You don’t have to be a fan of the sport to appreciate the beauty of a brilliantly executed gymnastic routine being performed by elegant and self-assured athletes. During such routines, we have a chance to see the culmination of years of hard work, sacrifice, and training. These athletes drill routines countless times before they are ready to perform, oftentimes, having to endure injuries, sore muscles, the brutality of physically demanding exercises done over and over. The sport of acrobatic gymnastics has roots dating back to ancient Greece. But, the modern version that we are familiar with today started as late as the 1930s in the Soviet Union. Around 40 years later, Americans became fascinated with the sport after a few athletes began performances on California’s famous Muscle Beach. Not too long after, America saw the creation of its first gymnastic organization 1975, which was called the United States Sports Acrobatics Federation (USSAF) but was later changed in the 1990s to the United States Sports Acrobatics (USSA).
Things can get confusing when trying to describe the sport because acrobatic gymnastics combines dance with gymnastics. We also see this in similar athletic pursuits such as cheerleading and interpretive dance. And while these sports can borrow certain elements from acrobatic gymnastics, very few routines and performances can match the athletic demands inherent in high-level acrobatic gymnastics.
One excellent example of this distinction can be found in this viral gymnastics performance from the 2010 finals of the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Competition that took place in Wroclaw, Poland. The routine involved three highly-athletic and skilled Ukranian teenage gymnasts executing mind-blowing moves with perfect precision and synchronization.
Source: screengrab via YouTube
These young ladies managed to pull off a number of sensational flips and balancing displays that will make your joints hurt for three days just watching them.
Source: screengrab via YouTube
It’s obvious that these girls put in years hard work to put together what is now considered to be a masterpiece routine in the world of gymnastics. After watching, it’s amazing that these girls only placed third in the competition, while teams from Russia and Great Britain placed higher. Nevertheless, it’s the Ukrainian girls’ routine that everyone still talks about. There’s one act of balancing in the routine that we still can’t believe was real.
But don’t take our word for it, have a look for yourself in the video below.