Game stretching as a modern means of developing the flexibility of 5–6-year-old female gymnasts
Authors: Deineko Alfiia , Prusik Katarzyna , Krasova Inna , Batieieva Nataliya , Marchenkov Mikhailo 
Published: September 2022

Purpose: to prove the effectiveness of the technique of game stretching to increase the level of development of flexibility in female gymnasts aged 5-6 years.

Material & Methods: the study involved 30 female athletes aged 5-6 years who are engaged in rhythmic gymnastics. According to the results of the initial testing, a group of female gymnasts was divided into control (n=15) and main (n=15), taking into account the absence of significant differences in the indicators of flexibility tests. Both groups of young gymnasts trained in accordance with the curriculum for the Youth Sports School in rhythmic gymnastics (1999). In the training sessions of female athletes of the main group, a specially developed technique of game stretching was included, aimed at developing flexibility.

Results: the obtained results of the study give grounds to assert that the proposed methodology, by which female gymnasts of the main group (MG) trained, contributed to a more pronounced (p<0,05; p<0,01) increase in the level of flexibility development compared to the results of female athletes control group (CG), who trained according to the traditional flexibility development program. So in tests T1 "Extension in the knee joints" (cm); T2 "Twisting the stick" (cm); T4 "Gymnastic bridge" (points) significant differences in test scores were found with a probability of 99% at p≤0.01. In tests T3 “Backward bend in lying position” (cm); T5 “Performing splits on the right”, (points) and T6 “Performing splits on the left”, (points) there were also found significant differences in indicators with a probability of 95% at p≤0.05 between the main and control groups. However, in the T7 test “Performance of transverse splits” (points), an unreliable difference was obtained between the performance of the gymnasts of the main and control groups (p>0,05), although an improvement in the results in this test was observed in both groups.

Conclusions: the results of the study showed the effectiveness of the method of game stretching to increase the level of development of flexibility in female gymnasts 5-6 years old. The technique contributed to a more pronounced (p<0,05; p<0,01) increase in the level of development of flexibility among female athletes of the main group (MG) compared with the results of female gymnasts in the control group (CG). So, in tests T1 "Extension in the knee joints" (cm); T2 "Twisting the stick" (cm); T4 "Gymnastic bridge" (points) significant differences in test scores were found with a probability of 99% at p≤0,01. In tests T3 “Backward bend in lying position” (cm); T5 “Performing splits on the right”, (points) and T6 “Performing splits on the left”, (points) there were also found significant differences in indicators with a probability of 95% at p≤0,05 between the main and control groups. The results obtained allow us to recommend the developed methodology for use in the training process of young gymnasts at the stage of initial training. And test exercises were applied that are not included in the Curriculum, such as T1 "Extension in the knee joints" (cm); T2 "Twisting the stick" (cm); T3 “Backward bend in lying position” (cm) is quite informative and can be used to control the flexibility of gymnasts at all stages of preparation.