LIZAMAE G.

ARRABIS
BEED 2C

Rhythmic Gymnastics

History of Gymnastics
Timeline
● 500 yrs. B.C.: Greeks: sporting events, tumbling, rope climbing, hand
balancing.
● 1793 first text of gymnastics by GutsMuths for use in fitness training and
education of youth.
● 1811 Friedrich Ludwig Jahn – open air Gymnasium; German Turnverein
Organization in 1821.
● In 1862 Miroslav Tyrš formed Sokol Prague and established the Sokol
movement.
● 1881 Federation of International Gymnastics formed.
● 1883 American Athletic Union begins governing gymnastics.
● 1896 First modern Olympics (Athens) includes gymnastics.
● 1928 First women’s gymnastic competition in the Olympics.
● 1963 United States Gymnastics Federation (USGF) becomes the governing
body.
● 1970 United States Gymnastic Federation becomes USA Gymnastics.
● 1938 – first National YMCA Gymnastics Championships
● 1965 – first National YMCA Women’s Gymnastic Championships

Friedrich Ludwig Jahn- the father of gymnastics

Johan GutsMuths who is considered the grandfather of gymnastics and is the author of
the 1793 book, Gymnastik Für Die Jugend (Gymnastics for the young). Jahn promoted
the use of parallel bars, rings and the horizontal bar for fitness and competition. He
began the Turnverein movement as a means of unification of German states, and by
1825 Turnverein clubs began opening in the US.

Gymnastics as an educational program was introduced in Northampton Maine and then

at Harvard in the 1820s
Gymnastics was introduced in YMCAs as early as the 1850s.

Rhythmic gymnastics was a component of artistic gymnastics in the 1952 and 1956
Olympics; in 1984 it became an Olympic sport.

Gymnastics as a sports

Gymnastics is an event in the Olympics that involves physical strength, power, agility,
flexibility, grace, control, coordination, and balance. The word gymnastics comes from
the Greek word gymnons which means naked, but it generally means to train and
exercise.
Competitive artistic gymnastics is the most popular gymnastic event. Most of the
gymnastics events involve women’s events like the uneven bars, balance beam, floor
exercise, and vault. There are also men’s events like the floor exercise, pommel horse,
still rings, vault, parallel bars, and the high bar.

This sport can be joined by children up to adults. In gymnastic competitions, all

participants begin with the same scores. Deductions are made when they fail to execute
a move. Gymnastics is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique.

Rhythmic gymnastics is an event in the Olympic Games. Rhythmic gymnastics was

developed by the ideas of Jean-Georges Noverre, Francois Delsarte, and Rudolf Bode
who believed one should dance to express something. Rhythmic gymnastics
competitions began in the 40’s in the Soviet Union.

Gymnastics as an aesthetic expression

Discipline of gymnastics based on stylized, natural total body movement. The sport
involves harmonious, rhythmic, and dynamic movements performed with economical
and natural use of strength. There is a natural flow from one movement to the next, as if
each new movement is created from the previous one. All movements must be
performed fluently, showing amplitude and variety in the dynamics and speed.
As they tumble through the air, gymnasts trust their bodies to follow muscle memory,
allowing them to immerse themselves in their artistry. Harnessing their strength,
gymnasts incorporate various artistic elements into specific events such as the balance
beam and floor. Gymnastics blends strength, swiftness, flexibility and elements of
dance. The beam is one such example in which artistic ability is built upon the
foundation of strength required to stay on the beam.

Fitness Benefits

Increases Your Flexibility

As you engage in gymnastics, you condition your muscles to be more flexible. Not only
can this benefit you while you do gymnastics itself, but it also lifts you up so that you can help
reduce the risk of future injury. It also gives you more control over your body during your
routines.
Improves Bone Health
Weight-bearing exercise benefits your bones because it helps them stay in shape and
prevents brittleness. Women in particular experience a loss of bone mass as they get older, so
engaging in weight-bearing moves from a young age can help preserve bone density and keep
women from developing the bone disorders that sometimes come with age.

Builds Strength

You will notice that your muscles begin to gain more definition and that you find it
easier to do movements that were hard when you were just starting out. This strength benefits
you outside of the studio, too, making it easier to carry other heavy things, like large bags of
groceries or your kids.

Helps To Prevent Disease

Because gymnastics helps promote a healthy body, adding it to your routine can help
ward off a range of diseases, such as metabolic conditions like diabetes. A regular and
consistent routine is the best way to reap the rewards that gymnastics has to offer.

Builds Personal Discipline

By nature, an activity like gymnastics requires a lot of self-discipline because it isn’t
always an easy endeavor. You will have to be diligent about getting to class, practicing
consistently, and sometimes persevering through frustration or discomfort.
Develops Greater Coordination
Gymnastics requires a certain amount of coordination to help you perform the moves
properly and without risk of injury. As you continue with gymnastics, you will likely notice that
your natural coordination improves as you learn new skills and techniques.

Encourages Focus
Gymnastics cultivates the ability to concentrate and focus on one single task at a time.
Put simply, you can’t be reading a text and talking with friends and also listening to music as
you prepare for a back handspring. This practice requires focus and dedication, a skill you can
build on over time.

Safety Protocol

● Use correct matting!

● Always have an instructor present!
● Never try a new skill without supervision!
● Don’t run around the gym!
● Watch out for other gymnasts!
● Listen to your coaches!
● Stay off your head!
● Stretch before practice, warm-up before stretching!