The key to success in rhythmic gymnastics

   The Ministry of General  and Professional Education

of Sverdlovsk oblast

Municipal Autonomous Education Establishment

gymnasium № 144

Yekaterinburg

Ordzhonikidzevsky region

                The key to success in rhythmic gymnastics

The author of the work: Mukhatinova Aigul Maratovna, 6 form

Supervisor: Domracheva Olga Anatolievna,

Teacher of English

Yekaterinburg, 2020

Introduction

  There is a good proverb that I like very much: " A healthy mind in a healthy body». People understand the importance of healthy lifestyle and choose the proper diet and regular exercises which help them keep fit, be more organized and better disciplined.  In Russia a lot of people go in for sports. We can say that Russia is a nation of sport lovers. Many sports are popular in our country. They are   football, hockey, basketball, volleyball, tennis, skiing, figure skating, wrestling, shooting and many others.

    I am not an exception.  I am fond of gymnastics. I have been doing gymnastics for 7years. I have trainings 3 hours a day, 5 times a week. I usually take part in different sports competitions and have lots of diplomas, certificates, medals and trophies. I want to succeed in this kind of sport. My dream is to become a famous gymnast like Russian female gymnasts Alina Kabaeva, Margarita Mamun and Yana Kudryavtseva.

    But what is the secret of their success?  How did they achieve such results? What do I have to do to succeed in gymnastics?

    The theme of my project is: "The key to success in rhythmic gymnastics"

    The object: rhythmic gymnastics

    The subject: the path to success in rhythmic gymnastics.

    The aim of my project is: to find out the main components of success in gymnastics.

    To achieve the aim I had to:

1. study different types of literature and internet recourses
2. define the word gymnastics
3. collect information about the history of gymnastics,
4. write notes about famous gymnasts' biography  
5. interview my classmates

 In order to obtain these tasks, I used such methods of project work as:

- observation

- interviewing

- analysis of different sources of information

Main part

What is "gymnastics"? According to different dictionaries gymnastics is physical activities that need skill, strength, and control to exercise on bars, beam, floor, and vaulting horse.

 Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

physical exercises and activities performed inside, often using equipment such as bars and ropes, intended to increase the body's strength and the ability to move and bend easily:

 Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Exercises developing or displaying physical agility and coordination. The modern sport of gymnastics typically involves exercises on bars, beam, floor, and vaulting horse.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

a sport involving physical exercises and movements that need skill, strength, and control, and that are often performed in competitions

    The word gymnastics comes from the Greek word  which means to "train naked", "train in gymnastic exercise", generally "to train, to exercise". The verb had this meaning, because athletes in ancient times exercised and competed without clothing.

    Gymnastics was used as a method to prepare men for warfare. Then it became one of the first sports in the Olympics. Originally, only men were allowed to compete in the Olympic Games, but there was another festival at which women competed, the Herean Games.

     There are different forms of gymnastics, including rhythmic gymnastics, artistic gymnastics, acrobatics, tramp lining, and wheel gymnastics.

In artistic gymnastics, gymnasts perform short routines using different pieces of equipment. 

Acrobatics involves showing balance and performing flips on the floor or in the air.

In trampolining, gymnasts do routines using only the trampoline. 

Wheel gymnasts exercise in a large wheel called a German wheel.

In rhythmic gymnastics, gymnasts perform with ribbons, rope, ball, hoop and clubs. Usually, only women do rhythmic gymnastics because they are more flexible then boys. Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport that combines elements of ballet, gymnastics, and dance. A rhythmic gymnast must be strong, power, and flexible. Competitive rhythmic gymnastics began in the 1940s in the Soviet Union. This discipline was called first as modern gymnastics, then as rhythmic sportive gymnastics, and finally as rhythmic gymnastics. The first World Championships for individual rhythmic gymnasts was held in 1963 in Budapest. Rhythmic gymnastics was added to the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, with an individual all-around competition.

Nowadays Russian gymnasts present our country in the Summer Olympics every four years. I want to tell you about my favourite rhythmic gymnasts.

    Alina Kabaeva is one of the most famous gymnasts in Rhythmic Gymnastics history. Her father was a professional football player, her mother was a basketball player. The family often moved to different places. Kabaeva started Rhythmic Gymnastics at the age of 3.

    In her young teens, Kabaeva moved to Moscow, where her mother took her to the Russian Head Coach, Irina Vine.   She won 2 Olympic medals, 14 World Championship medals, and 25 European Championship medals. Kabaeva revolutionized rhythmic gymnastics with new skills and elements.

    She says: "I am a person with sports background, I like professionalism, and sometimes it is necessary to be tough". That's why her credo is “Get Over Yourself!”.

    The secret of her success in her supportive family. She says: "Everyone in the world is talented in some way. Some people have been lucky enough to find themselves in their profession, while others haven’t. Parents play a huge role in this… Dad reacted to my wins as if they were his own. He was happy and very proud, and loved to repeat: “My little daughter is the cleverest, most talented and most beautiful of all”. I was grateful to my Mum for the discipline and the principles she taught us. What I have achieved in professional sport and in life is mainly down to her." 

  Margarita Mamun was born in Moscow, Russia  Her father was a marine engineer and her mother was a former rhythmic gymnast. She began training at the age of seven in Moscow, Russia. She saw the gymnastics on TV and asked her mother to join them. Her idols were Russian gymnasts Irina Tchachina and Evgenia Kanaeva.

     She became  the 2016 Olympic Champion, two-time silver medalist, the 2015 European Games All-around silver medalist, the 2016 European Championships All-around silver medalist, three-time Grand Prix Final All-around champion and a three-time Russian National All-around Champion. She was nicknamed "the Bengal tigress" for expressive plastic and the amazing "lyricism" of her movements. She is only 22 but she admitted that she suffered from the thought that her life is passing by her. Her classmates, peers walked, went to discos and cinemas, could eat ice cream and chocolate, but for Margarita it was forbidden. She had lots of trainings.

   Yana Kudryavtseva is known for her clean technique and light execution.Yana's father was a swimmer and won an Olympic gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.  Her mother, was a ballerina. Kudryavtseva started Rhythmic Gymnastics at the age of 4.  She trained 6–8 hours a day; a typical schedule included an early get up, then choreography and practice. An open practice at the gym until 2 p.m. and a second practice in afternoon lasting until 7 p.m., after which is followed sauna or swimming. Her nickname on the gym is "Crystal Statuette". Angel with iron wings, Ice Queen.

     She is the 2016 Olympic All-around silver medalist, three-time World Champion in the All-around (2013–2015), the 2015 European Games All-around champion, two-time (2014, 2016) European Championships All-around champion, the 2012 European Junior ball champion. In national level, she is a two-time (2015, 2014) Russian National All-around champion and three time Russian Junior National all-around champion.

      Kudryavtseva has said about her success, "I cannot say I have accomplished really a lot.

Conclusion

So, after studying gymnasts' biographies, according to their quotes, , I can single out the components of their success.  

- to belief in yourself;

- to have a huge team of supportive relatives and friends;

- to work hard;

- to have a great desire to succeed in gymnastics;

-  to sacrifice your interests and free time;

- to have a healthy lifestyle and proper diet;

-  to find a good coach;

-  to have lots of enthusiasm;

- to be able to accept criticism;

- to be dedicative, confidence, ambitious, patient.

- to have an idol who encourages  you toward achieving higher steps;

- to start doing gymnastics since childhood.

I can say gymnastics is a long path to triumph. But I am young, ambitious and hard working, my parents help me very much. I have took part  in different competitions. I hope my dream will come true.