A Comparative Study On Female Gymnasts And Dancers

Abstract

The study covered two groups of children aged 12 – 13 years, during a mesocycle training programme, namely from the beginning of the school year until winter break. The subjects followed specific training routines which also consisted of daily classical dance sessions. The research aimed at determining the similarities and differences between the two groups of subjects in point of the type of effort exerted during training, while referring to the type of effort specific to competitive events (in case of rhythmic gymnasts) and to the type of effort specific to performances (in case of the choreography high school students), respectively. We tested the subjects’ cardiovascular fitness before and after training and determined the type of effort exerted during the training sessions. The measurements revealed a difference in training between the children practicing rhythmic gymnastics (who already participate in national and international competitive events), in whom we can notice cardiovascular adaptations, and the children practicing classical dance, who are at the beginning of their training (their artistic and competitive activity starts around the age of 16 – 18 years), who experience no changes in the cardiovascular system yet. Having in view the results, we can conclude that the gymnasts exert a significantly greater physical effort as compared to the little girl dancers. We can say that rhythmic gymnastics training routines are far more demanding and far better structured than the training programmes followed by the dancers, which consist mostly of classical dance routines.

Keywords: Cardiovascular systemphysical effortchoreographic trainingclassical dance routines

Introduction

Scientific-based advanced knowledge of movement mechanisms is determinant in attaining performance both in sports and in arts. Rhythmic gymnastics, a highly complex sport, placed at the border of sports performance and art, requires an extremely logical and coherent organisation of the body elements teaching methods. Although a very unitary and homogenous system, classical dance presents a deficit in the teaching methods due to the lack of teaching materials.

Therefore, an insufficient research renders us unable to properly train rhythmic gymnastics and dance professionals. This results in the need of a collaborative relationship between rhythmic gymnastics specialists and dance specialists. Such a collaborative effort could lead to the elaboration of teaching materials, which would help improve motor performance of the subjects of both specialisations.

Theoretical fundamentals and problem statement in specialist literature:

Problem Statement

This research assessed the late cardiovascular changes following physical exercise training. Such changes occur slowly and are an adequate response to the increased needs of the body imposed by the physical effort exerted. I will dwell on two aspects:

• Low heart rate

Measurement of the heart rate before, during and after physical exercise training provides us information on the state of the body, on the one hand, and on how the body adapts to effort, on the other. At rest, a trained athlete has a slow heart rate called bradycardia. Bradycardia makes the longer time intervals between systoles allow a better relaxation of the heart muscle and a better recovery of the biological potential of the heart. Therefore, bradycardia indicates that the body is in an optimum state for physical exercise training.

• Low blood pressure

Generally, blood pressure values are slightly influenced by physical exercise training. Blood pressure, particularly systolic blood pressure, decreases down to 100 – 110 mmHg while at rest. Blood pressure undergoes alterations during physical exercise training. The maximum (systolic) pressure increases according to the intensity and the length of the effort exerted, while the minimum (diastolic) pressure, as well, experiences small changes (Cordun, 2009).

The two groups of children subject to research were born between 2004 and 2006, which means they are aged between 12 and 13 years. This indicates that they are in the puberty stage, a stage in which their body undergoes significant morphofunctional and biological changes. That is why we notice in some children a slight unsteadiness and clumsiness in the performance of movements (occurring due to the growing pains). The pulse, namely the heart rate was measured during a 3-month interval and the outcomes are included in the Table 01 , Table 02 , Table 03 and Table 04 below:

(Systolic and diastolic) blood pressure was also measured during the 3-month interval, and the outcomes are included in the tables below:

Research Questions

Is there a link between the technical execution of the movements and the type of effort exerted by the subjects?

What should the rhythmic gymnastics and dance coaches / teachers do to improve the motor performance of the subjects?

Purpose of the Study

The research aimed at determining the similarities and differences between the two groups of subjects in point of the effort exerted during physical exercise training while referring to the type of effort specific to competitive events, in case of rhythmic gymnasts (taking the Romanian Cup as a reference event) and the type of effort specific to performances, in case of the choreography students (taking the semester exam as a reference event).

To this end, we tested the subjects’ cardiovascular fitness, determining the type of effort involved in the classical dance routines.

Research Methods

Findings

In point of the heart rate, we notice the following:

• Rhythmic gymnasts experience bradycardia (the tables fail to read that because the classical dance routines usually took place after the gymnastics training routine; nevertheless, previous measurements conducted on this group of children reflect this condition).

• The choreography students do not have athletic bradycardia, only one child experiencing this exercise training-based alteration of the heart rate, not sooner than November.

Having in view the aforementioned, we can conclude that rhythmic gymnastics training routines are far more demanding and, theoretically, much better structured. Besides the classical dance routines and the rhythmic gymnastics specific training, the subjects also follow strength and mobility development programmes, which obviously makes the training process more complex (Macovei, 2007). However, there are flaws in the execution of movements due to practicing under excessive tiredness conditions.

As regards blood pressure, a decrease is recorded in both the gymnasts and the dancers, therefore adaptation to effort occurs. The post-exercise blood pressure values indicate that the children exert a moderate / high effort (an interpretation conducted according to Professor A. Demeter) (Predescu, 2011).

Following the analysis of the data gathered and the careful observation of the rhythmic gymnastics subjects, we notice:

• The need of a properly structured teaching system, enabling the learners acquire the classical dance movements in a logical order and in a step-by-step manner.

• The need to learn the elements in a sound and constant manner, with emphasis on repetitions for a better execution of movements, to ensure a balanced volume of work.

• The need to periodically assess the skills acquired; rapid corrective interventions, when appropriate, are permitted.

Following the analysis of the data gathered and the careful observation of the choreography high school students, we notice:

• The need to introduce new aerobic strength development methods by alternating the continuous aerobic training (to adapt the autonomic nervous system to oxygen uptake), the variable training and the interval training (which involves repetitions at certain intervals without allowing a full body recovery between repetitions).

• The introduction of mobility development exercises, by alternating passive mobility exercises with active mobility exercises and with body reflex development programmes.

Conclusion

Having in view the measurements results, we can conclude that the gymnasts exert a significantly greater physical effort as compared to the little girl dancers (Macovei & Butu, 2018). This reveals the complex nature of training in rhythmic gymnastics. The training routines are far more demanding and much better structured. Paradoxically, in point of technical execution, the choreography students perform much more correctly. This indicates that in the dance world, at this age category, emphasis is placed on the correctness of the performance instead of on the high volume of work.

Another aspect that differentiates the two groups of children is the time assigned for training routines. The gymnasts practice at least 3 hours per day, 7 days per week, covering technical training, choreographic training, physical training, mobility development. The little girl dancers practice approximately one hour and a half per day, 6 days per week. Training consists of classical dance routines and passive mobility exercises.

The research conducted on the two groups of children shows us that the movement teaching method is very important. All movements force the locomotor system to morphologically adapt and contribute to the achievement of a perfect nervous coordination of the body segments or of the body as a whole (Nenciu, 2014). This means that the teaching – learning process must be properly structured both in rhythmic gymnastics and in dance.

The technical execution of the body elements in both disciplines involves an accuracy which requires patience and persistence for achieving movements of great finesse. These movements will expressively convey the desired message (Vaganova, 2017). The bodily expression, both in gymnastics and in dance, gives shape to an internal project, yet the process involves a certain amount of control, at least because the technical and artistic tasks differ from one routine to another. Therefore, between the internal elaboration of the movements and their actual performance, there is a complex process which is basically driven by representations and which is the essence of psychomotor learning. The transposition of the project into expression can be rethought the moment obstacles occur at the behavioural level. Suggestions may be implemented according to the external resources, the result being the collaboration of the behavioural ability and the internal elaboration project.

References

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