A special inspection
One morning in late May, we had the opportunity to visit the "large business" of the Hanoi Aerobic gymnastics team at the Hanoi Sports Training and Competition Center. Unlike normal daily training sessions, this is a periodic test for young athletes aged 6-12 before competing.
In a large, airy room with full fans and ceilings, seriousness was clearly shown, the young athletes started at 8am to prepare for the test taking place 2 hours later.
Each child took turns doing individual exercises and then went to team and group performances. The youthful faces clearly show their anxiety, but are always highly focused with decisive, rhythmic movements, despite the long sweat on the innocent face.
Outside the practice mat, coach Do Ngoc Quynh attentively followed, continuously urged, reminded and edited the techniques for each young student. After the training session, the athletes quickly prepared clothes, changed uniforms, and braided their hair neatly to start the test at 10:30.
On the vibrant music background, each athlete and small group took turns performing with the most concentration and seriousness, absolutely no words. The flexible curves, rotations, and curls are performed professionally, with steady and rhythmic step steps...
Coach Ngoc Quynh still closely followed each move and shouted to encourage the children.
For the sport of aerobics, the coach must focus on factors such as balanced physique, flexibility, agility to music and especially a positive, eager spirit to learn.
Every year, the team has regular check-ups to evaluate the progress. Some children develop very quickly, but some children also need more time. Based on this result, we will choose to continue intensive training or orient them in more suitable directions," coach Ngoc Quynh discussed with Lao Dong.
Every dance step is a journey
As someone who has been involved in Aerobics for nearly 10 years and coaching for 5 years, Ms. Do Ngoc Quynh clearly understands that to have confident, flexible and proficient dances, each young athlete must go through a difficult training process from a young age, even 5-6 years old.
The process of selecting young athletes often starts with observing and evaluating students at talent classes, sports clubs in schools, cultural and sports centers or through Aerobic exercise competitions for preschool and primary school students ( organized by districts, towns and cities).
"After being selected for the center, the children go through 3 stages of training. The first stage is getting used to it, doing basic exercises, training your fitness, flexibility and discipline. The second phase begins with more advanced technical practice, combining dance combinations and music perception. Phase 3 is the most stressful time when it is only for those who have the qualities to compete. They will receive in-depth training, from techniques, expressions to competitive mentality.
In phase 3, each exercise is designed to be personalized. There will be athletes who need to practice flexibility, improve their physical strength... but there are young people who need to learn how to express stage expressions. The coaching staff must understand each athlete to come up with the most suitable method, said coach Ngoc Quynh.
Not only are they professional coaches, the teachers in the team like Ms. Quynh are also considered big friends accompanying the children. The attachment between the coach and the young athlete is sometimes just a look of encouragement or a nod of praise, which is enough to help them have more joy and confidence to continue practicing.
"The advantage of younger athletes is flexibility and quick absorption, but they are also very sensitive. When they first entered, they were still hesitant and shy to interact, some children cried because they were tired and demanded a break, but after returning, they practiced harder.
From that hesitation, there were faces that developed and led the performance team, winning the first medal. Every small progress is the result of hundreds of hours of training.
The biggest reward for a coach like me is not the title, but the witness to the progress and transformation of the students. Accompanying them from a shy, shy, confident, brilliant moment on stage... that was a moment I would never forget, Ngoc Quynh expressed.
In June, the vibrant music on the stage will resound when coach Do Ngoc Quynh and her team will participate in the 2025 Aerobic National Club Championship. The young athletes continue to tell their stories through each dance step, each drop of sweat falling is an effort, resilience. A long journey ahead of them will be guided by the passion of Hanoi Aerobic teachers.
