A Window on ...Gymnastics
AboutGymnastics
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A Window on ... Gymnastics |
About Gymnastics |
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 | The History of GymnasticsThe first gymnastics were performed as acrobatics in ancient Egypt more than 2,000 years ago but it was the Greeks who developed the sport for their soldiers and their athletes. There were many gymnastic activities in the early Olympic Games. Even ordinary people took part in programmes involving physical activity and it became part of children's education.
In the 1800s two men encouraged its revival. Friedrich Ludwig Jahn from Germany designed a set of exercises to develop physical skills using fixed apparatus and some floor work. The exercises designed by Pehr Henrik Ling from Sweden aimed to develop rhythm and coordination. For these Ling suggested the use of hoops, clubs, and small balls. Some German and Swedish immigrants took these skills to the United States and set up gymnastics clubs, where their families could enjoy the sport together.
Other notable dates Today there are more than seventeen million gymnasts around the world and in addition to the Olympics, there are Gymnastic World Championships and World Cup competitions. Within the UK there are national, regional and local competitions for gymnasts of all ages and abilities. The high percentage of young people participating at all levels indicates the popularity of the sport. | |||||||||||
| Modern GymnasticsModern gymnastics has several branches - Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics, Sports Acrobatics, Sports Aerobics and General Gymnastics.
The Men's events include:
In competitive, artistic gymnastics, competitors can enter as part of a six-person team or as an individual. For each event there is a compulsory routine with a pre-set series of exercises and an optional routine that consists of an original series of exercises. Gymnasts are awarded scores out of 10 by a team of judges. In team events, the scores of each team member makes up the team's total score. Standards for competitions are set by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique.
Sports acrobatics are taken from the world of acrobatics. They involve somersaults, flips, twists, turns and balancing. Tumbling can be performed as an individual exercise but for most of the routines you need to work with a partner or a team. Sport aerobics are a simple form of gymnastics. People of all ages take part in aerobic classes to improve their basic fitness. General gymnastics is a broad term to cover the types of gymnastics taught in schools and some gym clubs. | |||||||||||
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From its early beginnings in Ancient Greece, the high profile of gymnastics fell. Although the Romans still considered it important for their soldiers, after the fall of the Roman Empire, it was left to entertainers and acrobats.
In artistic gymnastics there are a number of set events for men and for women.
The Women's events include:
Rhythmic gymnastics has developed from the floor work found in artistic gymnastics. In this event, the gymnast performs floor routines to music using small apparatus - the ball, the hoop, ribbon and possibly clubs and rope. This branch of gymnastics became an Olympic sport in 1984 and is currently a women's event.
