FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT ASSESSMENT OF YOUNG FEMALE GYMNASTS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify physical and motor skills of talent identified female gymnasts. Sixteen gymnasts aged five to eight years completed anthropometry, movement ABC, flexibility, strength, and jumping tests. Movement ABC testing revealed that whilst none of the gymnasts were motor impaired, strong fundamental motor skills can’t be assumed except for in the area of static balance. A number of the anthropometric, physiological and biomechanical test results revealed significant age effects which would therefore require large normative data sets for reliability. With the exception of anthropometry, other tests results (excluding those affected by age) showed large variation across the group. Follow-up research is needed to determine whether the tests with large group variation can identify the child with Olympic gymnastics potential.