Gender Differences in the Level of Achievement of Gymnastic and Acrobatic Skills.

M.ª Alejandra Ávalos-Ramos,Lilyan Vega-Ramírez

doi:10.3390/ijerph17197216

Abstract

Physical education should provide the opportunities to progressively integrate motor tasks with different levels of complexity from early ages to adolescence. The objective of this research was to analyze gender differences in the level of achievement of basic acrobatic skills of students of physical activity sciences in their non-university stages. This cross-sectional study with descriptive design was carried out with a total of 675 first-year Spanish university students distributed over eight academic years. An initial test of two acrobatic skills was performed. The instruments used for data collection were a video camera and observation templates. The SPSS 26.0 computer program was used for data analysis. The main results show a poor and insufficient level of technical achievement by both genders, but more pronounced for men. The most deficient phases were those related to extension movements of different segments of the body and movements that require coordination and stability in the descent phases of acrobatics, and men were less flexible in both phases. Non-university training of the content associated with basic gymnastic and acrobatic skills is being deficient within the subject of physical education with a downward trend of not only the development of sports skills but also of physical abilities such as flexibility and strength.

Highlights

The practice of different sports disciplines associated with gymnastics and acrobatic skills such as artistic, rhythmic and acrobatic gymnastics, among others, involves developing a series of exercises that require components of strength, flexibility, agility and coordination, providing countless benefits
Rudd et al [2] showed that the implementation of an eight-week gymnastics program for children significantly improved overall coordination, fundamental movement skills and physical self-concept compared to students who continued with the standard physical education program in which gymnastic activity was not present
Considering all the above, the aim of this study was to identify and analyze gender differences from eight academic years different in the level achieved in two basic acrobatic skills after previous stages of training by first-year students in the Sciences of Physical Activity and Sport (SPAS)

Summary

Introduction

The practice of different sports disciplines associated with gymnastics and acrobatic skills such as artistic, rhythmic and acrobatic gymnastics, among others, involves developing a series of exercises that require components of strength, flexibility, agility and coordination, providing countless benefits. In this vein, the usual practice of gymnastics by boys and girls contributes to improving postural control in bipedal positions, where stability and orientation skills become very important in the development of the individual, along with locomotive and object control skills [1].

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