The influence of rhythmic gymnastics on the health level of young athletes

Abstract

The article reflects that one of the trends in the development of modern rhythmic gymnastics is the significant complication of competitive programs for young gymnasts, which can negatively affect the level of health of gymnasts in pursuit of results at a young age. The results of the analysis of data from a study of the level of somatic and functional health of young gymnasts aged 9-14 years showed that with increasing qualifications, the rate of increase in body length, chest circumference, and hand strength decreases slightly. The body length of the majority of gymnasts is below normal, while the proportion of athletes who are both underweight and overweight is high. With the growth of sports qualifications, the percentage of people who fall into the safe and high zone decreases due to the increase in the number of low and below-average indicators of cardiovascular reserves, the percentage of people with a low strength index increases, the aerobic capabilities of female athletes decrease, and therefore their level of health.