to make a sports career, a lot depends on the school and the specific coach. Look for masters of their craft who have raised more than one generation of champions. It is such a specialist who will best explain to your daughter how to become a gymnast.
Minuses
Surprisingly, even such a wonderful sport as rhythmic gymnastics has its drawbacks. Sport is a competition, serious emotional stress, the possibility of injury for athletes performing complex elements above, not all children have equal natural abilities for rhythmic gymnastics.
Even when practicing with normal abilities in a health group, without significant victories, girls acquire grace, excellent posture and unique grace.
Traumaticity
Performing complex exercises without proper preparation and stretching, deep deflections often lead to sprains, dislocations, bruises and even fractures. This is a sport and minor injuries are inevitable, as is overcoming pain when stretching. The task of parents is to ensure that overcoming is not excessive and traumatic for the child’s psyche. For children who started training later than 8-9 years old, spinal injuries are common due to an incorrect training regimen. There may also be problems with the knee joints.
Excessive requirements
Not all children are equally gifted. If a coach relies solely on high athletic results, inflated demands may be placed on children, both for gifted children - even higher, even more flexible, even more graceful, and for girls who are unlikely to climb onto world podiums. To avoid excessive demands, choose a coach carefully depending on the child’s natural abilities.
As in ballet, the required inversion of the foot can be achieved by stretching stiff knees. It is necessary to understand that a girl with good qualities will be on the sidelines. By association with ballet, you can become a ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater, 4th swan on the left, in the 2nd row.
