THE SPEED OF PROGRESS IN THE APPARATUS HANDLING TECHNIQUE IN RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS

Specifi city of rhythmic gymnastics as a sport and as a teaching device are apparatus routines. Considering lack of researches, the aim of our study was to determine ages of maturity when the development in apparatus routines performance is greater. Development in essential rope, hoop and ball routine performance was examined two times per year, through four years experimental period. The evaluation is carried out three-member RG-expert committee on a scale of 1 to 10. A total of twenty-seven competitors, examined at ages seven to fourteen, participate in this study. Based on data, we can notice that speed of progress in apparatus handling technique was not equal during observing maturity period. There was not signifi cant development in most of examined routines between seven to nine years of ages. Signifi cant development in this period has been achieved only in two rope routines (Vij1 i Vij2R) and one ball routine to (Lop2R). From eleven to twelve years of ages, signifi cant development has been achieved for most of routines, except basic running with rope (Vij1) and hoop routine performed with weaker arm (Obr2L). At 12 to 13 years of ages, development of routines performance has not been statistically signifi cant.


INTRODUCTION
Specifi city of rhythmic gymnastics, as a sport and as an aid in teaching physical education is apparatus handling.Of course, the basis for a successful apparatus handling is a mastered technique of bodywork, because only their good space-time coordination provides a balanced and harmonious movement and motion (Radisavljević, & Moskovljević, 2011).In elite competitors, all exercises must be performed with a precisely differentiated position of all parts of the body, and the maximum amplitude.This suggests the need for creating a good motor support for the successful technique execution of certain structural groups -jumps, pivots and balance (Hume, Hopkins, Robinson, Robinson, & Hollings, 1993; Hutchinson, Tremain, Christiansen, & Beitzel, 1998) as well as apparatus handling technique (Moskovljević et al., 2009).Motor support is primarily related to the development of more specifi c motor abilities, as shown, with the student population, it results in a complex test of general motor skills (polygon), not associated with success mastery of program content items Theory and Methodic of Rhythmic Gymnastics (Moskovljević, & Orlić, 2012).The speed of adoption of the specifi c technique of each apparatus is one of the most important factors of success in this sport because, in addition to movement and motion of the gymnast, performance of technique with apparatus is especially valued, while the lack of good apparatus handling technique can nullify the value of the entire movement, i.e. diffi culty (Code of Points, FIG, 2009).
The speed of progress of specifi c apparatus handling technique is different in different age groups.Surveys of schoolchildren have shown that the ball and hoop techniques are taught most successfully in the period from the fi rst to the third grade of primary school, and that this progress is slower in the period of puberty, that is in the seventh grade of primary school (Moskovljević, 2002).
While exploring the infl uence of motor abilities on success in rhythmic gymnastics, evaluated by performing rhythmic exercises with and without apparatus, various authors came to the conclusion that in girls aged 11, fl exibility, strength and coordination in rhythm have a signifi cant predictive value for the performance of the exercise, while the frequency of leg movements has a signifi cant predictive value for exercises with apparatus (Miletić et al., 1998).Determining the infl uence of motor abilities on success in performance of jumps in girls aged 7, it was concluded that of all the monitored jumps (9 different ones) the most diffi cult to adopt are the split leap as well as leaps with the throw of apparatus (Miletić et al., 2004).
One study showed that the frequency of movement and the amount of lean tissue have a share of 26% in the specifi c handling of apparatus in RG (Di Cagno et al., 2008).
The research conducted among students population found that female students were dominant in performing body elements techniques, while male students had an advantage in performing elements with apparatus (Bozanić and Miletić, 2011).
The research dealing with the effectiveness of performing the competition exercises in RG (Brooks T.J., 2003), according to Di Cagna et al. (2008), found that poor performance was conditioned by the lack of strength, agility and precision of movement.

METHOD Sample
The study involved a sample of female gymnasts in rhythmic gymnastics sports club "Rhythm" from Belgrade (N = 27), aged 7 to 14 years, divided into eight groups by age.All participants gave informed consent based on the license of the club and parents to participate in the research, as part of the project "Motor, morphological and physiological factors in adoption of specifi c techniques in rhythmic gymnastics".This is a representative sample of the best Serbian female young rhythmic gymnasts.

Sample of variables
Specifi c techniques with apparatus were checked through selected (representative) forms of movement the aim of which was to evaluate two very important abilities in rhythmic gymnastics, which were: • the ability of spatial-temporal synchronization of body movements with the movement of apparatus and • the ability to react quickly in establishing contact with apparatus after its free movement on the ground or in the air, and after rotation about the longitudinal axis of the gymnast's body.
In accordance with this, three tasks with each piece of apparatus were made, although some of the tasks were performed symmetrically to the left and to the right, given the demands of the sport that the apparatus handling technique should equally be adopted by both hands.The apparatus handling technique was evaluated based on the following tasks: • running with turning the rope forward (Rope1); • throwing and catching of the folded rope with right and left hand after a pivot with passing the apparatus forward to the right and left (Rope2R and Rope2L); • throwing the hoop with both hands with horizontal axis rotation and scissors through the hoop (Hoop1); • rolling the hoop with backward rotation with right and left hand and catching the same after rotation on the fl oor to the right and left (Hoop2R and Hoop2L); • large roll over the stretched arms in both directions (Ball1); • bouncing from the fl oor and catching the ball with the right and the left hand after the two feet 360 degrees rotation to the right and left (Ball2R and Ball2L).

Procedure
The study lasted for four years, from 2004 to 2008.Training activities during this period were in accordance with the syllabus prescribed by the Gymnastics Association of Serbia for certain age categories contestants.The progress in the specifi c technique of exercises with three different pieces of apparatus (rope, hoop, and ball) was monitored.The assessment was carried out in the sports hall of the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Belgrade and quantifi ed by grades on a scale from 1 to 10.The assessment was performed by three-member expert commission, twice a year, at the beginning and at the end of the competition season.Each member of the evaluation commission graded independently, and the fi nal score was the average of these three grades rounded to a half point.

Data analysis
Statistical data analysis was performed using SPSS statistical application, version 12.0.
First, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for normality of distribution was applied and given that the test results are not arranged in a normal distribution.Because of that, we applied the nonparametric statistical procedures.The series range is shown by the minimum and maximum value, while the central tendency is presented by median.To test the significance of differences in estimating apparatus handling techniques by age in the whole sample, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to assess the signifi cance of differences of several independent samples.To test the signifi cance of differences between individual series by age, the Mann-Whitney test for the assessment of the importance of differences between two independent samples was used.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
By reviewing the results (Tables 1 and 2), it can be seen that evaluation of apparatus handling techniques increases with age, but that this growth is not the same either for all tasks, or in different age groups.Observing at the overall progress of the whole sample, it can be perceived that the greatest improvement (Table 2), is recorded in the task of "bouncing from the fl oor and catching the ball with the right hand after the two feet 360 degrees rotation to the left" (Ball2R).

Table 1.Values of the results median scores of the technique of exercise performance with apparatus by age
Slightly weaker progress was recorded in tasks "large roll over the stretched arms in both directions" (Ball1) and "throwing and catching of the folded rope with right hand after a pivot with passing the apparatus forward to the left" (Rope2R).The weakest progress was achieved in the tasks performed with the left hand with all three pieces of apparatus (Hoop2L, Rope2L and Ball2L), but also in the task "running with turning the rope forward" (Rope 1).This phenomenon can be explained by the fact that all the competitors are right-handed, and that the percentage of their performance of the apparatus handling technique with the left hand is smaller in the training process.Since the gymnasts aged 12-14 years have reached the limit in the technique of running with turning the rope forward (Table 4), it may have infl uenced the obtaining of such a result.
The speed of advancement by age, for each of the tasks, can be monitored based on the results of Mann-Whitney test (Table 4).
With girls aged 7-8, the most signifi cant progress was made in tasks with rope.They have achieved signifi cant progress in the technique of running with turning the rope forward (Rope1), as well as the throwing and catching of the folded rope with right hand after a pivot with passing the apparatus forward to the right and left (Rope2R).The technique of catching with the left hand (Rope2L) is slightly weaker than with the right, which is logical, given the fact that all gymnasts are right-handed.
Although the hoop is intensively used as apparatus in training, signifi cant progress was not achieved in the technique of handling this apparatus (Hoop1, Hoop2R and Hoop2L).This suggests that the technique of handling hoop for this age group of children is complex due to its specifi c structure and size (large diameter).

CONCLUSION
In this study, we examined the speed of advancement in apparatus handling techniques in rhythmic gymnastics in different age periods.Reviewing the research results, obtained after four years of monitoring the contestants aged 7-14, the following conclusions can be made.
Signifi cant progress was made in all tasks, although a slower progress is notable in apparatus handling technique with left hand.The most intense advancement in apparatus handling technique (rope, ball, hoop) was achieved in the period of 9-11 years of age, which is in accordance with previous studies (Moskovljević, 2002).
For girls aged 7-9, more signifi cant progress occurred only in tasks based on natural forms of movement (running with turning the rope forward) and in tasks with ball performed with the dominant hand, which were an integral part of their competitive exercises.Such progress is the result of intense practicing of these movements during the performance of the exercise.
The period of 11-12 years of age is the time of further progress in learning and improving techniques of handling all pieces of apparatus, but also the time when the limit in technique is reached in exercises based on natural forms of movement (running with turning the rope forward).
The age of 12-14 is characterized by a slower pace of progress, which was not statistically significant.This could be explained by the fact that the chosen exercises for testing the speed of progress in the apparatus handling technique were limiting for them in terms of expressing individual abilities (altitude, height, precision).
Given that the period of 9 to 11 years of age is the time of the most intense development of movement coordination in time, rhythmic performance of movement, reaction to audiovisual stimuli, and the ability of movement differentiation (Kukolj, 2011), this trend of progress in the specifi c techniques with apparatus was expected.In addition, it can be said that in the same sample of girls the most signifi cant development in coordination between the ages 9 -10 years was determined (Aleksic et al., 2008), which means that this ability is extremely important for the successful adoption of complex apparatus handling techniques in rhythmic gymnastic.
In the ball handling technique, a signifi cant progress was achieved only with the task of bouncing from the fl oor and catching the ball with the right hand after the two feet 360 degrees rotation to the right and left (Ball2R).This could be expected due to the elasticity of the ball that enables more expressed phase of fl ight after hitting the fl oor, so that the gymnast has enough time for performing the pivot and reestablishing contact with the apparatus.It appeared that the technique of large roll over the stretched arms (Ball1) for this age group is rather complex, because signifi cant progress has not been achieved.When large roll technique is in question, this age group should use rolling on a shorter path and a larger area of support.Thus, signifi cant progress was achieved in those tasks that are more often used, and therefore more often practiced both in the training process and in the structure of the competing exercises.
In the period from 8 to 9 years of age, there is a slower progress in the apparatus handling technique.Signifi cant progress was achieved only in running with turning the rope forward (Rope1) and in bouncing from the fl oor with the right hand after the 360 degrees rotation to the right and left (Ball2R).
The most signifi cant progress in the apparatus handling technique was achieved in the period from 9 to 10 years of age and in the period of 10 to 11 years of age.There has been a signifi cant progress in all tasks.It points to the fact that this is a very important age when various sports techniques should be studied intensively, so that they could be further perfected and made more complex in the junior and senior age by creating combination of exercises from different structural groups.
The next period (11-12 years of age) is the time of further progress in learning and perfecting sports techniques, but also the time when a certain level (limit) in the techniques of some movements is achieved.They are natural kinds of movements with some apparatus (running with rope) that must be mastered at a younger age, and later maintained at a certain level.
In the periods from 12 to 13 and 13 to 14 years of age, the gymnasts did not show any statistically signifi cant improvement, but the progress was achieved to some extent in performing most tasks (Table 2).This could be explained by the fact that the chosen exercises to test progress are limited in terms of expressing individual skills (primarily amplitude, height and precision), which means that the technique of the same are adopted at a younger age.

Table 2 .
Values minimum and maximum scores of the technique of exercise performance with apparatus by age

Table 3 .
Results of Kruskal-Walis test of signifi cance of technique evaluation differences on the whole sample