- Ned, will you please step forward?
(Zach): Okay, you got this, bro. You got this.
(clearing throat)
- I award you the... ball. - Oh my gosh. Yes!
Oh! I love it, I love it. Whoa.
(laughter)
Oh, it's gettin' gym-nasty!
Welcome to rhythmic gymnastics.
More "Try Guys" coming up right after this.
Only on... (whooshing)
(laughter)
(Keith whispering): The Olympics' channel.
- Olympics YouTube channel. Olympics...
- I figured they would write it out on-screen.
- Oh, okay.
(Zach): We're the Try Guys, and we absolutely
love the Olympics.
(Ned):
We can't get enough of it!
(Eugene): But to be honest,
there's a lot we don't know.
(Ned): So we want to become the ultimate Olympic experts
the best way we know how...
by trying!
(Keith):
(Eugene):
(uptempo music)
- Rhythmic gymnastics.
- This sport's got hula-hoops, it's got ribbons,
you wave it around.
- It's got style.
- Yeah, apparently, they sell out the tickets
to the live viewing of this sport
faster than all of the others.
- I'm just hopeful that
there aren't as much actual gymnastics.
Like, maybe I'll lean into the rhythm aspect.
(Keith): Uh-huh. - I don't have rhythm...
- Well, we don't know, actually, how to do rhythmic gymnastics,
but luckily for us,
we have two Olympic rhythmic gymnasts here to teach us.
(uptempo music)
(Keith): Look, they're duelling scorpions.
Oh, wow! (Ned): Oh, my God!
(Keith): Wow, I... okay. Alright.
- Wow. Go, Keith, go. (Ned chuckles)
(Zach): Wow, just the same. (Ned): Pretty good.
(Zach): Hello, Olympians! - Hello! I'm Jenny.
- I'm Monica. As you can see, we're identical twins.
- Who's the meaner one?
- She is. - No.
(laughter)
(Keith): Can you explain to us
what the sport of rhythmic gymnastics is?
- Rhythmic gymnastics is a discipline in the sport of gymnastics
and it combines not only gymnastics, but dance,
and acrobatic movements, meanwhile having to throw,
and manipulate the apparatus.
- What's an apparatus? (Keith): Yeah.
(Ned): The toys! - The toys.
(Monica): The hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon.
(Eugene): You're telling me some sports god said,
"Gymnastics isn't hard enough, you know what we're gonna do?
We're gonna make them dancers and also throw crazy objects."
(Monica): I guess so, yes. - Yes!
(Monica): In individual gymnastics,
the girl enters the carpet alone
and they do their routine,
one-and-a-half minutes, by themselves.
Whereas in group,
there's five girls on the carpet at the same time,
the routine is two-and-a-half minutes,
and we do throws and tosses to each other
and elements in a synchronized manner.
- Are you judged for just, like, having fun?
- You're actually judged on your elements,
your artistry,
and your execution.
- What are your elements?
- Balances, turns, jumps.
- Ah, the gymnastics part. - Oh, right.
- I think we should learn a little more about the sport.
Because there's a lot of history here, right?
(Keith and Ned): Yeah. - Narrator?
(narrator):
The roots of rhythmic gymnastics go back to Europe
in the early 1800s
as a form of physical expression
inspired by French ballet.
Bonjour!
At the end of the 19th century,
the Swiss developed a new type of physical training
combining music and body movement,
which they called "eurhythmics."
Schönen Tag!
And around 1929,
Germany developed the use of apparatuses
combined with dancing.
Danke schön!
It wasn't until the 1940s that the sport really took off.
The first international competition took place
in 1961 between the Soviet Union, Bulgaria,
and Czechoslovakia.
Fast forward.
Some 40 years later, in 1984,
rhythmic gymnastics became an official Olympic event.
(uptempo music)
At first,
competitions were for individuals only.
But 12 years later, they added team events.
Throughout the sport's Olympic history,
Russia has won 10 out of 15 gold medals.
Rhythmic gymnastics is also one of only two
all-female sports in the Olympics,
the other being artistic swimming.
But male rhythmic gymnastics is gaining popularity in Japan.
So you've got this, Try Guys.
- What do we do to get into
- Can you teach us some elements?
(Jenny): Yes. (Monica): We can.
We'll demonstrate. - This is called a stag.
So, your front leg is bent
and your back leg is straight.
And we go from what's called an "assemblé."
- You're such an awesome-blé. - So awesome.
(Keith): Eep!
- Oh... - That didn't look so hard.
Do a little bunny hop. And then...
(Jenny and Monica): Yeah!
(Monica): Yes! This looks very nice.
(Jenny): This is pretty good!
- Ooh! (Jenny): Very good!
(Monica): If your front leg-- - Woo!
Let's try to do one churn and we'll do a simple churn.
This is called "passé churn."
So, your toe is above your knee.
Yes. And then, you just do that in a churn form.
- So you start in... (both): Fifth position.
- Oh, wow, it really is ballet.
- So, you're churning on your front leg.
Uh-huh. - And your foot's...
(Monica): And... fifth. (chuckling)
You can also do a churn in this ring...
ring form. (Jenny chuckles)
- Wow.
- We do legs to the side. (Zach): Mm-hmm.
Okay, got it. - And lift the side leg.
(Eugene): That is so hard. - Oh, my God...
- One, two and close.
- You realize that this is extremely challenging
for any human, right?
- Yeah, I'm beginning to think
being 30-year-old, inflexible men is not good for this.
- Any more tricks that you think
we would even be remotely able to do
that you could teach us right now?
- I think there might be one,
and it's called an "airplane balance."
You lift your back leg flat.
Hold one, two and...
(Zach): Oh...
(Monica): This is a great airplane.
(Jenny): Yes, very nice!
- Am I doing it? Am I-- (Monica and Jenny): Yes!
(Monica): And close. Yes! (Ned): Wow!
Positive points! (Zach): I'm gonna just airplane.
- Is this the hardest sport in the Olympics? (laughter)
- I like to think so. - I'd say it's pretty hard.
- I want to know about you guys. How did you get started?
- We actually started off in artistic gymnastics,
which is the normal gymnastics that everyone knows,
with the bar and the beam.
And then, we later migrated to rhythmic gymnastics.
- In 2011, we both qualified for the national team.
And then, in 2015, our group won
two silver medals and one gold medal at the Pan-American Games.
Later that year
is when our team qualified for the 2016 Games in Rio.
- Wow!
- Now, bring on the apparatuse-esses!
(dramatic instrumental music)
So, in rhythmic gymnastics,
there are actually five apparatus,
but today, we're just gonna be using...
(both): These four.
- This is the ball.
This is the hoop.
- These are the clubs and this is the ribbon.
- We're gonna give you one apparatus
so you can master just one of them for now.
- This is our Sorting Ceremony.
- Ned, will you please step forward?
- Okay, you got this, bro, you got this.
- I award you the ball.
- The ball!
- Next is the hoop.
To Zach. - Oh, wow!
(Zach): I humbly accept. Thank you.
I'll really rip it.
(chortling)
- Eugene, will you please step forward?
(inhaling deeply)
I have assigned you the ribbon.
(magical harp strumming)
(Keith, gasping): Whoa!
Wow! (Jenny): Beautiful!
- Okay, Keith, please step forward.
I have assigned you... the clubs.
- Wow. - And these come with a warning:
I do have stitches from those.
So, good luck.
(Jenny): And Eugene,
just so you know, I had stitches from a ribbon stick too.
So... none of you are safe. (Eugene): God...
- Did the ball (bleep) you up too?
(laughter)
(uptempo music)
- What is the goal of our prop integration, here?
Apparatus integration!
- Yes. The goal is to always keep it in motion.
So, with the hoop, you want to always be rotating it.
(Zach): Ah. - Around your wrist or manipulations.
You could go around your head.
(Zach): Whoa! Ow. Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Okay, now, my turn. (Jenny chuckles)
We always have to have both things moving.
So keeping the ball in motion... - Yes!
Dribbling. Or we're kicking it.
- Yes. Or you could rotate around your hand.
On your body.
- You got the left one down. - Yeah.
- The right one has to be more with your fingertips.
- Uh-huh. - You start this way.
And with your fingertips, you move...
you flick it forward.
More with your fingers. - I'm with you.
- Yeah! - Okay.
- Yes, we can try to do some tosses.
- Okay.
- So, it's really important to catch it with one hand.
- Right, right, right. (she chuckles)
(Zach): Oh yeah! - Yeah!
- Straight in front of you. Yeah! This was a great toss.
Good! (Keith sighs, contented)
Okay, you can practice both of those tosses.
(Keith): Okay. Okay!
- You can even go from spirals... into the transition.
- Oh, that actually was better control.
- Yes. And... - Spirals.
- ...if you get more advanced, you can even do...
A chaîné underneath.
- That felt good. Huh?
What do we think about that, audience? That felt good.
(Zach): In my mind, I'm so bad. - Zach, just try this.
So, jumping over the hoop. (Zach): Ooh!
(Jenny): Yes!
- Toss! Catching into... a cartwheel.
(Keith): Catch in--
- Beautiful.
- And now, while I'm doing this, I'm also hitting perfect...
- Yeah. - ...acrobatic poses.
Exactly. Oh, that's good. You can rotate above your head.
(Eugene): Catch.
- Yes. And...
(Eugene grunts) Close.
- Bah. - Yeah! Like that!
- Oh, my God! Am I ready for the Olympics, or what?
- And then, you could even do that during an attitude.
(she laughs)
Like this.
(soft music)
- Go, Ned. Yes, Ned, yes.
Yes, Ned, yes.
(music continues)
Wonderful. (giggling)
- Big finale. Ta-da-ta!
Ta-pwah! Pwah!
Watch out, Eugene!
(stammering) My finale!
My big finale!
- I've been clubbed! (Keith): I even called it!
(Monica): We don't need any more stitches, okay?
- How is that my fault?
- Well, now, we're all perfect with our appartuses.
(Keith): We think it's time for a little friendly competition.
A little showboat opportunity.
(Ned): We're each going to do a routine which you will judge.
- But when it comes to judging,
we actually don't know the rules.
So could you help us out there?
- So, you get awarded points for how hard your difficulties are
and there are a lot of violations which you get deductions for.
(Monica): So, if you get, like, a knot with the ribbon,
or your ball rolls out of the carpet,
those are all deductions.
- Every time I drop one of these,
it's a deduction? (both): Yes.
- Ah, you know what I would love?
Is if we had some sort of convenient package
to tell us all about this.
(narrator):
At the Olympics, for both individual and group routines,
the performances are judged for their difficulty
and execution.
The difficulty score can add up to 10 points
and is based on the elements of the performance
such as leaps, jumps and use of apparatus.
For example, a turn leading into a split leap
combined with a ribbon boomerang is worth nine tenths of a point.
The execution score begins at 10 points,
but points are deducted for errors in execution,
technique or artistry.
Violations include: flipping your clubs unevenly.
(buzzer sounding)
Dropping the apparatus.
Visibly squeezing the ball with your fingers.
Splits which are less than 180 degrees.
Breaking or losing the apparatus.
Having an unesthetic expression on your face.
Leaving the floor area.
Wearing unsafe jewelry or piercings,
and many more.
The difficulty and execution scores are combined
to create the final score.
And whoever gets the most points wins.
- Okay, well, for our competition,
how about we keep it simple?
- I agree. We'll keep it simple.
Each of you will do a 30-second routine
that we will judge on a scale of 1 to 10.
- Wow, with 10 being perfect, Olympic ready, awesome.
(dramatic music)
- First of all, you all look amazing!
- Thank you.
- Second of all, we randomly chose the order.
And first up is going to be Keith.
- Oh! Uh, thank you.
I am very ready for this performance.
- We're looking forward to it. - Good luck.
- Oh, oh! (laughter)
(uptempo music) (Try Guys laughing)
- Catch. Very nice. - Wow!
(Monica): Airplane balance. - Okay.
(Monica): Double club toss. - Wo-- Oh...
- The landing. - One drop.
(laughter)
(Monica): Great musicality. - Yeah. I'll write that down.
(overlapping enthusiastic comments)
(Zach): Look at that floor work. (Eugene): Ha!
(Jenny): Clubs have been in motion this entire time.
That's good. Mill.
He's getting good. Catch.
(all cheering)
(Zach): Cartwheel!
- Great flip.
Flexed foot.
(Ned): Yeah!
- Only, like, what? Two drops?
- Only one drop, I think. - Oh, one drop!
- Please welcome to the floor, Ned with ball.
(soft music)
(Keith giggles)
(Monica): Oh, the expression. (Jenny): Facial expression!
- Already out of the carpet.
Wow, he caught it!
Look at that. - Heavy landing.
(Eugene chuckles) (Zach): Yeah!
(Jenny): Playing with the music.
Really putting a lot of pressure on the ball, though.
(Monica): That was impressive.
(laughter)
(Keith): Yeah, soccer!
(Try Guys cheering)
- He's using a lot of the carpet.
That's good.
What element is this?
...half airplane. - Interesting?
(Jenny): Airplane balance. Okay.
Never seen this element before. - Oh!
(Jenny): Oh, headstand. (Try Guys cheering)
- It's not really allowed.
(Jenny): Held the ball during a headstand, that's pretty cool.
(cheering)
(Keith): With the buzzer...
- Not allowed.
Next up, Zach with hoop.
- I'm ready.
(laughter)
(dramatic music)
(Ned): Oh! He's driving a big-rig!
- Is he driving a car?
(Ned): Oh! (Eugene): Yeah!
- Good job, Zach!
(Monica): Nice toss.
This is really good with music.
(Jenny): He did the flat toss! (Ned): Nice!
(cheering)
- Good job!
(laughter)
(Eugene whispering): I just want him to do...
(laughter)
(overlapping comments)
- Ned!
- Oh my...
(Monica): That's okay,
it was an interference from the audience.
(applause and cheering)
- I'm honestly very impressed.
(soft electronic music)
(Monica): Up next on the carpet,
please welcome Eugene with ribbon.
(electro-pop music)
(Jenny): Look at those snakes.
(Zach): It's mesmerizing. (Monica): Wow!
Really nice.
(Jenny): Ooh, échappé, wow! (Monica): Échappé!
Great. - Great échappé.
(music continues)
(Jenny): Look at that focus. (Eugene): Oh! (chuckles)
(Keith): You're beautiful! (Jenny): Oh.
(Ned): Yeah! - Okay, that was close.
(music continues)
(Ned): Yeah!
Wow!
- Ribbon is really hard.
We have to keep in mind
that ribbon is really hard.
And with chaîné. (cheering)
(Zach): Yeah!
(Keith): Yeah-- oh! (Ned): Oh, no!
Oh, no, what happened?
(Jenny): Oh. - Gah!
- There can only be one winner.
And it's me.
- I now have the honour to give out the awards for
the first ever How to Olympics rhythmic gymnastics competition.
(drumroll)
The participation award, with a score of 4.5...
- Wow, that's high. (Keith): It's huge.
- That seems good. - Good number.
- ...is Ned.
(Zach): Ooh! - Thank you, thank you.
- What?! What?! - Yeah...
- I am shocked to my core.
- Ned had quite a bit of deductions for dunking the ball and...
- For gripping the ball. (Ned): For being awesome!
(laughter)
- But I think there was great efforts.
- Thank you. Thank you.
- In third place,
with a six...
Zach. - Oh! Wow! Awesome!
W-- Oh, my God, I get to stand on a thing.
Wow, this is cool!
- In second place, with a score of 7.5...
(Ned): Wow, that's a good score!
- ...is...
Eugene.
(Zach): What?!
(laughter)
(Ned): Wow! Yes, Keith!
(Zach): Nobody's gonna buy this. This is great.
- Silver medal!
- Keith only had one drop.
- Oh, we were, like, "counting drops" or whatever? Okay...
- We're typically the "athletic" ones.
- Yeah. - But I'm not disappointed I didn't get first place.
We understand, in a competition--
- Right. Rules are rules. - Rules are rules.
Deductions matter.
- I
- With a score of 8.5...
is Keith. (overlapping cheering)
- And he did have the better coach. So...
- Go! You're the champion! - Wow!
- I have
(Monica): Look at our beautiful gymnasts.
(Jenny): Bravo!
- I have... - You're a champion.
- ...rarely, if ever, beat Eugene at something athletic.
So this was
I don't think it's ever happened.
- It may never again.
- It may never happen again,
so we're gonna take this one-- - We're calling this a victory!
- I don't know if it was the carpet...
- I bea-- You beat Eugene. I beat Ned!
- Unbelievable! - That stuff don't happen!
- Unbelievable! This isn't-- Maybe it's the Olympics magic.
- Maybe Olympics magic. - Maybe it's the magic of the Olympics.
- A little bit of magic in the air.
- Wow, today was incredible. I
and I cannot wait, and I hope you can't wait either,
to watch the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games.
I'm gonna be especially excited for rhythmic gymnastics.
Let's hit it, boys!
- Show us a gold-medal toss, Keith!
- Wee! - Yeah!
- Oh boy...
- Go ahead, Jenny, show us how it's done.
So, you want to put your knee in the back.
(all exclaiming in horror) (Ned): Oh! What?
(Monica): You want to make sure your toes are
nice and pointed. - You look like a boat.
- This is very comfortable.
I feel like I could fall asleep here.
- Really?! (Zach): You're lying to me.
You are looking me in the eyes and lying.
Ned, you want to try?
- Let me get in there! (laughter)
My leg goes... (Jenny): Do the back one first.
And then, you just swing your front leg on there.
(Zach): Yeah, just swing it...
- Oh, it's getting farther, it's getting farther!
(Monica): Yeah, and you put your heel there.
Very nice. (Keith): Okay.
(Ned): Uh-huh.
(Keith): Oh, it's slippin'.
(laughter)
(Keith): It's... (structure cracks)
(laughter)