Gymnastics

Gymnastics has been an Olympic event in every modern games since 1896.
There are two groups of gymnastics events for men and for women. There are floor exercises which are done on a twelve metre square mat. There are exercises using equipment called apparatus, such as rings, bars, vaulting horse and pommel horse. There some team events and some events for a single gymnast. There are some set activities which gymnasts must do and some events in which they can choose which movements they will do.

A gymnast on the balance beam. Photograph © [2007] Jupiterimages Corporation

On the still rings which are suspended by wires, male gymnasts swing and do handstands and hold other positions. The man's body must not shake or sag. At the end of his routine the man must somersault off and land on both feet.

A gymnast on the still rings. photograph © [2007] Jupiterimages Corporation

Women walk, jump and do handstands on the balance beam. The gymnast must try to use the whole beam.The top of the beam is just ten centimetres wide. The event is timed and must last for about 1 minute and 10 seconds.

A gymnast on the balance beam photograph © [2007] Jupiterimages Corporation

On the uneven bars the women swing and twist without stopping. They swing from bar to bar in smooth movements.

A gymnast on the uneven bars

The men run and jump onto a long padded bench called a pommel horse. They twist and flip while holding onto the handles, which are called pommels.

A gymnast on the pommel horse, photograph © [2007] Jupiterimages Corporation

In the rythmic gymnastics floor exercise, the women gymnasts leap, twist and jump as music plays. They run and dance with a hoop or ball, or they twirl a long ribbon, making shapes with it

A gymnast doing rhythmic floor exercise, photograph © [2007] Jupiterimages Corporation

Making its first appearance in the Sydney Olympics in 2000 was a new gymnastics competition, trampoline. Gymnasts perform routines of twists, bounces and somersaults. Some leaps reach about 10 metres, and somersaults include a number of twists.

Go here to read about Gymnastics at the London 2012 Olympic Games :
http://www.london2012.com/gymnastics-artistic
http://www.london2012.com/gymnastics-rhythmic
http://www.london2012.com/gymnastics-trampoline

Read about gymnasts, events and the rules for each type of gymnastics
http://gymnastics.about.com/od/majorcompetitions/a/BasicsMensGym.htm
http://gymnastics.about.com/od/majorcompetitions/a/BasicsWomensGym.htm

If you use any part of this, acknowledge this source in your bibliography like this:
Thomas, R. & Sydenham, S. Gymnastics. [Online] www.kidcyber.com.au (2006)

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updated April 2012