> Sport > Apparatus The five apparatuses mentioned earlier were all created to fit to the four categories of body movement elements (balances, jumps, pivots, flexibility and waves). The ball The clubs The hoop The ribbon The rope The ball The ball is made of rubber or a synthetic material. It has a diameter of 18 to 20 cm and must weight minimum 400 g. In a ball routine, the main body elements are flexibility movements. With these elements, a gymnast can: - rolling - throws and catches - bouncing - circles - thrusts", swings, circles, figure eight or "flip overs" The ball must no be gripped: the hand takes part to the form of the ball, not do grip it! The gymnast has to do ample movements. The ball requires a very meticulous work, because if the gymnast is not precise enough, the ball can roll and leave the carpet. Ball represents elegance. >> Go to the top The clubs The clubs are made of wood or synthetic material. They are 40-50 cm long. Their weights must be 150g each minimum. The main body elements of the clubs are balances. With clubs, we can do: - mills - small circles - throws and catches - tapping They are the oldest apparatuses of RG and one of the most difficult by the same occasion (quite dangerous because of their weights). A gymnast has to develop great synchronisation to manipulate them perfectly, mainly because they are two. It requires too coordination. Clubs represent virtuosity. >> Go to the top The hoop The hoop is made of plastic or wood. Its interior diameter is from 80 to 90 cm. It must weight minimum 300 grams. It must be rigid enough to retain its circular shape. In a routine with hoop, no main body elements are imposed: all of them have to be represented equally. The work with the hoop is composed of: - rolls over the body or on the floor - rotations around the hand or other parts of the body - throws and catches - passing over or through the hoop - swings, circles and figure eights Because of its special form, you can enter in the hoop: all the space games are possible. But the hoop can offer many relations with the body of the gymnast, which includes a high risk. Hoop represents creativity. >> Go to the top The ribbon The ribbon is made of satin or a similar material. It must be 6m long and 4-6cm wide. The ribbon includes a stick (made of wood, bamboo, plastic or fibreglass) of 1 cm diameter and a length from 50 to 60 cm. The ribbon can be coloured by the gymnast, but be careful: a ribbon which weights too much is difficult to use. The fundamental body elements of the ribbon are pivots. Here are the different possibilities of the handlings of the ribbon: - snakes - spirals - throws and catches - small tosses - "thrusts", swings, circles and figure eights The main difficulty of the ribbon is because it must be in motion from the beginning to the end of the routine. The gymnast must realize ample and dynamic movements. Penalizations are given if these conditions are not respected. Ribbon represents amplitude. >> Go to the top The rope The rope is made of hemp or other synthetic material. The length of the rope is proportional to the gymnast's height. Some knots can be put on its extremities. The main body elements of the rope are jumps. With a rope, you can do: - throws and catches - small tosses - swings, circles, figure eights and "sails" - rotation Because the rope has no shape, the gymnast has to control it during the whole routine. All kind of curves are not allowed and penalties are given. The rope represents dynamicity. >> Go to the top