PhD S.R. Sharifullina¹
Yu.K. Zhestkova¹
PhD, Associate Professor, senior trainer of the Republic of Tatarstan O.A. Razzhivin¹
S.Sh. Chernyshova^1
1Elabuga Institute of Kazan Federal University, Elabuga

Objective of the study was to improve the methodology of flexibility development at the initial stage of training of junior rhythmic gymnasts aged 5-6 years through the application of the game stretching elements.
Methods and structure of the study. The study was carried out at the premises of the municipal budgetary institution "Sports School No. 1" of the Elabuga municipal district of the Republic of Tatarstan. Sampled for the study were the 5-6 year-old girls engaged in rhythmic gymnastics. The Experimental and Control Groups were made, homogeneous in terms of physical development indices, 15 subjects each. Physical exercises to determine the level of development of flexibility were selected as tests.
Results and conclusions. The results of the test "Fixation of forward bend from the sitting position" increased by 6% in the Experimental Group, and by 4% in the Control Group. The second test "Crab from the lying position" showed a similar increase in the results of both groups - 3%. The test to determine the level of development of the hip joint flexibility, namely, "Right split", showed that the results of the Experimental Group increased by 6%, which exceeded those in the Control Group by 1%. The level of development of the hip joint flexibility tested in the "Left split" at the end of the experiment decreased twofold in the Experimental Group as compare to the Control Group, where this indicator increased by 4%. The "Cross split" test rates in the Experimental Group increased by 4%, in the Control Group - by 6%. The shoulder joint flexibility in the Experimental Group increased by 20%, which exceeded the results in the Control Group by 10%. Therefore, it can be seen that there was an increase in the performance rates in both groups, but in the Experimental Group the result was higher than in the Control Group, except for the "Split" test. It was also found that the Experimental Group children demonstrated a greater interest in the training sessions, as the game stretching method included exercises, where the girls associated themselves with the animals and showed the ways they moved. The game-like activities enhanced the effect of the training sessions. This fact indicates that the targeted game stretching trainings have a positive impact on the development of flexibility in junior female athletes engaged in rhythmic gymnastics.

Keywords: game-like method, flexibility, game stretching, rhythmic gymnastics, exercises.

References

1. Nazarova O.M. Metodika provedeniya zanyatiy po khudozhestvennoy gimnastike s detmi 5-6 let [Rhythmic gymnastics training methodology for 5-6 year-olds]. Metodicheskaya razrabotka dlya trenera. Moscow: RSAPE publ., 2011. 39 p.
2. Federalny standart sportivnoy podgotovki po vidu sporta khudozhestvennaya gimnastika: Prikaz Ministerstva sporta RF ot 5 fevralya 2013 g. no. 40 [Federal sports training standard for rhythmic gymnastics: Order of the Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation of February 5, 2013 no. 40]. Rossiyskaya gazeta. 2013. October 21. [Electronic resource]. Available at: https://rg.ru/2013/10/21/gimnastika-site-dok.html
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