GYMNASTICS

Artistic gymnastics

Main article: Artistic gymnastics

Artistic gymnastics is usually divided into Men's and Women's Gymnastics. Each group does different events; Men compete on Floor Exercise, Pommel Horse, Still Rings, Vault, Parallel Bars, and High Bar, while women compete on Vault, Uneven Bars, Beam, and Floor Exercise. In some countries, women at one time competed on the rings, high bar, and parallel bars (for example, in the 1950s in the USSR). Though routines performed on each event may be short, they are physically exhausting and push the gymnast's strength, flexibility, endurance and awareness to the limit.

Traditionally, at the international level, competitions on the various apparatus consisted of two different performance categories: compulsory and optional. For the compulsory event, each gymnast performing on a specific apparatus executed the same required routine. At the optional level, the gymnast performed routines that he or she choreographed. Nowadays, each country may use compulsory and optional routines at their discretion in the training of young gymnaWomen's events

Piked Tsukahara vault.

Vault

In the vaulting events gymnasts: sprint down a 25 meter (about 82 feet) runway, jump onto a beatboard - a kind of springboard, (run/ take-off segment), land momentarily, generally inverted on the hands, on the vaulting horse or vaulting table, (pre flight segment), then spring or block off of this platform to a two footed landing (post flight segment). The post flight segment may include one or more multiple saltos or somersaults, and or twisting movements.

In 2001, the traditional vaulting horse was replaced with a new apparatus, sometimes known as a tongue or table. The new apparatus is more stable, wider, and longer than the older vaulting horse - approx. 1m in length and 1m in width, gives gymnasts a larger blocking surface, and is therefore safer than the old vaulting horse. With the addition of this new, safer vaulting table, gymnasts are attempting more difficult and dangerous vaults.^{[citation needed]}

Gymnast on uneven bars.

Uneven Bars

On the uneven bars (also known as asymmetric bars, UK), the gymnast navigates two horizontal bars set at different heights. The height is generally fixed, but the width may be adjusted. Gymnasts perform swinging, circling, transitional, and release moves,that may pass over, under, and between the two bars. Movements may pass through the handstand. Gymnasts often mount the Uneven Bars using a beatboard (springboard).

Daniele Hypólito at the 2007 Pan Am Games.

Balance Beam

The gymnast performs a choreographed routine from 60 to 80 seconds in length consisting of leaps, acrobatic skills, somersaults, turns and dance elements on a padded sprung beam. Apparatus norms set by the International Gymnastics Federation (used for Olympic and most elite competitions) specify the beam must be 125 cm (4' 1") high, 500 cm (16' 5") long, and 10 cm (4") wide.^[6] The event requires in particular, balance, flexibility and strength.

Gymnast doing a double ring/stag leap on floor exercise.

Floor

The floor event occurs on a carpeted 12m × 12m square, usually consisting of hard foam over a layer of plywood, which is supported by springs or foam blocks generally called a "sprung" floor. This provides a firm surface that will respond with force when compressed, allowing gymnasts to achieve extra height and a softer landing than would be possible on a regular floor. Female gymnasts perform a choreographed exercise 70 to 90 seconds long. In levels 7 and up, they can choose an accompanying music piece, which must be instrumental and cannot include vocals. In the United States, the other levels must perform a routine that is choreographed for them by USAG and these routines come with music. The routines of a female gymnast consist of tumbling passes, series of jumps, dance elements, acrobatic skills, and turns. A gymnast usually performs three or four tumbling passes that include three or more skills or "tricks". Elite gymnasts can have up to six or seven tumbling passes.

At the compulsory levels (1-6) gymnasts are judged on a scale of 10, but as they reach the higher levels, particularly levels 9 and 10, the gymnasts' start-values may vary depending upon a number of different factors such as skill level and skill combinations. Also, every skill has a letter grade describing its difficulty. At level nine, to reach a start value of ten, the gymnast has to acquire bonus points, which she can achieve by connecting two or more skills of a certain high level of difficulty.

Compulsory levels of gymnastics have choreographed routines, and all women competing at that level do the same routines. In the United States, compulsory levels go from 1-6; most gymnasts start at levels 1-4 . In optional level competitions, however, all routines are different and have different floor music. Optional levels in the U.S. include levels 7 - 10 (elite). The Olympics, and college level gymnastics are also optional. In the Olympics, gymnasts are considered elite level gymnasts, which is higher level than the U.S. level 10.

Men's events

Floor Exercise

Male gymnasts also perform on a 12m. by 12m. sprung floor A series of tumbling passes are performed to demonstrate flexibility, strength, and balance. The gymnast must also show strength skills, including circles, scales, and press handstands. Men's floor routines usually have four passes that will total between 60–70 seconds and are performed without music, unlike the women's event. Rules require that gymnasts touch each corner of the floor at least once during their routine.

A boy on the pommel horse

Pommel Horse

A typical pommel horse exercise involves both single leg and double leg work. Single leg skills are generally found in the form of scissors, an element often done on the pommels. Double leg work however, is the main staple of this event. The gymnast swings both legs in a circular motion (clockwise or counterclockwise depending on preference) and performs such skills on all parts of the apparatus. To make the exercise more challenging, gymnasts will often include variations on a typical circling skill by turning (moores and spindles) or by straddling their legs (Flares). Routines end when the gymnast performs a dismount, either by swinging his body over the horse, or landing after a handstand.

Still Rings

Still Rings is arguably the most physically demanding event. The rings are suspended on wire cable from a point 5.75 meters off the floor, and adjusted in height so the gymnast has room to hang freely and swing. He must perform a routine demonstrating balance, strength, power, and dynamic motion while preventing the rings themselves from swinging. At least one static strength move is required, but some gymnasts may include two or three. A routine should have a dismount equal in difficulty to the difficulty of the routine as a whole.

Vault

Gymnasts sprint down a runway, which is a maximum of 25 meters in length, before hurdling onto a spring board. The body position is maintained while "punching" (blocking using only a shoulder movement) the vaulting platform. The gymnast then rotates to a standing position. In advanced gymnastics, multiple twists and somersaults may be added before landing. Successful vaults depend on the speed of the run, the length of the hurdle, the power the gymnast generates from the legs and shoulder girdle, the kinesthetic awareness in the air, and the speed of rotation in the case of more difficult and complex vaults.

Parallel Bars

Men perform on two bars slightly further than a shoulder's width apart and usually 1.75m high while executing a series of swings, balances, and releases that require great strength and coordination.

High Bar

A 2.4cm thick steel bar raised 2.5m above the landing area is all the gymnast has to hold onto as he performs giants (revolutions around the bar), release skills, twists, and changes of direction. By using all of the momentum from giants and then releasing at the proper point, enough height can be achieved for spectacular dismounts, such as a triple-back salto. Leather grips are usually used to help maintain a grip on the bar.

As with the women, male gymnasts are also judged on all of their events, for their execution, degree of difficulty, and overall presentation skills.

Rhythmic gymnastics

Main article: Rhythmic gymnastics

The discipline of rhythmic gymnastics is competed only by women (although there is a new version of this discipline for men being pioneered in Japan, see Men's rhythmic gymnastics), and involves the performance of five separate routines with the use of five apparatus — ball, ribbon, hoop, clubs, rope — on a floor area, with a much greater emphasis on the aesthetic rather than the acrobatic. Rhythmic routines are scored out of a possible 20 points, the score for Artistry (choreography and music) are averaged with the score for Difficulty of the moves and then added to the score for Execution.^[7]

Trampolining and Tumbling

Double Mini-trampoline competitor

Main articles: Trampolining and Power tumbling

Trampolining and tumbling consists of four events, individual, synchronized, double mini and power tumbling. Since 2000 individual trampoline has been included in the Olympic Games. Individual routines in trampolining involve a build-up phase during which the gymnast jumps repeatedly to achieve height, followed by a sequence of ten leaps without pauses during which the gymnast performs a sequence of aerial skills. Routines are marked out of a maximum score of 10 points. Additional points (with no maximum at the highest levels of competition) can be earned depending on the difficulty of the moves. In high level competitions, there are two preliminary routines, one which has only two moves scored for difficulty and one where the athlete is free to perform any routine. This is followed by a final routine which is optional. Some competitions restart the score from zero for the finals, other add the final score to the preliminary results. Synchronized trampoline is similar except that both competitors must perform the routine together and marks are awarded for synchronicity as well as the form and difficulty of the moves. Double mini trampoline involves a smaller trampoline with a run-up, two moves are performed for preliminaries and two more for finals. Moves cannot be repeated and the scores are marked in a similar manner to individual trampoline. In power tumbling, athletes perform an explosive series of flips and twists down a sprung tumbling track. Scoring is similar to trampolining.

Display gymnastics

General gymnastics enables people of all ages and abilities to participate in performance groups of 6 to more than 150 athletes. They perform synchronized, choreographed routines. Troupes may be all one gender or mixed. There are no age divisions in general gymnastics. The largest general gymnastics exhibition is the quadrennial World Gymnaestrada which was first held in 1939.

Aerobic gymnastics

Main article: Aerobic gymnastics

Aerobic gymnastics (formally Sport Aerobics) involves the performance of routines by individuals, pairs, trios or groups up to 6 people, emphasizing strength, flexibility, and aerobic fitness rather than acrobatic or balance skills. Routines are performed on a small floor area and generally last 60-90 seconds.

Acrobatic Gymnastics

Main article: Acrobatic gymnastics

Acrobatic gymnastics (formerly Sports Acrobatics), often referred to as acrobatics, "acro" sports or simply sports acro, is a group gymnastic discipline for both men and women. Acrobats in groups of two, three and four perform routines with the heads, hands and feet of their partners. They may pick their own music, but lyrics or Disney music are not allowed.

Performers must compete in preparatory grades A and B, then move on to grades 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; by 3, 4 and 5 two routines are required, one for balances and another for tempos.

TeamGym

TeamGym originates from Scandinavia and this particular type of Gymnastics has been a major event for over 20 years. A team in this sport can have from 6 to 12 members, either all male, all female or a mixed squad. The team shows three disciplines, Trampette, Tumbling and Floor.

In every run of Tumbling and Trampette only six gymnasts compete. They stream their abilities (meaning that one gymnast goes after one another very quickly) The best move is the one performed last. Both are performed to music.

Floor

All members of the Team take part here. It is a mixture of Dance, flexibility and skill. The routine has to be skillfully choreographed and the judges look out for changes in shape. There need to be at least two body waves involved, one spin, two balances and some actual gymnastic acrobatics. The Floor is performed to music.

Here a trampette is used. There are two components of this; Vault and the Trampette on its own. There has to be three runs in total. At least one of these runs has to be a vault run. Another run has to include all the gymnasts doing the same move. This is generally the first run. This is also performed to music.

Again, here there are three runs (rounds) involved. One of which has to include all six gymnasts doing a forwards series. Another run also has to include the gymnasts completing the same move. Each series must have at least three different acrobatic elements

A group of women gymnasts

Rhythmic gymnastics grew out of the ideas of I.G. Noverre (1722–1810), Francois Delsart (1811–1871), and R. Bode (1881), who all believed in movement expression, where one used dance to express oneself and exercise various body parts. Peter Henry Ling further developed this idea in his 19th-century Swedish
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Gymnastics

Gymnastics Games

Gymnastics is a sport that involves the performance of sequences of physical movements. It requires physical strength, flexibility, and kinesthetic awareness like handsprings, handstands, forward rolls, and tucks.

In Olympics and other international competitions, different types of gymnastics are performed, such as artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, and more.

DO YOU KNOW

At one time rope climb was an Olympic Gymnastic event
It was removed from it after the 1932 Games.	In the United States, competitive rope climbing persisted until the early 1960s.

HISTORY OF GYMNASTICS

• Gymnastics was developed from fitness and beauty practices used by the ancient Greeks, which also included skills for mounting and dismounting a horse, and circus performance skills.
• Then, the term implied exercise taken by men in a gymnasium, a venue for intellectual and physical education.

TYPES OF GYMNASTICS

Artistic gymnastics
Divided into Men's Gymnastics (MAG) and Women's Gymnastics (WAG), each group does different events. The men competes on Vault, Parallel Bars, the Pommel Horse, the Rings, the High Bar, and on the Floor. The women competes on Vault, Uneven Bars, Beam, and Floor Exercise.

General gymnastics
Sometimes it is also called group projects. It enables people of all ages and abilities to participate in performance troupes of 6 to more than 150 athletes. The athletes, all one gender or mixed, perform synchronized, choreographed routines.

Rhythmic gymnastics
It is only competed by women and involves the performance of five separate routines with the use of five apparatus - ball, ribbon, hoop, clubs, rope - on a floor area, with a much greater emphasis on the aesthetic rather than the acrobatic. The scores are out of a possible 20 points.

Sports aerobics
It involves the performance of routines by individuals or pairs, emphasizing strength, flexibility, and aerobic fitness rather than acrobatic or balance skills.

boolyood

This year, we will get to watch the XXIX Olympiad. The games open on August 8, 2008 and will run through August 24 in Beijing, China.

One of the Summer Olympic categories that I love most is gymnastics. When I was little, I forgot about my regular hobbies for a couple of weeks every four summers, and I insisted that I would someday become a gymnast.

Now, I’m much too old—and probably too tall—to consider a career in gymnastics. But, I’m still excited that the Summer Olympics are coming up. And, with the games approaching, I thought I’d do a brief history on rhythmic gymnastics, which is very similar to dance in several ways.


Gymnastics in the Olympics


Rieko Matsunaga - 2000 Olympic Rhythmic Gymnastics - From http://www.olympic.orgRhythmic gymnastics became an Olympic sport in the 1984. Rhythmic gymnastics joined what is now known as “artistic gymnastics,” and in 1999, trampoline gymnastics joined the list of Olympic sports.

Gymnastics has been an Olympic sport since the games began in ancient Greece. But originally, gymnastics dealt with arts that would serve soldiers in battle. And, only men were allowed to compete, not only in gymnastics, but in all of the games.


Early “Gymnastics”
Historically, gymnastic training has been tied to military training. Several important figures helped change gymnastics from a military exercise into a more modern form of physical training.

Johann Christoph Friedrich GutsMuths (1759-1839) of Germany, Franz Nachtegall (1777-1847) of Denmark, Pehr Henrik Ling (1776-1893), and Friedrich Ludwig Jahn (1778-1852) of Germany were all important figures in developing modern systems of physical training. These men made gymnastics training available to more people, and they also tried to standardize gymnastics training in schools.

Another important figure in the history of gymnastics is Adolf Spiess (1810-1858) of Germany, who began a system of “free exercises” in schools. These exercises were done according to certain rhythms, combining music and movement (Leonard 56-57).



Modern Rhythmic Gymnastics
What we know today as rhythmic gymnastics was most influenced by the work of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze in


alina Kabaeva - Sydney 2000 - http://www.olympic.orgthe 1890s. Dalcroze was a composer and music educator at Switzerland’s Conservatoire de Musique de Genève, and he wanted to teach his students to understand music by understanding movement.

At first, Dalcroze’s methods included just walking and marching. Then, his students began to use breathing, lunging, pulling a partner, carrying an imaginary object, and jumping as ways to express sound. By trying to understand music through movement, they were able to work through musical problems.

Dalcroze’s methods began to catch on, even outside of music education. In 1910, he began teaching his methods of music education at the Bildungsanstalt Jaques-Dalcroze at at Hellerau near Dresden, Germany. At this school, students learned rhythmic gymnastics, advanced music-movement study called “plastique,” keyboard improvisation, music theory and practice, anatomy, Swedish gymnastics, and dance. Many musicians, dancers, actors, and writers have learned from Dalcroze’s methods.


Rhythmic Gymnastics Gets Competitive
Even while Dalcroze was still teaching, people were already practicing rhythmic gymnastics, and they began making some changes. Around 1900, elements of Finnish dance were added to rhythmic gymnastics.

Also around 1900, Ernest Idla of Estonia created a scoring system for rhythmic gymnastics. His system assigned degrees of difficulty to movements, and it formed the basis of the scoring system we use today.

With a scoring system in place, rhythmic gymnastics became a competitive sport. After World War II, Idla’s scoring system was expanded, and competitions throughout Europe began using it.



The First Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships
The Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) formed when non-European countries wanted to join the The European Federation of Gymnastics. The FIG realized the popularity of rhythmic gymnastics in the mid-20th century, and in 1962, the FIG recognized rhythmic gymnastics as an official discipline.



http://www.olympic.orgThroughout much of the 1900s, rhythmic gymnastics was called “modern gymnastics.” In Canada, the sport’s governing body was originally known as the Canadian Modern Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation. In 1981, they removed the word “modern,” and became simply the Canadian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation.

A Finnish-Canadian athletic club introduced rhythmic gymnastics to North America in 1906. But, the United States didn’t really embrace rhythmic gymnastics until after the 1960s when Americans had the chance to see touring gymnasts perform the sport.

The first Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships event was held in 1964. 28 European gymnasts competed. In 1973, American rhythmic gymnasts joined the Europeans in the world championships. Finally, in 1984 rhythmic gymnastics became an Olympic sport, and gymnasts competed in the Olympiad XXIII in Los Angeles, California, USA.


Equipment
Five types of hand apparatus are used in rhythmic gymnastics.



ball-www.olympic.orgThe ball must be made of rubber or soft plastic. Its diameter is from 18cm to 20cm (or from about 7.08 inches to 7.87 inches). And, it must weigh at least 400g (or 0.88 pounds).

















clubs-www.olympic.orgThe Clubs are shaped like slender tenpin bowling pins, and they are used in pairs. Each club has a wide end (the body), a tapering middle section (the neck), and usually a ball on the end (the head) that has a maximum diameter of 30mm (or about 1.18 inches). Each club is 40cm to 50cm (about 15.74 inches to 19.68 inches) long and is made of wood or plastic. Each club must weigh at least 150 grams (or 0.33 pounds).











hoop-www.olympic.orgThe Hoop may be made of wood or plastic. The inner diameter of the hoop must be 80cm to 90cm (or about 31.49 inches to 35.43 inches). It must weigh at least 300 grams (or about 0.66 pounds). When the hoop is used in a routine, the performance must include at least three leaps.














ribbon-www.olympic.org
The ribbon is a single 7m (or about 22.96 feet) strip of ribbon that is made of satin or a similar material. One metre (about 3.28 feet) of its length is folded and doubled so it may be attached by a cord to a stick. The stick must be 50cm to 60cm long (about 19.68 inches to 23.62 inches), and the gymnast holds the stick to control the ribbon. When the ribbon is used in a routine, it must stay in perpetual, fluid motion.









rope-wwwolympicorg1The rope is made from hemp or a similar material. The rope, unlike the ribbon, has no set length. Instead, its length is relative to the height of the gymnast. When the rope is used, the routine must include at least three leaps.


Rules of Rhythmic Gymnastics
Two Ways to Compete

Rhythmic gymnastics can be performed as an individual event or as a team event. The rules for each event are slightly different.

For all events, a gymnast performs on 13-metre-square floor area (about 42.65 square feet). A gymnast must use the entire area. And, a gymnast must keep the apparatus in constant motion, not favoring one hand over the other.

Individual Competition
In an individual rhythmic gymnastic event, the gymnast’s routine must be between 60 seconds and 90


Yulia Barsukova of Russia, 2000 Olympics (AP Photo/ Victoria Arocho)seconds long. The gymnast performs only one routine. According to Olympic rules, in an individual event the gymnast must use four of the five hand apparatus.

Group Competition
During group rhythmic gymnastics events, five gymnasts participate in each routine. They will perform two routines, using a different type of apparatus in each routine. In a group routine, gymnasts must exchange whatever apparatus is being used.



Scoring Rhythmic Gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics scoring is done by two panels of judges. One panel scores on execution, and the other panel scores on composition. The execution score begins at 10.0, and points are deducted for technical faults. The composition score has a maximum of 20.0 points, 10.0 for artistic quality and 10.0 for difficulty. The difficulty score begins at 0.0 and increases as the gymnast executes movements that require a high level of skill.

Rhythmic gymnastics emphasizes graceful movement and the smooth, fluid handling of each apparatus. Routines are usually performed to piano music that will accommodate this type of movement.

In rhythmic gymnastics, judges will deduct points for quick, abrupt movements that contrast with the music’s natural flow. Flexibility, choreography, control, uniqueness, proper technique, and effective use of space are all elements that judges look for when scoring a rhythmic gymnastics routine.

Men in Rhythmic Gymnastics
One important difference between Olympic rhythmic gymnastics and other forms of Olympic gymnastics is that in rhythmic gymnastics, men are not allowed to compete.

Throughout the world, many competitions allow men to perform in rhythmic gymnastics. But, the International Olympic Committee has not yet allowed men into the sport. You can see examples of men’s rhythmic gymnastics by visiting this site.

Rhythmic Gymnastics and Dance


Italy in 2000 Sydney Olympic Games - http://www.olympic.orgA number of qualities make rhythmic gymnastics and dance very similar.

Even when it was being created, rhythmic gymnastics was used as a way to meaningfully combine music and motion. In a similar way, dance very often combines music and motion to give meaning or tell a story.

In its technique, rhythmic gymnastics is sometimes very much like dance. In fact, many routines borrow techniques from classical ballet, including pirouettes, arabesques, jetés, and attitudes. Also, ballet’s emphasis on choreography is also seen in rhythmic gymnastics.

Finally, the importance of balance, flexibility, posture, and control makes rhythmic gymnastics similar to ballet and other genres of dance.

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