- It is a olympic sport that ideally arises between dance and artistic gymnastics.
- The goal of the gymnasts is to perform a exercise, made up of different difficulties and based on a musical accompaniment, through the movements of the body and tool.
- The tools used in the rhythmic exercises are 5 - rope, circle, ball, club and ribbon - and are defined as "small tools", as opposed to the "great tools" of artistic gymnastics.
Music is a fundamental part of this sport: it must define the guiding idea of the composition that the gymnast must transmit.
Currently rhythmic gymnastics is an exclusively female sport; however, experiments are underway to extend it to the male sector (for example, in Spain men’s championships are held).
Rhythmic gymnastics favors a complete and homogeneous physical development. During training they are improved:
- flexibility and muscle strength thanks to stretching and strengthening activities
- coordination thanks to the use of small tools
- the complete control of your body.
They are also stimulated:
- the sense of rhythm and musicality
- expressiveness and personal interpretation
- collaboration and team work.
Rhythmic in Italy
Italy is an excellence in international rhythm: just think that in recent years the Italian national team has obtained 2 Olympic medals (Athens 2004 and London 2012) and 7 world titles, as well as more than 100 international medals.