Gymnastics is a sport of the future, which, nonetheless, enjoys a long heritage and preserves an ancient tradition of demonstrating exactly what a person is capable of. Gymnastics involves the performance of exercises, on or with an apparatus, or a partner, requiring physical strength, flexibility, coordination, power, agility, grace, balance and control. Gymnastics is one of the oldest Olympic sports and one of the World’s most popular sports. Moreover, it is one of the most inclusive sports where male or female, young or old, able-bodied or disabled can take part.

The term ‘gymnastics’ is derived from the Greek word ‘gymnos’, which means to exercise naked , as athletes in ancient times exercised and competed without clothing. At that time, the main goal of gymnastics was to prepare strong and capable soldiers for war. However, there was a clear emphasis placed upon the physical preparation of the body when the well-developed physique of the gymnasts became an object of admiration and adoration. Many writers on education have valued gymnastics from the point of view of health and advocated the benefits of gymnastic exercise for the body. During its development, gymnastics gradually moved away from preparation for war towards entertainment in the form of competitive sport.

The sport is a complex combination that involves physical strength, flexibility, power, agility, coordination, grace, balance and control. Out of all the different disciplines, competitive artistic gymnastics is the most well-known, but the other forms of gymnastics, including rhythmic gymnastics and aerobic gymnastics, have also gained widespread popularity. 

Artistic gymnastics 

The most popular and widely-practised form, artistic gymnastics is divided into women’s and men’s gymnastics. Women compete on four events: vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise, while men compete on six events: floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, and high bar. The sport consists mainly of the use of various gymnastic apparatus, as well as the use of the floor for different exercises. 

Rhythmic gymnastics 

Rhythmic gymnastics is the performance of various gymnastics moves and dance exercises to music, with or without various gymnastic apparatus. Only women compete in the sport, which combines elements of ballet and gymnastics in the performance of five separate routines with the use of one of the five apparatuses: ball, ribbon, hoop, clubs and rope. There are also group routines consisting of two to six gymnasts, performing with a maximum of two apparatuses of their choice. 

Aerobic gymnastics 

Aerobic gymnastics, also known as sport aerobics, involves the performance of routines by individuals, pairs, trios, or groups of up to six people. These routines typically emphasise strength, flexibility and aerobic fitness, rather than acrobatic or balance skills. Routines typically lasting 60 to 90 seconds are performed on floors, without the use of other apparatus.

AXIAL or NON-LOCOMOTOR MOVEMENTS

The movements are done by a part or several parts of the body in a stationary place. These movements include the following:

• Bend or Flex – a movement which is done by moving the body or part of the body around a wide axis.

• Lift or raise – a movement which is done by elevating apart of the body or the whole body to a desired level.

• Stretch, extend, or straighten – the lengthening of the body part.

• Twist - moving the body around a point.

• Circle – moving a body apart around a point.

• Swing – a continuous movement of the body from one point to the other.

• Turn or rotate - the changing of direction to move around an axis.

LOCOMOTOR MOVEMENTS

These are movements which bring the performer from one place to the other. These include the following movements.

• Walking – a series of steps in any direction.

• Running – a walk with longer strides with the pushing off the feet to suspend the body momentarily in the air.

• Hopping – a movement done by a spring on one foot and landing on the same foot.

• Skipping – a step and a hop with the same foot in one count.

• Leaping - a spring of one foot and landing on the other foot.

• Jumping – a spring on both feet and landing on one or both feet.

  • • The following are preparatory movements to locomotor movements.

• Point – to touch the floor with the toes and with the knee well extended.

• Step – to transfer weight from one foot to the other.

• Place – to touch the floor with the whole of the foot with slight body weight on it

• Spring – to push off the legs in the air.