History
The ancient Greeks believed gymnastics to be the perfect symmetry between mind and body. Modern gymnastics evolved at the end of the 19th century.
Philosophical beginnings Plato, Aristotle and Homer heartily advocated the strengthening qualities of gymnastic activity. The Greeks believed symmetry between the mind and body was possible only when physical exercise was coupled with intellectual activity.
Rebirth The term "artistic gymnastics" emerged in the early 1800s to distinguish free-flowing styles from techniques used in military training. Gymnastic competitions began to flourish in schools and athletic clubs across Europe and made a fitting return when the Olympic Games were revived in Athens in 1896.
Rocks and clubs Between 1896 and 1924 the sport evolved into what we recognize as modern gymnastics. Among those disciplines discarded were club swinging, rock lifting and even swimming, which appeared in 1922.
Changing times In the early days of artistic gymnastics at the Games, participants often had a background in ballet, and would reach their peak in their 20s. Nadia Comaneci’s and Nellie Kim's perfect scores of 10 at the 1976 Montreal Games, at the age of 14, heralded an era of younger champions, trained specifically in gymnastics from childhood, although gymnasts must now be 16 to compete in the Olympic Games.
Equipment
Still rings Two parallel rings 50cm apart, suspended from a cable and straps and held, one in each hand, for a series of exercises in men's artistic gymnastics particularly requiring stillness of the body; also called the "rings".
Uneven bars An apparatus in women's artistic gymnastics with a top bar 2.4m above the floor and a lower bar 1.6m high, used for a continuous series of grip changes, releases, new grasps and other complex moves.
High bar A bar standing 2.75 m high, used in men's artistic gymnastics; also called the "horizontal bar".
Parallel bars (Artistic) An apparatus consisting of two wooden rails on uprights, adjustable in height and used for swinging, vaulting and balancing exercises in men's artistic gymnastics.
Pommel horse A solid apparatus 115 cm high with two handles, or pommels, on top that men in artistic gymnastics use for a series of maneuvers defined by complex hand placements and body positions while holding themselves above the apparatus.
Plane An imaginary surface where moves are performed, i.e. lateral, frontal, horizontal or diagonal.
Diagonal plane An imaginary surface at less than a 90-degree angle to the floor, where moves are performed.
Horizontal plane An imaginary surface, level with the ground, where moves are performed.
Lateral plane An imaginary surface to the side of, and parallel to, the body, where moves are performed.
Safety platform A large, thick mat that sits on the floor at each end of the trampoline to cushion the impact if anyone falls from the apparatus.
Vault A solid apparatus similar to the pommel horse, but lacking handles, and used in men's and women's artistic gymnastics for a variety of handsprings from a running approach.
Springboard The springboard used in the men's and women's vault.
International Gymnastics Federation
The Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) was founded in 1881, making it the world’s oldest international sport organisation. Gymnastics has been contested since the inaugural modern Olympic Games in 1896.
Artistic competition In artistic events (performed on an apparatus), men compete on the floor, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and horizontal bars. Female gymnasts compete on the vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor. The competition includes all-round events and team events, also scored over each apparatus.
Perfect 10 Nadia Comeneci’s perfect score of 10 at the 1976 Montreal Games transformed the sport. By achieving the seemingly impossible seven times, the 14-year old Romanian raised standards to a new level.
Trampoline competition Trampoline made its debut at the 2000 Sydney Games featuring both men’s and women’s individual events.
Rhythmic competition Rhythmic gymnastics is a women-only event. The gymnasts, accompanied by music, perform on a 13-square meter floor area with rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. In the individual event, they perform different routines with four of the five apparatus. In the team competition, teams of five perform together once using clubs and once with two team members using hoops and three using ribbons.
(Source: olympic.org)
