Effectiveness of active and passive flexibility in rhythmic gymnastics training /Efectividad de la flexibilidad activa y pasiva en el entrenamiento de gimnasia rítmica

Abstract

Flexibility is the joint capacity to perform movements at maximum amplitude, being a determining capacity in sports such as rhythmic gymnastics, for which the sports training planning models prioritize its content as part of the management process. This paper research is aimed at assessing the effect of passive and active flexibility training on the lower limbs of rhythmic gymnasts from the Liga Deportiva Cantonal of Rumiñahui. This is a Quasi-experimental research of a correlational order, studying 35 rhythmic gymnastics athletes from the Rumiñahui Cantonal Sports League (5-15 years). A flexibility periodization model is implemented in three mesocycles, with 30 passive and active flexibility exercises, applying a lateral and frontal split test at two preparation moments. In the Lateral Split pretest, 1.74cm is achieved, and in the posttest 6.86cm (p=0.000), while in the Front Split pretest it is obtained 1.11cm, and the posttest 8.03cm (p=0.000). They are superior indicative when combining both methods of flexibility than those carried out separately when comparing results with another work. Significant improvements in the Lateral and Frontal Split are evidenced for the present research, indicating that the combination of various joint flexibility training methods can optimally improve capacity.