The acrosport and its educational application

Acrobatic gymnastics or acrosport is a sports discipline in which gymnastic exercises of a certain difficulty are combined with choreographic elements, which is why it is very useful for the physical education of children, young people and adults.

Acrosport is part of the sports officially managed by the International Gymnastics Federation since 1999, so it is considered a professional level modality and there are different competitions in various parts of the world, where the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championship stands out. We can say that the history of acrosport is very extensive and interesting. However, this time we are especially interested in its adaptation to educational activities.

5 benefits of acrosport in education

1. Progression

One of the main advantages of acrosport is that it includes easy stunts that can be performed by anyone, so the difficulty increases progressively, until reaching an advanced level to participate in professional competitions. This makes this sport a good tool for physical education at all school stages.

2. Integration

Acrogymnastics is a good integration tool to use in classes, since this sport is done in pairs and small groups. The good thing about this is that all children must participate and each one has an important role in the activity. Therefore, there is no discrimination as in other sports disciplines, since all members are necessary. In this sense, although the competitive spirit between the different teams is preserved, this discipline also promotes cooperation and sociability, since figures of 5 participants and even more can be performed with the acrosport.

3. Motricity

Acrosport can have a positive impact on the development of motor skills, that is, the control that the child has of his own body. The results of different studies suggest that early stimulation of the different muscle groups can influence the abilities of the adult athlete, improving both balance and body resistance, strength, speed and agility, in general. Therefore, this sport helps to discover and give value to the possibilities of the body at an individual level, but also creates awareness of the abilities and limitations of others.

4. Expressiveness

This is a particularly colorful modality, so it can be a good option to introduce children to the performing arts, since it is about making choreographic movements of collective gymnastics. The pyramids and other acrosport figures require body expression and the development of the sense of aesthetics in boys and girls.

5. Self-improvement

The achievement of objectives at the acrobatic level brings with it new challenges, which motivates athletes to continue training to improve themselves. It is a motivating activity where children always want to learn a little more.

General characteristics of acrobatic gymnastics

To understand what acrosport is and how it is practiced, we must first define two vitally important roles in this sport. On the one hand, there is the so-called “portor”, that is, the person who serves as a base and holds the other partner. Second, there is the so-called “agile”, which is responsible for performing stunts. Generally, the former is more robust and heavier, while the latter is usually smaller and lighter.

We can say that we are facing an example of acrosport when it comes to figures built with the human body, which for its realization has required a certain degree of flexibility, strength, balance and propulsion. In addition, the acrobatics on the ground are frequent while the members of the team pass from one figure to another. Also, we must mention the music, which is a fundamental element to support the choreography.

Regarding the number of participants per team, the acrosport for 2 people can be male, female or mixed. On the other hand, 3-person acrosport is usually performed by women, while quartets are traditionally male. Likewise, we can find mixed groups of 3 to 9 members.

According to the acrosport and its regulations, the duos must perform two exercises: in the first one, they must demonstrate gymnastic elements, agility, dance and balance. In the second, the work must contain acrobatic jumps with throws and pirouettes in the air.

For trios, the demands vary slightly, as the first exercise must include two ground movements, two pyramids, five balance elements, and one dance element. On the other hand, the second exercise must have different choreographies, in addition to five dynamic components with inversions, pirouettes, somersaults and flips.

As for the men’s quartets, they are very similar to the women’s trios, but in the case of men they must perform a slightly more difficult pyramid in acrosport.

Importance of safety in the practice of acrosport

Like any acrobatic discipline, this modality has a certain risk of injury, so it is necessary to take all precautions to avoid accidents. In this sense, we have compiled some of the most important acrosport safety rules, especially if we want to work with groups of beginners in schools.

• To practice easy acrosport, you have to wear comfortable clothes. At no time should the locker room interfere with the performance of the athletes. In this sense, the use of watches, bracelets, necklaces and any other accessory that could cause a snag is prohibited, since this can put the integrity of the acrobat and his companions at risk.
• In acrosport for children, the training space must be wide. If there are several groups exercising simultaneously, it is important that they have enough separation distance from each other to avoid clashes.
• Before making an alphabet in acrosport or any other figure, it is important to explain to less experienced students how to help their classmates, since help offered incorrectly can often cause accidents.
• When planning an acrobatic gymnastics training, it is necessary to organize safety materials, such as harnesses, ropes, mats, wristbands, helmets, among others. Each participant must have all the necessary implements to perform acrosport holds with greater confidence.
• It is worth remembering that this type of exercise must be performed in a place adapted for this purpose, without obstacles and with proper air circulation.

To conclude, we can affirm that acrosport is a very complete sport, which can begin as a game during early childhood, but can be a good strategy for physical education and even later become a professional activity with national and international scope.