FACTA UNIVERSITATIS

Series: Physical Education and Sport Vol. 14, No 1, 2016, pp. 63 - 74

Original research article

THE IMPORTANCE OF MOTOR COORDINATION ABILITIES

FOR PERFORMANCE IN RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS 

UDC 796.412.012

Tijana Purenović-Ivanović, Ružena Popović,

Daniel Stanković, Saša Bubanj
University of Niš, Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, Niš, Republic of Serbia

Abstract. Rhythmic gymnastics (RG) is a difficult and complex sport which requires
increased space-time coordination between body movements and apparatus handling,
thus making specific motor coordination a vital part of technical preparation in RG
with an important role in creating the preconditions necessary for allowing the gymnast
to learn many RG techniques. The purpose of the research was to test and/or determine
the possibility of predicting success in RG performance on the basis of gymnasts’
coordination skills. One hundred and twenty-seven national- and international-level
rhythmic gymnasts (age: 11.93±3.09 years, body height: 147.65±14.6 cm, body mass:
37.67±11.7 kg, BMI: 16.78±2.26 kg/m2, training experience: 5.85±2.81 years), distributed
in five age categories (22 beginners, aged 7-9 years; 39 intermediate, aged 9-12 years; 26
advanced, aged 12-14 years; 25 juniors, aged 14-16 years; 15 seniors, aged 16 years and
older), volunteered to participate in the study. Their baseline characteristics (age, body
height, body mass, BMI, years of training experience, Success) were established, as well
as their specific coordination skills (B-ROL, R-TCJ, H-SKP and C-JUG). By means of a
Multiple regression analysis the specific coordination skills’ statistically significant
influence on Success was established only in the group of advanced and intermediate
gymnasts (p<0.018 and p<0.000, respectively), with an explanation of 42%, i.e. 50% of
success in RG. Also, the Regression analysis emphasized the significant independent
contributions, to the prediction of the dependent variable, of three independent variables:
ball rolling (intermediate gymnasts: p=0.03), hoop skipping (intermediate gymnasts:
p=0.03 and sample in total: p=0.02) and clubs juggling (intermediate gymnasts: p=0.03
and sample in total: p=0.02), with positive relationship among these independent
variables and dependent variable. This study has confirmed the importance of
coordination skills for success in RG, but only for younger age categories.
Key words: rhythmic gymnasts, age categories, specific coordination, regression.

Received January 3, 2016 / Accepted March 24, 2016



Corresponding author: Tijana Purenović-Ivanović

University of Niš, Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, St. Ĉarnojevića10a, 18000 Niš, Serbia
Phone: +381 18 510900 • E-mail: [email protected]
64 T. PURENOVIĆ-IVANOVIĆ, R. POPOVIĆ, D. STANKOVIĆ, S. BUBANJ

INTRODUCTION
The ability of performing complex movements, solving complex motor tasks,
performing speed of acquired motor programs, and speed of the adoption of new motor
programs (Miletić, 2005), known as motor coordination, is one of the substantial
determinants of motor functioning and of the development of the body as a whole.
Coordination as an aspect of physical fitness is a complex entity which allows a person to
use the neuromuscular and kinesthetic senses of body parts to perform exercises
successfully and accurately. Certainly, among all aspects of physical fitness, coordination
plays a very specific role, as it is connected with other areas of fitness. Motor coordination
is no doubt the most important ability in terms of the overall performance and motor
behavior of human beings. It is practically implemented in every movement structure, from
the simplest to the most complex forms of motion (Purenović-Ivanović, 2014). We can
further differentiate coordination abilities as being either general or specific. General
coordination abilities are those involved in any motor task, and specific coordination
abilities (or specific coordination) are those relating to sport-specific motor tasks.
Rhythmic gymnastics (RG) is a blend of gymnastics, dance and apparatus handling, a
combination of impressive motor structures that are characterized by beauty, elegance
and harmony of movement, with the constant striving to achieve perfectly coordinated,
coherently connected and precisely executed motions and movements (Ivanĉević, 1976).
This sport has undergone immense development in the last few decades, owing to the
ever increasing technical skills required through the revision of the Code of Points. These
rules stress the importance of high-difficulty activities, and high difficulties require
suitable physical fitness. Due to this, RG is a sport which requires the complexity of
skills, and develops a variety of motor abilities (whole-body coordination, dynamic
balance and static balance, sense of kinesthesia, whole-body movement time, and hand-
eye coordination) and perceptual abilities (whole-body reaction time, anticipation of
coincidence, and depth perception) (Kiourmourtzoglou, Derri, Mertzanidou, & Tzetzis,
1997; Pavlova & Alexandrova, 2001; according to Pavlova, 2011). Specific coordination
is a vital part of technical preparation in RG, and those abilities play an important role in
creating the preconditions necessary to allow the gymnast to learn many RG techniques
(Jastrjambskaia & Titov, 1998). Indeed, precise muscular efforts as well as space and
time parameters of movements are especially important in RG.
Many previous studies confirmed the powerful influence of coordination on successful
performance in RG (Furjan, 1990; Hume, Hopkins, Robinson, Robinson, & Hollings, 1993;
Kioumourtzoglou et al., 1997), and the greatest influence was determined for rhythmic
coordination, whole-body coordination, and arm and leg coordination (Sanader, 2005).
Indeed, rhythmic gymnasts (RGs) are given the unique opportunity to display the highest
degree of all of these different coordination abilities in unforeseen complex situations. Still,
there are some studies (Giannitsopoulou, Zisi, & Kioumourtzoglou, 2003; Zisi,
Giannitsopoulou, Vassiliadou, Pollatou, & Kioumourtzoglou, 2009) that claim that this
importance of coordination skills for RG performance was primarily found in studies
conducted before the changes of Code of Points in RG, which, according to them, probably
resulted in shifting the importance of coordination to older age categories. Due to the
potentially exceptional importance of motor coordination skills for the performance, as for
the processes of orientation, selection and monitoring in the field of RG, this issue is given
special attention. Therefore, this research aims to examine the predictive value of motor
coordination in RG by testing these sport-specific coordination skills’ influence on success
(competitive score) of RGs of different age categories.
 The Importance of Motor Coordination Abilities for Performance in Rhythmic Gymnastics 65

METHODS
Participants
One hundred and twenty-seven RGs, divided into five age categories (22 beginners,
aged 7-9 years; 39 intermediate, aged 9-12 years; 26 advanced, aged 12-14 years; 25
juniors, aged 14-16 years; 15 seniors, aged 16 years and older), volunteered to participate
in this cross-sectional study. All of the participants are individual competitors at national
and/or international level in an “A” and “B” program (see Table 1).

Table 1 Distribution of study participants according to age category,

program and country of competition
Age categories 6th “Montenegro Cup 2013” 2014 National Championships Total
(Budva, Montenegro) (Belgrade, Serbia)
Beginners 6A + 3B 0A + 13B 6A + 16B = 22
Intermediate 5A + 14B 4A + 16B 9A + 30B = 39
Advanced 2A + 7B 5A + 12B 7A + 19B = 26
Juniors 1A + 5B 12A + 7B 13A + 12B = 25
Seniors / 7A + 8B 7A + 8B = 15
Total 14A + 29B = 43 28A + 56B = 84 42A + 85B = 127
Legend: A- “A” program, B- “B” program.

Ethical considerations
The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Sport and
Physical Education, University of Niš, Serbia (No. 04-610). Written requests were
promptly sent to the Expert Committee of the Gymnastics Federation of Montenegro, so
as to the Gymnastics Federation of Serbia, and, after being informed about the study, its
scientific value and multiple benefits, approvals were given for the testing to be
conducted during the 6th “Montenegro Cup” in 2013 (Budva, Montenegro), and during
the 2014 National Championships (Belgrade, Serbia). All testing was performed in
accordance with the ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration (WMA, 2002).

Measures and procedures

The first testing was conducted at the end of June 2013 in Budva (Montenegro), when
43 international-level gymnasts were tested. During the 2014 National Championships
held in Belgrade (Serbia) on October 25 th and 26th, the second testing was performed and
it included 84 Serbian gymnasts.
Data on their age and years of training experience were collected by interviewing the
participants. The Martin anthropometer was used to obtain the RGs’ body height (in cm),
while body mass (in kg) and body mass index (BMI, in kg/m2) were assessed with a
tetrapolar bioelectrical impedance device, Omron BF511 (Kyoto, Japan). For the
estimation of RG-specific coordination skills the tests proposed by Jastrjambskaia et al.
(1998) were used: ball rolling over the arms (B-ROL, in the number of consecutive
successful attempts), throwing, catching and jumping through a rope (R-TCJ, in the
number of consecutive successful attempts), skipping through a hoop (H-SKP, in the
number of consecutive successful attempts during 15 sec) and club juggling (C-JUG, in
the number of consecutive successful attempts during 10 sec). The criterion, i.e.
66 T. PURENOVIĆ-IVANOVIĆ, R. POPOVIĆ, D. STANKOVIĆ, S. BUBANJ

dependent variable, was the participants’ competitive/performance score (Success),

which can range from 0.0 to 20.0, according to the Code of Points (FIG, 2013).

Statistical analysis
The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version
21.0 (IBM SPSS 21.0, SPSS Inc, Chicago, USA). Descriptive statistics [average value
(Mean), Standard Deviation (SD), Range] were summarized for all variables. The
multiple regression analysis (R- multiple correlation coefficient, R2- coefficient of
determination, F- F-test, p- significance of multiple regression) was performed with the
aim of determining the amount of variance in RG-specific coordination skills’ influence
on the success rate in RG performance, and for the purpose of determining the
independent contributions of each independent variable to the prediction of the dependent
variable, i.e. Success, regression analysis was performed (r- Pearson correlation
coefficient, b- regression coefficient, p- statistical significance). The level of significance
was set at p<0.05.

RESULTS
The baseline characteristics of the sample in total, and subsamples (age categories) are
presented in Table 2. The descriptive statistics data of the subsamples’ measured specific
coordination skills are presented in Table 3 and in Figure 1 of the sample in total.
Based on the BMI cut-off points for girls of different ages (CDC, 2000), it can be
stated that most of the RGs (n=117, or 92.13%) are of normal nutritional status, and few
of them are underweighted (7.87%, i.e. six from the intermediate group, three from the
advanced group, and one junior RGs; in the group of beginners and senior groups there
are no underweighted RGs).
According to the cut-off points of coordination rating scale (Jastrjambskaia et al.,
1998, 140) the situation is as follows (see Tables 4.1 – 4.4): in the first test (B-ROL) most
of the gymnasts (63 out of 127, i.e. 49.61%) had an excellent score, 11.81% performed it
well, 7.87% had fair scores, 10.24% had poor results, and 20.47% did not manage to do it
at all (three from the advantage group, 10 intermediate RGs, and 13 beginners). The
second test (R-TCJ) was a slightly difficult task: only 11.02% had an excellent score,
15.75% performed it well, 19.69% had fair scores, 26.77% had poor results and the same
percent of gymnasts were unsuccessful (four from the advanced group, 15 intermediate
RGs and 15 beginners). Unlike the R-TCJ, the third test (H-SKP) was an easy task:
83.47% scored excellent, 7.87% performed it well, 5.51% had fair scores and 3.15% had
poor results. For the fourth test (C-JUG) the majority of the participants (42.52%) had an
excellent score, 23.62% performed it well, 12.59% had fair scores, 11.81% scored poorly,
and 9.45% did not manage to do it at all (one from the advantage group, seven
intermediate RGs and four beginners).
 The Importance of Motor Coordination Abilities for Performance in Rhythmic Gymnastics 67

Table 2 Baseline characteristics of the study participants

Age Variables Age (yrs) Body height Body mass BMI Training Success
categories (cm) (kg) (kg/m2) experience (score)
(yrs)
Beginners Mean±SD 8.04±0.75c 128.39±5.73c 25.28±2.85 15.31±1.03 2.53±1.44b 7.18±1.15
(n=22) Range 6.67 – 9.08 120.1 – 139.3 20.8 – 30.8 13.6 – 18.7 0.5 – 6.0 4.55 – 8.75
Intermediate Mean±SD 10.09±0.81abd 139.78±5.95 29.92±4.27 15.24±1.26 4.84±1.9bcd 7.92±1.47
(n=39) Range 8.71 – 12.02 125.1 – 151.4 22.6 – 40.2 12.7 – 18.9 1.0 – 8.0 4.4 – 10.38
Advanced Mean±SD 12.25±0.89 151.31±8.72 38.99±8.01 16.83±1.94b 5.73±1.95 7.86±1.58
(n=26) Range 10.57 – 13.8 136.0 – 164.4 25.5 – 53.2 13.8 – 21.4 0.5 – 9.0 4.3 – 10.45
Juniors Mean±SD 14.53±0.74d 162.94±7.05 48.61±6.16 18.23±1.4 8.0±1.56d 9.34±1.54
(n=25) Range 13.3 – 15.82 146.1 – 176.7 31.0 – 62.7 14.5 – 20.4 4.0 – 10.0 6.06 – 11.38
Seniors Mean±SD 17.53±1.37 164.56±6.83 55.51±4.91 20.48±1.16 9.23±2.47 9.29±1.91
(n=15) Range 16.16 – 20.34 150.0 – 178.2 47.4 – 67.0 19.0 – 23.3 5.0 – 14.0 5.53 – 11.83
Total Mean±SD 11.93±3.09 147.65±14.56 37.67±11.7 16.78±2.26 5.85±2.81 8.22±1.69
(n=127) Range 6.67 – 20.34 120.1 – 178.2 20.8 – 67.0 12.74 – 23.3 0.5 – 14.0 4.3 – 11.83
Legend: n- number of study participants, Mean- average value,
SD- Standard Deviation, yrs- years, BMI- Body Mass Index.
abcd
Statistically significant correlations with RG-specific coordination skills (p<0.05):
a
with B-ROL, b with R-TCJ, c with H-SKP, d with C-JUG.

The multiple regression analysis revealed the existence of the significant influence of
the RGs’ specific coordination skills on the dependent variable (Success) when
considering the sample in total [R=0.61, R²=0.38, F(4,121)=18.279, p<0.0000] and for
the following subsamples: advanced RGs [R=0.65, R²=0.42, F(4,21)=3.8084, p<0.01763]
and intermediate RGs [R=0.71, R²=0.50, F(4,33)=8.3084, p<0.00009] (see Figure 2). At
the univariate level, the regression analysis revealed the significant independent
contribution of hoop skipping and club juggling to the prediction of Success for the
sample in total (p=0.02) and in the intermediate group (p=0.02 and p=0.03, respectively),
as well as of hoop skipping and ball rolling in the intermediate group (p=0.03), with a
positive relationship among these independent variables and dependent variable (b=0.048
for H-SKP and b=0.091 for C-JUG for the sample in total; b=0.051 for B-ROL and
b=0.092 for H-SKP in intermediate RGs).

Table 3 Specific coordination skills in RGs of different age categories

Variables Beginners Intermediate Advanced Juniors Seniors Total
(n=22) (n=39) (n=26) (n=25) (n=15) (n=127)
B-ROL Mean±SD 1.41±4.23 8.21±13.2* 19.12±21.82 35.04±20.44 49.13±20.98 19.38±22.97
Range 0.0 – 20.0 0.0 – 58.0 0.0 – 77.0 7.0 – 70.0 14.0 – 80.0 0.0 – 80.0
R-TCJ Mean±SD 0.46±0.8 1.95±2.37 3.31±2.95 4.24±2.44 8.0±3.55 3.13±3.29
Range 0.0 – 3.0 0.0 – 10.0 0.0 – 11.0 1.0 – 9.0 2.0 – 15.0 0.0 – 15.0
H-SKP Mean±SD 22.55±8.54 29.18±6.28* 30.5±5.17 30.72±5.31 31.27±6.03 29.85±6.91†
Range 5.0 – 35.0 11.0 – 38.0 16.0 – 36.0 17.0 – 39.0 12.0 – 39.0 5.0 – 39.0
C-JUG Mean±SD 2.64±2.75 5.21±3.81 8.04±4.16 10.96±2.97 11.27±2.52 7.19±4.61‡
Range 0.0 – 13.0 0.0 – 14.0 0.0 – 15.0 3.0 – 16.0 4.0 – 14.0 0.0 – 16.0
Legend: n- number of study participants, Mean- average value, SD- Standard Deviation,
B-ROL- ball rolling over the arms, R-TCJ- throwing, catching and jumping through a rope,
H-SKP- skipping through a hoop, C-JUG- club juggling.
Note: All measures are in times, i.e. number of consecutive successful attempts.
*†‡ Statistically significant influence on Success (p<0.05): * p=0.03, † p=0.02, ‡ p=0.017.
68 T. PURENOVIĆ-IVANOVIĆ, R. POPOVIĆ, D. STANKOVIĆ, S. BUBANJ

Fig. 1 Box Plot of the RGs’ specific coordination skills (n=127)

Fig. 2 Scatterplot of RG-specific coordination skills

against success in the group of intermediate RGs (n=39)
 The Importance of Motor Coordination Abilities for Performance in Rhythmic Gymnastics 69

DISCUSSION
Rhythmic gymnastics is a difficult and complex sport which requires increased space-
time and hand-eye coordination between body movements and apparatus handling
(Τsopani, Dallas, Tasika, & Tinto, 2012; Radisavljević & Moskovljević, 2011; according
to Moskovljević, Radisavljević, & Dabović, 2013) and performance is influenced by the
quantity as well as by the quality (Liviotti & Hökelmann, 2012; Hökelmann, Liviotti, &
Breitkreutz, 2013). The quantitative aspect and the quality of execution depends directly
on the level of coordination, technical mastery and physical performance of the gymnast
(Mkaouer, Amara, & Tabka, 2012). For monitoring the coordination skills in RG,
specific tests are suggested (Moskovljević & Orlić, 2012) even though many of the
conducted studies were based on general coordination tests. Precision in the learning
process evaluated by specific tests predicts talent outcomes better than coordination
ability assessed with standardized and validated tests, because RG bases gymnastic
preparation on the repetition of technical elements until perfect execution is attained (di
Cagno et al., 2014). However, until this day only one battery of RG-specific coordination
tests is known (Jastrjembskaia et al., 1998), and it is comprehensive and extensive, but it
has its flaws and concerns. For the purpose of this research, four tests were chosen, those
relating to manual dexterity.
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport with a particular training process (very young athletes,
early specialization, big training volume, many hours of intensive training per week, lots
of repetition, high level of technical elements performed) (Bobo-Arce & Méndez-Rial,
2013), and it is characterized by an abundance of motor information acquired in the early
years of life, between five and eight years of age (Miletić, Katić, & Maleš, 2004). This is
the period of life when the first stage of a RG learning program is implemented and it
implies the development of spatial awareness without an apparatus, and in the next stage
the apparatus are added (Palmer, 2003), in a previously determined hierarchy. Because
most children have had prior experiences with balls and ropes, it is best to begin with
these apparatus and then move on to introduce the hoop, ribbon and clubs. As for the
apparatus, beginners are firstly introduced to ball and rope handling, but only with
fundamental elements for each of these apparatus, and at a later age the difficulty is
increased by linking skills together and by increasing the speed at which the skills are
performed. At the intermediate level, the RGs are introduced to hoop skills, but still
retaining the ball and rope skills. Advanced RGs, besides upgrading their ball, rope and
hoop skills, are introduced to club and ribbon manipulation. Juniors and seniors have the
task of improving and refining the acquired skills further.
Ball rolling over the arms is one of the fundamental ball skills and it has to be
performed with fluidity and without ball bouncing. At the very beginning, the novices
learn to do it in facilitated conditions (the arms are not spread widely) and with an age-
appropriate sized ball (junior ball measures 14 to 17 cm in diameter) which, on the other
hand, makes it more difficult to perform (a senior ball has a greater diameter and thus a
larger surface). The test B-ROL has a basic requirement to be done with the arms spread
widely, and it is not a surprise that 59.09% of beginners did not manage to perform it,
31.82% scored poorly, and only one (4.55%) had a fair score. With the increment of the
RGs age, the percentage of better scores increases (Table 4.1), which confirms the very
important role of experience.
70 T. PURENOVIĆ-IVANOVIĆ, R. POPOVIĆ, D. STANKOVIĆ, S. BUBANJ

The throwing, catching and jumping through a rope (R-TCJ) is an intricate test which
represents a combination of three fundamental elements of rope skills: rotation, the throw
and catch, and jump. That kind of rope skill combination is inherent to the older age
categories, and explains a lot of the obtained results in the group of beginners: 68.18%
did not perform it at all, 27.27% had poor scores, and only one (4.55%) scored fairly. The
intermediate RGs, as well as the advanced, cannot boast with their scores either (Table
4.2), but the situation is better with the increase of the gymnasts' age.
Skipping through a hoop is a basic hoop element, which, if done continuously in a
given time frame, besides developing the ability to perform movements quickly and with
precision, can be used for the development of cardiovascular fitness. The test H-SKP has
a time limitation of 15 seconds, and it very much depends of the gymnasts’ limb length,
explosive and repetitive strength of the lower limbs, and overall endurance. Due to this,
the majority of the obtained scores are excellent, across every age category and even in
the youngest one (Table 4.3).

Table 4.1 The comparison of rating scale and obtained results of B-ROL
across all age categories
Variable B-ROL
Excellent Good Fair Poor Unsuccessful
Rating scale
9 and more 5–8 3–4 1–2 0
Age categories N f N f N f N f N f
Beginners (n=22) 1 4.55 - - 1 4.55 7 31.82 13 59.09
Intermediate (n=39) 9 23.08 7 17.95 8 20.51 5 12.82 10 25.64
Advanced (n=26) 15 57.69 6 23.08 1 3.85 1 3.85 3 11.54
Juniors (n=25) 23 92.00 2 8.00 - - - - - -
Seniors (n=15) 15 100.00 - - - - - - - -
Total (n=127) 63 49.61 15 11.81 10 7.87 13 10.24 26 20.47
Legend: B-ROL  ball rolling over the arms, N  number of consecutive successful attempts, f  frequency in %.

Table 4.2 The comparison of rating scale and obtained results of R-TCJ
across all age categories
Variable R-TCJ
Excellent Good Fair Poor Unsuccessful
Rating scale
9 and more 5–8 3–4 1–2 0
Age categories N f N f N f N f N f
Beginners (n=22) - - - - 1 4.55 6 27.27 15 68.18
Intermediate (n=39) 1 2.56 4 10.26 6 15.39 13 33.33 15 38.46
Advanced (n=26) 2 7.69 5 19.23 7 26.92 8 30.77 4 15.39
Juniors (n=25) 2 8.00 8 32.00 9 36.00 6 24.00 - -
Seniors (n=15) 9 60.00 3 20.00 2 13.33 1 6.67 - -
Total (n=127) 14 11.02 20 15.75 25 19.69 34 26.77 34 26.77
Legend: R-TCJ  throwing, catching and jumping through a rope, N  number of consecutive successful attempts,
f  frequency in %.
 The Importance of Motor Coordination Abilities for Performance in Rhythmic Gymnastics 71

Table 4.3 The comparison of rating scale and obtained results of H-SKP
across all age categories
Variable H-SKP
Excellent Good Fair Poor Unsuccessful
Rating scale
25 and more 18 – 24 11 – 17 1 – 10 0
Age categories N f N f N f N f N f
Beginners (n=22) 13 59.09 4 18.18 1 4.55 4 18.18 - -
Intermediate (n=39) 33 84.62 3 7.69 3 7.69 - - - -
Advanced (n=26) 23 88.46 2 7.69 1 3.85 - - - -
Juniors (n=25) 23 92.00 1 4.00 1 4.00 - - - -
Seniors (n=15) 14 93.33 - - 1 6.67 - - - -
Total (n=127) 106 83.47 10 7.87 7 5.51 4 3.15 - -
Legend: H-SKP  skipping through a hoop, N  number of consecutive successful attempts, f  frequency in %.

Table 4.4 The comparison of rating scale and obtained results of C-JUG
across all age categories
Variable C-JUG
Excellent Good Fair Poor Unsuccessful
Rating scale
9 and more 5–8 3–4 1–2 0
Age categories N f N f N f N f N f
Beginners (n=22) 1 4.55 1 4.55 7 31.82 9 40.91 4 18.18
Intermediate (n=39) 8 20.51 14 35.89 6 15.39 4 10.26 7 17.95
Advanced (n=26) 10 38.46 12 46.15 1 3.85 2 7.69 1 3.85
Juniors (n=25) 21 84.00 3 12.00 1 4.00 - - - -
Seniors (n=15) 14 93.33 - - 1 6.67 - - - -
Total (n=127) 54 42.52 30 23.62 16 12.59 15 11.81 12 9.45
Legend: C-JUG  club juggling, N  number of consecutive successful attempts, f  frequency in %.

Clubs are a RG apparatus to which gymnasts are introduced at older age categories
(advanced RGs). Club juggling is a skill which gymnasts adopt after mastering the
fundamental elements: circles, mills and simple one-hand club throwing and catching.
Even though this skill is inherent to older age categories, the younger age categories
scored surprisingly well on this test (Table 4.4). The authors may have an explanation:
young gymnasts might have been previously “provoked” by older gymnasts, which led to
an explorative phase of this, to them, new apparatus, independently in a self-directed
manner. Simply, gymnasts are often eager to try all of the apparatus (Palmer, 2003),
especially an unfamiliar one, and, by offering open-ended challenges, RG is a sport that
makes you explore constantly and thus expand your knowledge, skills and experiences.
Overall, due to the apparatus hierarchy in the learning process, it is not a surprise that in
younger age categories excellent and good scores are a rarity or absent.

CONCLUSION
Having in mind that important abilities needed to succeed in some tasks vary with the
athletes’ ages (Fleishman, 1972; according to Kioumourtzoglou et al., 1997), and the
results derived from one specific age group cannot be generalized across all age groups or
skill levels, we can make a conclusion that applies only to those specified age categories.
72 T. PURENOVIĆ-IVANOVIĆ, R. POPOVIĆ, D. STANKOVIĆ, S. BUBANJ

The obtained results, i.e. the lack of statistically significant influence of coordination on
Success in the group of junior and senior RGs, clearly indicates the less important role of
specific coordination in the performance of older age category RGs. This does not
diminish the importance of coordination abilities, yet it rather simply suggests the
presence of more important factors which discriminate the successful from less
successful gymnasts. The statistically significant influence of specific coordination
abilities on Success was established only in the group of advanced and intermediate
gymnasts, with an explanation of 42%, i.e. 50% of success in RG. Also, this research
emphasized the significant independent contributions to the prediction of the dependent
variable of three independent variables: ball rolling, hoop skipping and club juggling in
the group of intermediate gymnasts, with a positive relationship among these independent
variables and the dependent one. This study has confirmed the importance of
coordination skills for success in RG, but only for younger age categories. This is not a
surprise considering that RG is a sport characterized by an abundance of motor
information, and the information acquired in the early years of life, between five and
eight years of age, significantly contribute to success in this sport.

STUDY LIMITATIONS
During the testing, we have noticed several limitations of the applied specific
coordination test battery. Namely, in the description of the proposed test battery, the
authors failed to provide us with a few very important facts. First of all, the information
on what age those tests were applied is lacking, which caused two major problems. If it is
intended for all ages, they should inform us about apparatus size (it should be age-
appropriate, or the same, senior size, for all of the RGs regardless of age). Also, if it is
not applicable to all ages, then the rating scale proposed by the authors cannot be used for
result interpretation for every age category, but can only relate to the intended age.
However, having in mind that there is an apparatus hierarchy in the learning process of
RG, and in this test battery every apparatus (except the ribbon) is involved, it led us
believe that this test battery applies to all ages.
Besides, this unidimensional approach lacks a broader perspective needed to explain
overall performance in RG, which is multifactorial.

Acknowledgement: This research is part of a project of the Ministry of Science and Technological
Development of the Republic of Serbia (No: 179019, Head researcher: Prof. R. Stanković). The
authors would like to thank Ms. Vesna Radonić, the president of the Gymnastics Federation of
Montenegro, the organizer of the 6th “Montenegro Cup 2013”, the participating rhythmic gymnasts
and coaches of the following RG clubs: “Allegro” (Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska), “Baltic Flower”
(Jelgava, Latvia), “Budva” (Budva, Montenegro), “Danilovgrad” (Danilovgrad, Montenegro),
“Partizan” (Belgrade, Serbia), “Ryazan” (Ryazan, Russia), “Sinegoria” (Moscow, Russia), “Viljandi
Sports School” (Viljandi, Estonia) and “Vladimir” (Vladimir, Russia). The authors would also like to
extend their deepest gratitude to the Gymnastics Federation of Serbia and its esteemed president Mrs.
Milena Reljin Tatić, the organizer of the 2014 National Championships, the rhythmic gymnasts and
coaches of Serbian RG clubs: “Gymnastix” (Niš), “Palilula” (Belgrade), “Paraćin” (Paraćin),
“Radnički” (Belgrade), “Ritam” (Belgrade), “Ritam-Pinki” (Belgrade), “Ritmix” (Novi Sad) and
“TiM” (Belgrade), who made this study possible.
 The Importance of Motor Coordination Abilities for Performance in Rhythmic Gymnastics 73

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74 T. PURENOVIĆ-IVANOVIĆ, R. POPOVIĆ, D. STANKOVIĆ, S. BUBANJ

ZNAČAJ MOTORIČKE KOORDINACIJE

ZA USPEH U RITMIČKOJ GIMNASTICI
Ritmička gimnastika (RG) je kompleksan i složen sport koji zahteva povećanu prostorno-
vremensku koordinaciju između kretanja tela i rukovanja rekvizitima, što čini specifičnu motoričku
koordinaciju vitalnim delom tehničke pripreme u RG, sa važnom ulogom u stvaranju neophodnih
preduslova gimnastičarki za učenje mnogih RG tehnika. Svrha istraživanja je ispitivanje i/ili
utvrđivanje mogućnosti predviđanja uspeha u RG na osnovu koordinacionih sposobnosti
gimnastičarki. Sto dvadeset sedam gimnastičarki nacionalnog i međunarodnog nivoa (uzrast:
11.93±3.09 godina, telesna visina: 147.65±14.6 cm, telesna masa: 37.67±11.7 kg, BMI:
16.78±2.26 kg/m2, sportsko iskustvo: 5.85±2.81 godina), raspoređenih u pet uzrasnih kategorija
(22 mlađe pionirke, uzrasta 7-9 godina; 39 pionirki, uzrasta 9-12 godina; 26 kadetkinja, uzrasta
12-14 godina; 25 juniorki, uzrasta 14-16 godina; 15 seniorki, uzrasta 16 godina i više),
dobrovoljno je učestvovalo u ovom istraživanju. Utvrđene su njihove osnovne karakteristike
(uzrast, telesna visina, telesna masa, BMI, godine sportskog iskustva, Uspeh), kao i specifične
koordinacione sposobnosti (B-ROL, R-TCJ, H-SKP i C-JUG). Primenom multivarijantne
regresione analize utvrđen je statistički značajan uticaj specifičnih koordinacionih sposobnosti na
Uspeh samo kod kadetkinja i pionirki (p<0.018 i p<0.000, redom), sa 42%, odn. 50% objašnjenja
uspeha u RG. Takođe, regresiona analiza je istakla značajne pojedinačne doprinose predviđanju
zavisne varijable, od strane triju nezavisnih varijabli: kotrljanje lopte preko ruku (pionirke:
p=0.03), skokovi u obruč (pionirke: p=0.03 i total uzorak: p=0.02) i “žongliranje” čunjevima
(pionirke: p=0.03 i total uzorak: p=0.02), sa pozitivnom relacijom između ovih nezavisnih varijabli
i zavisne varijable. Ovo istraživanje je potvrdilo značaj koordinacionih sposobnosti za uspeh u RG,
ali samo kod mlađih takmičarskih kategorija.
Kljuĉne reĉi: ritmičke gimnastičarke, uzrasne kategorije, specifična koordinacija, regresija.