How to choose leotard for rhythmic gymnastics?

Leotard for rhythmic gymnastics is almost the main component of a gymnast’s successful performance. It is important not only the technique of performance but also the athlete's appearance. Therefore, it is necessary to choose it thoroughly. But among such a variety of gymnastic leotards it is difficult to pick up one really of a high-quality and good looking.

Evolution
Without doubts, leotards for gymnastics did not always look like today. Appearing first in the USSR, the uniform for gymnastic performances passed through a long way of its development. At the beginning, these were plain self colored tights made of cotton. Later they turned into two-color tights but without any drawings on them.

Constantly developing, the gymnastic leotard changed and looks like we see it today: bright, unique, interesting and inimitable. No doubts, at this stage its development will not stop!

Ins and outs of the choice
First of all, a leotard should be practical and visually appealing. The way an athlete looks should be in harmony with the performance but at the same time not interfere with the process and be as comfortable as possible. In addition, there are two main points that should be taken into account when choosing a leotard.

1. Functions. What is a leotard designed for: the regular gymnastic classes or performances? It is the first thing that one should pay attention because they are different. For training it is better to choose self colored leotard made of durable fabrics. It should be as comfortable as possible. But for the performances you need another one, bright with various decorations: rhinestones, stones, sequins, fringes. Convenience in this case is less important.

2. Body type. The visual component is extremely important that is why for choosing a leotard according to gymnast’s body type it is better to spend more time. If there is a need to focus on any part of the body, for example, on the waist, it is recommended to put the largest amount of jewelries on this place. If one wants to hide wide shoulders it is better to pick up an American style leotard that is with a cutout on the diagonal that begins in the area of the armpits and ends up to the neck.

Material
There are certain requirements which should coincide with the material used for making rhythmic gymnastic leotards:
1. Strength and wear resistance. These are probably the most important requirements, because the leotard undergoes a constant physical load as a result of which it should not be torn and deformed. Humidity, sweat and other factors should not affect the material in any case.
2. Hypoallergenicity. The fabric should not cause any irritation, redness, dryness, which can bring any kind of discomfort.
3. Easy to take care of. The qualitative material from which the gymnastic leotard is made should not take much time to take care for. It should be easy to wash and also dry quickly.
4. Elasticity. The leotard must fit tightly, without wrinkling and giving the body uncomfortable feelings.
5. Longevity. After several uses the fabric should not be torn or lose its original shape.

Colors
This point in the selection of a gymnastic leotard is very individual, but one should consider the most popular colors. It will help not to get lost and will push for the right choice.
- Red. One of the most popular and challenging colors! The practice shows that especially this color of the leotard draws attention to the gymnast's performance all the time and makes it dynamic and bright.
- Blue. It is the second most popular color among athletes. It has a great demand due to the combination of tenderness and challenge. This color perfectly emphasizes all the advantages of the girl's body.
- Black. It is used much less often and how wrong it is! Firstly, this color is practical, that is why a leotard of this color does not require special care. Secondly, it emphasizes the body of a gymnast and hides all the shortcomings. And, thirdly on its background the rhinestones, patterns and sequins attract even more attention of viewers and judges.

Right care
Care is the last point that should be taken into consideration. Even if the material is perfect, it will immediately lose its properties if it is taken care by the wrong way! Therefore, to avoid this you need to:
- Wash it only by hand in warm water with a small amount of liquid or solid baby (!) soap;
- rinse in clean water, but do not spin;
- in order for the leotard to dry, after washing it should be horizontally placed on a dry towel and wait until the towel absorbs all the moisture;
- in order to preserve the safety of the rhinestone and other ornaments the leotard should not be washed for about 10 days after they were glued.

So, in choosing a leotard for rhythmic gymnastics one needs to take into account many details. But having the knowledge of the material and color, taking into consideration all the details it will be much easier and more efficient.