Rhythmic gymnastics requires magnificent strength, power, agility, and hand-eye coordination skills, to name a few. Each routine must cover the entire floor, and take on the appearance of looking “clean” and “fluid.” This is a combination of synchronized dancing and gymnastics taken to the next level.
Men’s rhythmic gymnastics is a sport that originated in Japan. It was created by combining elements from European gymnastics and was made official in 1949.
In this remarkable video, six talented Japanese men defy the law of gravity and human capability. Their routine is without apparatus (usually there’s the manipulation of a rope, hoop ball, clubs or ribbon – in this case, they are freehand) and the winner is awarded based on the number of balances, jumps, leaps, pivots, and flexibility demonstrated.
Set to a slow-moving piano track, the men commence their routine. There is some light dance, followed by incredible jumps and flips and rolls across the mat. They hold a bent leg handstand for moments, in tandem, of course, their movement perfectly timed to each other.
The next segment is their cross mat integration. The men run at each other from three different starting points, creating a seemingly chaotic and potentially dangerous mash-up. However, they have it planned so that they seamlessly cross over without colliding – it’s stunning. It’s hard to understand how this is happening before your eyes, their moves so tight, they just miss knocking into each other. This team has a LOT of faith and trust in each other, and it shows in their remarkable performance.
Click below to watch it unfold. This truly is a testing sport not for the faint of heart.
