Performance factors in Group Competition of rhythmic Gymnastics

The aim was to clarify which quantifiable factors influenced the performance of the eight finalists in the group competition with three ribbons and two hoops at the World Championship 2011 (Montpellier, France) and to what amount. For this purpose choreographies have been analysed by means of the software, SIMI Scout (SIMI GmbH, Unterschleissheim, Germany). Parameters have been grouped as follows: body elements (movements without flight phase, that is balances, pivots and flexibilities/waves and movements with flight phase, that is jumps); apparatus techniques (techniques where the apparatus is permanently controlled by the body and techniques where the apparatus abandons the body); apparatus exchanges; caches; distances overcome by the gymnasts; execution synchrony (group synchrony while performing body elements and group synchrony by performing apparatus elements). A PCA has been conducted by means of PASW 18. Results showed that the performance of the composition with three ribbons and two hoops at the WC 2011 has been influenced by three factors. Factor 1 (apparatus techniques where the apparatus abandons the body, apparatus exchanges, catches, and distances overcome by the gymnasts) explained the 31% of the whole variance of the performance. Factor 2 (other movements, apparatus techniques where the apparatus is permanently controlled by the body, and body synchrony) represented the 21% of the variance. The third factor corresponded to jumps and apparatus synchrony and accounted for 14% of the total variance. The remaining 34% represents the no explained variance. In a previous study concerning the competition with five balls (Liviotti et al. 2014) the performance has been influenced by three defined factors [Factor 1: apparatus techniques; Factor 2: synchrony / body techniques; Factor 3: distances (Liviotti et al. 2014)]. On the contrary, in this research it has not been possible to give a name to the three factors. The same happened in relation to the competitions of the years 2009 – 2010 (Liviotti, 2013). In spite of this, the artistic component (apparatus techniques) seemed to be more characterizing and/or influencing the performance also in the competition with two different kind of apparatus, as they represent partially both, the first and the second factor. In conclusion the results of the CPA are different depending on the use of the same apparatus or two kind of apparatus (three ribbons and two hoops) contemporary. The interpretation of the results of the analysis of the competition with five balls was more easy due to the similar difficulties gymnasts had to perform in relation to the same apparatus. On the contrary, in the competition with two different kind of apparatus gymnasts have to perform different body as well as apparatus techniques due to the different characteristics of the apparatus themselves.