Are there male rhythmic gymnasts?

[GymnastSwag]

I've never seen any, are there?

 

[bogwoppit]

I have seen some Japanese guys doing rythmic as a group. A bit like team gym. Was very cool.

 

[GetaGrip]

I personally would love to see that.

 

[bogwoppit]

Japan Men's Rhythmic Gymnastics Team demo - YouTube


Tons of mens rythmic on youtube.

 

[gymnut1]

Oh I love that. I've been watching it for years on youtube. Great mixture of athletic ability and musical interpretation and the formations are always so tight. Incredible.

 

[henrik541]

Yes, that's the Japanese version, which assumes that flexibility is for the girls the same way that tumbling is for the guys (in a good way). But there's actually a different type, that appeared in Spain.

Ruben Orihuela - Tournoi Paris Rythmique 2011 - ribbon - YouTube This is Ruben Orihuela.

I'm not sure if I like this solo version, but he and a girl tried to create a new discipline "Mixed Pairs"

ruben y piti - YouTube

This one is much prettier, in my opinion. There's also an interview in spanish with some practice and exhibition bits:

PITI y RUBEN DEPORTE.ES TVE2 - YouTube

From what i've read, some love it, some hate it. I still have mixed feelings, and I think the mixed version looks more like dance or acro, so I'm not sure if it should become a sport...

 

[Kiwi]

I loved the Japanese team - incredible synchronisation!

I've never seen a guy do the ribbon before - he looks great! He looks like he must have trained as a ballet dancer?

 

[LoriLou]

Read an article yesterday about their being women competing in every event that the men do at the Olympics, but not the other way. There is no male rhythmic gymnastics or synchronized swimming. Apparently some men have petitioned the IOC to make some changes, but I don't see it happening. I googled male sync swimming, and all I could find was some drunk guys joking around for their wives. I don't know how seriously the petitioners are though.

ETA: Just watched the videos above. Some of that looks more like dance than gymnastics to me. I'm not convinced.

 

[kgymn]

Most of those aren't rhythmic gymnastics. Rhythmic gymn involved apparatus, like the ribbon. Without it, it's a separate thing entirely. Most look more like group gymnastics or team acro or dance rather than rhythmic.

~Katy