--- ---  # Here Are 8 Bizarre Yet Beautiful Photos of Women's Rhythmic Gymnastics by [TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Aug 26, 2014 5:42 PM UTC  Shannon Gardiner of South Africa competes in Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Qualification on day ten of the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games at Nanjing OSC Gymnasium on Aug. 26, 2014 in Nanjing. Shannon Gardiner of South Africa competes in Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Qualification on day ten of the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games at Nanjing OSC Gymnasium on Aug. 26, 2014 in Nanjing.Feng Li—Getty Images by [TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Aug 26, 2014 5:42 PM UTC Gymnasts are known for their incredible flexibility, but rhythmic gymnasts take it to new levels, wrapping their bodies around ribbons, clubs, balls and hoops—all with a dazzling smile. The secret to their rubber-band like contortions? Hours and hours of training, including more time spent in splits—hanging from bars or stretched across foam blocks—than the rest of us would consider humane. These athletes, competing at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China, represent the eight top-scoring qualifiers in mind-bending acrobatic routines in the individual all-around finals.  Shannon Gardiner of South Africa competes in Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Qualification on day ten of the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games at Nanjing OSC Gymnasium on Aug. 26, 2014 in Nanjing. Feng Li—Getty Images  Irina Annenkova of Russia competes in Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Qualification on day ten of the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games at Nanjing OSC Gymnasium on Aug. 26, 2014 in Nanjing. Ahmad Yusni—EPA  Irina Annenkova of Russia competes in Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Qualification on day ten of the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games at Nanjing OSC Gymnasium on Aug. 26, 2014 in Nanjing. Ahmad Yusni—EPA  Laura Zeng of the United States competes in Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Qualification on day ten of the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games at Nanjing OSC Gymnasium on Aug. 26, 2014 in Nanjing. Feng Li—Getty Images  Irina Annenkova of Russia competes in Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Qualification on day ten of the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games at Nanjing OSC Gymnasium on Aug. 26, 2014 in Nanjing. Feng Li—Getty Images  Laura Zeng of the United States competes in Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Qualification on day ten of the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games at Nanjing OSC Gymnasium on Aug. 26, 2014 in Nanjing. Feng Li—Getty Images  Takana Tatsuzawa of Japan competes in Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Qualification on day ten of the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games at Nanjing OSC Gymnasium on Aug. 26, 2014 in Nanjing. Feng Li—Getty Images  Takana Tatsuzawa of Japan competes in Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Qualification on day ten of the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games at Nanjing OSC Gymnasium on Aug. 26, 2014 in Nanjing. 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