“The sport of gymnastics, which derives its

name from the ancient Greek word for

disciplinary exercises, combines physical skills
such as body control, coordination, dexterity,
gracefulness, and strength with tumbling and
acrobatic skills, all performed in an artistic
manner. Gymnastics is performed by both men
and women at many levels, from local clubs and
schools to colleges and universities, and in elite
national and international competitions”
 History of Gymnastics
The term gymnastics, derived from a
Greek word meaning “to exercise naked,”
applied in ancient Greece to all exercises
practiced in the gymnasium, the place
where male athletes did indeed exercise
unclothed. Many of these exercises came
to be included in the Olympic Games,
until the abandonment of the Games in ad
393.
Gymnastics is a very complex
sport involving the performance
of exercises requiring physical
strength, flexibility, power,
agility, coordination, grace,
balance and control.
Gymnastics as a sport has been around for 2,000
years.

The Ancient Greeks  practiced gymnastics as a way to

prepare for war. Activities like running and jumping,
along with throwing a discus and wrestling were used
to prepare the young Greek men. Boxing was also
used and all of these activities helped develop the
muscles needed for hand-to-hand combat. Additional
fitness practices used by the ancient Greeks included
methods for mounting and dismounting a horses and a
variety of circus performance skills.
The ancient Greeks also trained their
young students in gymnastics as a part of
their education.

In the late eighteenth and early

nineteenth centuries two pioneer physical
educators, Johann Friedrich,
GutsMuth ,and Friedrich Ludwig Jahn
created exercises for boys and young men
on several apparatus they had designed.
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn became known as the
“Father of Modern Gymnastics”. He designed
and introduced the horizontal bar, parallel bars,
balance beam, side horse with pommels, ladder,
and vaulting horse.

In the early 19th Century, educators began

using gymnastics as a part of their training
programs, and in the early 20th Century, the
armed services began using gymnastics and
producing drill manuals featuring all kinds of
gymnastics.
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn
By the end of the nineteenth century, men’s gymnastics
was popular enough to be included in the first modern
Olympic Games held in 1896. However, up until the
1950s, gymnastics in the Olympics included such things
as synchronized team floor calisthenics, rope climbing,
high jumping, running, and horizontal ladder just to name
a few.
Women first started to participate in gymnastics events in
the 1920s and the first women’s Olympic competition was
held in the 1928 Games in Amsterdam. However, the only
event to compete was synchronized calisthenics.
Combined exercises for women were first held in 1928.
Then, in the 1952 Olympics the first full regime of events
for women was in competition.
By the 1954 Olympic Games apparatus and events for
both men and women had been standardized in
modern format, and scoring standards, including a
point system from 1 to 10, were implemented.
Modern Men’s gymnastics events are scored on an
individual and team basis, and presently include the
floor exercise, horizontal bar, parallel bars, rings,
pommel horse, vaulting, and the all-around, which
combines the scores of the other six events. Women’s
gymnastic events include balance beam, uneven
parallel bars, combined exercises, floor exercises,
vaulting, and rhythmic sportive gymnastics.
In 1972, Nadia Comaneci showed
the world that power, strength and
precision were not just qualities that
could be seen in men’s gymnastics.
Comaneci scored four of her perfect
tens on the uneven bars, two on the
balance beam and one in the floor
exercise.
Nadia Comaneci
 Types Of
Gymnastics
 1.)
Artistic
Gymnastics
 Artistic Gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics is an Olympic sport which
involves physical strength, power, agility,
flexibility, grace, control, coordination, and
balance. Gymnastics is governed by the Federation
Internationale de Gymnastique.
Artistic gymnastics is one of three disciplines
in the sport of gymnastics. The others are rhythmic
gymnastics and trampoline. Athletes perform short
routines on apparatus with judges evaluating the
difficulty and accuracy of each performance.
Women’s
Artistic
Gymnastics
 One of the most popular forms
of gymnastics, women’s artistic
gymnastics comprises feats of
strength, balance, flexibility, air
sense and grace.
The four (4) events that female
artistic gymnasts compete in
include:
Vault
The vault is a test of strength and athletic ability. A
gymnast sprints down a 25 meter runway and jumps onto
a springboard, launching herself into the air to land
momentarily upside down on a vaulting table, only to
spring back off into a series of flipping and twisting
movements before landing on her feet.
A novice gymnast learns to vault by practicing
running, jumping, and hurdling herself onto a
springboard. Slowly, the gymnast will then progress from
these beginner drills to more difficult vaults.
 Uneven bars 
The uneven bars demand exceptional
upper-body strength and an aggressive
approach. Gymnasts perform a routine that
incorporates swings, handstands, release
moves, and flipping or twisting moves. The
entire routine should flow from one movement
to the next without pauses, extra swings or
additional support. Novice gymnasts start by
learning swings and pullovers, before
gradually progressing to more difficult skills.
 Balance beam 
The balance beam is an apparatus that is five meters
long and 0.1 meters wide. The suede covered, padded
wood beam sits roughly one meter off the ground. A
gymnast performs a routine that lasts up to 90 seconds
that involves a mount, leaps, jumps, flips, turns, and a
dismount. The beam event incorporates strength,
balance and coordination, as well as an awareness of
body position.

Novice gymnasts start by learning basic walks and

turns, before gradually progressing to jumps, leaps and
handstands. They then learn various tumbling skills on
the beam before being deemed ready to compete.
 Floor Exercise 
The floor exercise is performed on a
padded floor, and it gives gymnasts the chance
to express their personalities by performing a
choreographed routine, lasting no more than 90
seconds. Throughout the routine, the gymnast
must harmoniously blend dance elements and
tumbling skills while making versatile use of the
floor space, changing both the direction and
level of movement. The gymnastic elements
should flow freely from one to another, with the
leaps and turns adding excitement to the routine.
Show Video
Men’s Artistic
Gymnastic
Men’s Artistic Gymnastics
Men’s artistic gymnastics is
the oldest form of gymnastics,
and competing in the six events -
the floor exercise, the pommel
horse, the rings, the vault, the
parallel bar, and the high bar,
call for a set of core skills and
techniques.
 Floor Exercise 
The entire floor area should be used during the
exercise, which consists primarily of tumbling skills
performed in different directions. Acrobatic elements
must also be performed during the routine, such as
rotating flips in the air known as forward or
backward takeoffs. There must also be a non-
acrobatic element like a balance element on one leg
or one arm. Transitional skills performed in between
tumbling and acrobatic passes should be executed
with proper rhythm and harmony.
 Pommel horse 
Many consider the pommel horse to be
one of the most difficult men’s gymnastics
events because it requires much practice to
master even the most basic skills on the
Pommel horse. Routines consist of the gymnast
executing continuous circular movements by
swinging around the pommel horse on his
hands, not allowing any other part of his body
touch the horse whilst in the middle of the
routine.
Still Rings
From rings suspended off the ground,
the gymnast completes swinging
moves, handstands and a dismount.
Unlike the pommel horse, a gymnast
must stop and hold these moves for at
least two seconds. During this time,
the rings should be as still as possible.
 Vault 
The gymnast runs down a runway,
hurdles himself onto a springboard,
and is propelled over a vaulting
table about one meter off the
ground. Then, a series of flipping
and twisting movements will be
performed, with the gymnast landing
on his feet.
 Parallel bars 
Gymnasts perform a series of
swings, balances and releases on
two bars, slightly further than
shoulder width apart and standing
1.75m above ground. These
moves 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 skills like giants -in which
he rotates 360 degrees in a fully
extended position, twists, and
changes direction.
Show Video
Scoring
Gymnasts are awarded a D score for
difficulty and an E score for execution. The
difficulty score is based on the performed
moves, earning between 0.1 and 0.8 points per
move. The top eight moves are counted for
women, and top 10 for men, to give them their
final D score

General Rules
 2.
Rhythmic
Gymnastics
 Rhythmic gymnastics combines ballet,
dance and acrobatics with expressive
movement and the manipulation of apparatuses
such as the ball, clubs, hoop, ribbon and rope.

This sport is ideal for developing

flexibility, strength, as well as body
coordination. It stems from various dance
styles and exercise regimes that share the
common idea of expressive movement as a tool
for exercise.
Individual Programme 
During the individual
programme, an athlete will manipulate
only one of these five apparatuses at a
time - rope, hoop, ball, clubs and
ribbon. One apparatus is rotated out of
contention every two years, with the
gymnast required to compete on the
remaining four events.
Group programme 
The group programme consists of
five gymnasts competing in two
different routines. In one routine,
all of the athletes use the same
apparatus. In the second routine,
the gymnasts use two different
pieces of equipment
Music and Choreography 
All routines must be performed
with music, with only short pauses
of music allowed. The choreography
must centre around a theme that is
developed from beginning to end
using a variety of body movements
and the handling of apparatuses.
Apparatuses:

● Rope 
The rope is made out of hemp or synthetic material, and the
length of the rope depends on how tall the gymnast using it
is. Gymnasts swing the rope, throw and catch the rope,
make figure-eight-type circling movements, and more. They
also leap and jump through the rope while they are holding
it with both hands.

● Hoop 
Made of wood or plastic, the hoop is 0.7 to 0.8 metres in
diameter. Gymnasts execute moves with the hoop such as
tossing and catching it.
 ● Ball 
The ball is made with rubber or a synthetic material,
and is roughly around 0.2metres in diameter. Gymnasts
perform throws, as well as tricks such as bouncing and
rolling the ball.

● Clubs 
Resembling bowling pins, the clubs are of equal
length, typically about 0.4 to 0.5metres long. They are
made from wood or a synthetic material. Gymnasts use
the clubs to do tricks like circles -in which the clubs
swing parallel to each other, mills - the clubs swing
opposite each other, as well as throws and catches.
● Ribbon 

The ribbon is a single strip usually made of

satin, attached to a stick made of wood or
synthetic material. Gymnasts create all sorts of
patterns with the ribbon, including spirals,
circles and snakes. The gymnast must keep the
ribbon in motion throughout the entire routine.
 Rules:

Leaps and jumps

● All leaps and jumps must be of a good height, have a clear
shape and good amplitude.

● All leaps with the back arched must have the head in contact
with the leg.

Balances
● All balances must be performed on the toes or the knee. These
must be held clearly and have a good, fixed shape.

Pivots 
● All pivot combinations must be performed entirely on the toes
without heel support.
 Rhythmic gymnastics is all about
presentation and style: Rhythmic
gymnasts perform routines of leaps,
contortions, and dance that flow in time to
music while  Artistic gymnastics, on the
other hand, is more Technical,
Rewarding, Precise Movements and
Athletic Strength. Artistic
gymnastics propels athletes through
feats of strength, agility, and grace.
Show Video
 3.
Trampoline
 Trampoline, an
elevated resilient webbed bed
or canvas sheet supported by springs in
a metal frame and used as a
springboard for tumbling.
Trampolining, or rebound tumbling, is
an individual sport of acrobatic
movements performed after rebounding
into the air from the trampoline.
Show Video
 4.
Acrobatic
Gymnastics
Acrobatic Gymnastics combines a number of
gymnastics elements and skills into a fun, team-based
environment, providing a great platform for building
balance, co-ordination, strength and teamwork.
Acrobatic Gymnastics is open to both males and
females and combines thrilling skills and with artistic
dance routines.

Set to music and interspersed with choreography, the

routines combine art and skill as the gymnasts
perform static elements such balances and holds; and
dynamic elements such as lifts, throws with complex
somersaults and twists; and tumbling skills.
Acrobatic gymnastics combines the
beauty of dance with the strength and
agility of acrobatics. Gymnastics skills
add excitement to the routines, while
intense acrobatic balances show grace,
strength and flexibility. The routines may
be choreographed to music and consist of
dance, tumbling, and partner elements.
Acrobatic gymnasts compete as either a
pair or as a group. An acrobatic pair
consists of a base and a top.
 A women’s group is comprised of a base, middle and
top partner, while a men’s group has a base, two
middle partners and one top partner. Bases generally
are older athletes who display strength and balance
and top partners generally are younger athletes who
display flexibility and agility. Middle partners often
are required to show a combination of all attributes.
At the elite level, each pair or group performs a
balance, dynamic and combined routine. Pyramids
and partner holds characterize the balance routine,
while synchronized tumbling and intricate flight
elements define the dynamic exercise. The combined
routine unites elements of the balance and dynamic
routines.
CATEGORIES & ROUTINES
Acrobatics Gymnastics consists of five
different categories:

Mixed Pair                (MX)     One male and

one female (In level four and above, the base
must be male).
Men's Pair                (M2)     Two males.
Women's Pair           (W2)    Two females.
Women's Group       (W3)     Three females.
Men's Group            (M4)     Four Males.
Mixed Pair
Men’s Pair
Women’s Pair
Women's Group Acrobatics
Men’s Group Acrobatics
There are three different routines competed in Acrobatics
Gymnastics.
Balance
The balance routines consists of skills requiring static
holds and pyramids. Groups in all levels perform a balance
routine at competitions.
Dynamic
The dynamic routine consists of skills that show flight,
demonstrating a variety of throws, catches somersaults
and twists. Groups in all levels perform a dynamic routine
at competitions.
Combined
The combined routine consists of a combination of both
balance and dynamic elements. Only groups in National
Stream Level 8 and above and International Stream 12-18,
13-19 & Senior perform a combined routine as
competitions.
Show Video
Note :
Before moving to
advance level of
movements, make sure to
first execute properly the
“Basic Positions in
Gymnastics”.
 Thank You For
Listening 
Prepared by : Sir
Bloom