Gymnastics

I

Introduction

Gymnastics, competitive sport that tests an athlete's strength, rhythm, balance, flexibility, and agility. There are three major forms of competitive gymnastics: artistic, rhythmic, and trampoline. Artistic and trampoline gymnastics are part of male and female competitions. Rhythmic gymnastics is open only to females.

Artistic gymnastics consists of prescribed sets of events, such as the vault, which are scored separately by judges to determine individual winners. Rhythmic gymnastics consists of several events in which the gymnasts use objects such as balls and hoops while performing choreographed routines, which are scored separately and then added together to determine an overall winner. In the trampoline event, gymnasts bounce on a springboard device and are judged on the movements they perform while airborne.

The international ruling body for gymnastics is the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (International Federation of Gymnastics). In the United States the governing body for the sport is USA Gymnastics. Gymnastics Canada Gymnastique governs the sport in Canada.

The term gymnastics also refers to a system of physical exercises used for therapeutic or educational purposes. Therapeutic or remedial gymnastics is a series of selected exercises that help relieve physical discomfort or restore body function for disabled people. Educational gymnastics is a program that challenges students to master tactics involving strength, flexibility, and conditioning.

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II

Artistic Gymnastics

Artistic gymnastics competition has been part of the modern Olympic Games since the Games began in 1896. Extensive television coverage helped the sport gain great popularity in the late 20th century. In Olympic competition, performance is scored on a ten-point scale, called a Code of Points, by four to six trained judges. A level of difficulty is figured into the overall score, which is then averaged after the individual high and low scores by the judges are eliminated. Scoring standards for each event are determined by the international governing body.

After a judging controversy at the 2004 Olympic Games, the organizing bodies began to review the sport’s scoring system. Officials announced a plan to overhaul the system in time for competitions held in 2006.

In competitive gymnastics, teams consist of seven members. Six compete in each event, with the five highest scorers in the event counting toward the overall team score. Awards are given for both individual and team performance.

A

Men’s Events

Men typically compete in six different events in artistic gymnastics. The events are as follows:

Floor exercise—a routine of dance-type movements with acrobatic skills, performed without apparatus on a mat about 12 m (40 ft) square.

Pommel horse—a routine performed on a leather-covered apparatus, in the center of which are inserted two pommels, or handles, 40 to 45 cm (15.7 to 17.7 in) apart. The routine consists of a series of continuous swinging and circular motions with the torso and legs, executed as the athlete travels from one end of the horse to the other, using only his hands for support.

Rings—a routine performed while grasping one wooden ring in each hand, with the rings suspended from straps and hung parallel to each other 2.75 m (9 ft) above the floor mat. The routine combines static positions with rapid movements designed to test strength and precision.

Vault—a routine involving an apparatus, known as a horse, that measures 1.6 m (5.2 ft) long and 1.35 m (4.4 ft) high and has no pommels. The athlete runs toward the horse, approaching it lengthwise. He then takes off from a springboard, places both hands on the surface of the horse, then completes the flight with an acrobatic airborne maneuver and a controlled landing.

Parallel bars—a routine performed on two flexible parallel rails 1.95 m (6.4 ft) above the ground and 42 to 52 cm (16.5 to 20.5 in) apart from each other. The routine is a series of swinging, balancing, and airborne moves.

Horizontal bar—a routine performed on a single steel bar suspended 2.75 m (9 ft) above the floor mat. The routine requires continuous swinging motions around the bar with frequent changes in direction and in grip. In the dismount the athlete casts himself off the bar, soars through the air, and then makes a controlled landing.

B

Women’s Events

Women typically compete in four events in artistic gymnastics. The events are as follows:

Vault—the routine is the same as in the men's event, except that the horse, similar in shape and size to that used by the men, is lowered to a height of 1.2 m (3.9 ft) and is approached from the side.

Uneven bars—a routine performed on a set of two flexible bars a maximum of 1.435 m (4.7 ft) apart from each other at different heights. The upper bar is between 2.35 and 2.4 m (7.7 and 7.9 ft) from the floor; the lower bar, parallel to it, is between 1.4 and 1.6 m (4.6 and 5.2 ft) above the floor. The routine demands continuous swinging, releasing, and changing of direction over, under, and between the bars with a mount and dismount.

Balance beam—a routine performed on a single beam 10 cm (4 in) wide, 5 m (16.4 ft) long, and 1.2 m (3.9 ft) off the ground. The routine consists of continuous tumbling moves, turns, jumps, and leaps. A mount and dismount are required.

Floor exercise—a routine performed without apparatus on a floor mat the same size as the men's, about 12 m (40 ft) square. The routine is similar to the men's floor exercise except that it is performed to music.

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