PRELIMINARY
It deals with the skills on
Overview of the Lesson
Life is not only an art but it is not only
academic or simply a sport. Life is the
wholeness of all the options. It is the core
for giving Physical Education great emphasis
in all academic disciplines. Every academic
discipline has its own area of concern.
Language is concerned on communication;
mathematics is concerned on numbers and
so-on. Physical Education encompasses all
these things. A poor physical education
could never absorb math, language and so
on. It is always the physical condition of the
person that matters.
Gymnastics is extremely a student-centered
course. Students are expected to undergo
into all the physical activities designed in
this book. They will develop and enhance all
the different aspect of Physical Fitness. At
the same time, students are expected to
answer all the written activities provided for
at the end of every chapter.
INTRODUCTION
Gymnastics as one of the many physical
activities refers to a system of physical
exercise used for therapeutic, educational,
and competitive purposes. Therapeutic or
remedial gymnastics is a series of selected
exercises that help relieve physical
discomfort re restore function to disabled
people, while educational gymnastics is a
program that challenges students to master
tactics involving strength, rhythm, flexibility,
balance and agility. Competitive gymnastics
consist of prescribed sets of events for men
and for women, each of which is scored
separately in order to determine a winner.
Gymnastics is one of the most valuable
areas in physical education because of its
total fitness value.
the floor, balance beam skills, stunts,
tumbling and the basic skills on the vault.
Activities in gymnastics help develop strong,
healthy and shapely bodies. It helps one
gain selfconfidence, determine and self-
discipline. Gymnastics activities also
improve poise, posture and coordination of
movements of an individual.
History of Gymnastics
Gymnastics as a sport has been
around for over 2000 years. It is of the
oldest Olympic sports, and has always been
part of the ancient, as well as the modern
Olympics game. The term “gymnastics”
derives from the Greek word “gymnos”,
meaning naked.
The following were great contributors in the
Develop of gymnastics:
Johann Basedow ( 1724-
1790)
- was the German
educator who stated a
program from the total reform of the
educational system. For Basedow, games,
manual work in the garden in the shop,
physical training and hiking activities
appropriate to youth.
Johann Friedich
Guts Muth (1759-
1839) - was the "Great
Grandfather of
Gymnastics" he wrote
the book "Gymnastics for youth" published
in 1073. The book becomes the manual for
physical education teacher in several
countries.
 Friedrich Ludwig
Jahn (1778 - 1852)
- created exercises
for boys and young
men on several
apparatus they had designed. This
innovation ultimately led to what is Mrs. Francisca Reyes Aquino (right) and
considered modern gymnastics. As a result, Direction Candido Bartolome (left)
Friedrich Jann became known as the "father
of gymnastics". Jahn introduced the - started gymnastics in the Philippines.
horizontal bar, parallel bars, side horse with
pommels, balance beam, ladder, and In the early nineteenth century, educators in the
vaulting horse. United States followed suit and adopted
German and Swedish Gymnastics training programs.
Franz Nachtegall
By the early twentieth Century, the armed
(1772 - 1847) -
Services began publishing drill manuals of Physical
stated the first school
Drill, these important drill provides proper instruction
for training
for the bodies of active young men.
gymnastics teacher.
As time went by, however, military activity
Per Henrik Ling of
moved away from hand to hand combat and
Sweden (1776 - 1839) -
invented the bar and the toward fighter planes and contemporary
vaulting box. He was the computer-controlled weapons. As a result of
first to appreciate the the development of modern warfare,
corrective value of gymnastics training as the mind and body
gymnastics. connection, so important for the Greek,
German, and Swedish educational
traditions, began to lose force. Gymnastics
Adolf Speiss (1810 - one again took on the aura or being
1852) - introduced competitive sports.
marching and freehand
exercise. 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.The sport was title different from
what we currently known as gymnastics
Dr. Dudley Sargent however. Up until the early 1950's both
(1849 - 1924) - was the national and international competitions
first American contributor involved a changing variety of exercises the
to gymnastics. modern gymnast may find a bit odd such as
synchronized team floor calisthenics, rope
climbing, high jumping, running, and
horizontal ladder to name a few.

Women first started to participated in gymnastics

events in the 1920's and the first women's
Olympic competition was held in the 1928 Games
in Amsterdam, although the only event was
synchronized calisthenics Combines exercises for
women were first held in 1928, and the 1952
Olympics featured the first full regime of event for
women.
By the 1954 Olympic Games apparatus and
events for both men and women had been
standardized in modern format, and scoring
standards, including a points system from 1
to 10, were implemented.
Modern Men’s gymnastics events are scored
on an individuals and team basis and
presently included the floor exercise,
horizontal bar, parallel bars, rings, pommels
horse, vaulting, and the all- around, which
combines the scores of the other six events.
Women's gymnastics events include balance
beam, uneven parallel bars combined exercises,
floor exercises, vaulting, and rhythmic sportive
gymnastics.
Until 1972 gymnastics for men emphasized
power and strength, while women
performed routines focused on grace of
movements.The year however, a 17 year
old soviet gymnast named Olga Korbut
captive a television audience with her
innovative routines.
Mary Lou Retton became American's
sweetheart with her perfect scores and her
gold medal in the All-around competition in
front of the home crowd in the 1984
Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
These days' gymnastics is a household name
and many children participate in gymnastics at
one time or another as they grow up. Both
men's and women's now attract considerable
international interest, and excellent gymnasts
can be found on every continent.
Meaning of Gymnastics
Gymnastics is defined as a self-
motivating activity where one can manipulate
the different parts of the body in varied
movement (Diñoso, 1993).
Gymnastics is the performance of
systematic exercise often with the use of light
apparatus like rings and wands and other
heavy gymnastic apparatus.
It is a competitive sports in which individuals
perform optional and prescribed acrobatics,
mostly on special apparatus and body control.
OBJECTIVESS OF GYMNASTICS
The following are the essential objectives of
gymnastics.
1. Improve and maintain physically-fit body.
2. Improve efficiently of movement through grace,
poise, dignity, form and rhythm.
3. Improve social development like courage,
initiative, determination and perseverance.
4. Correction of minor posture defects.
5. Stimulate enjoyment and interest in gymnastics.
BASIC POSITIONS IN GYMNASTICS
A. STANDING
1. Feet together
The feet are about one inch apart, toes pointing
forward arms at the side.
2. Stride Position
The feet are about 12 inches wide. The
stride may be made wider than 12 inches. The
weight of the body in on both feet and the trunk
is at the center. Arms at sides.
2. Hook Sitting
Sit on buttocks; bend knees close to the body.
Trunk erect, hands on shin of the legs.

3. Lunge Position
3. Long Sitting Rest
Bend one knee, the other leg straight. Weight on
Legs and toes are extended forward; hands
both feet.
at the rear on the floor. Elbow and body
straight.

4. Tuck Sitting

Sit on buttocks; bend knees close to body;

round back so that the forehead and the knees
are in contact; hold shin of legs.

4. Full knees Bend

The knees are fully bent; sit on the heels

of the feet. The weight of the body in on the
balls of the feet.

5. Stride Stiting

Sitting on buttocks, spread legs apart, trunk

erect, hands on thighs or hands sideward.

B. SITTING

1. Long Sitting

Sitting with legs extended forward, toes pointed

and trunk erects.
6. Side Sitting

Sitting on buttocks, bend right or left leg I

front; other leg extended sideward. Hands on
knees.

7. Hurdle Sitting

Sitting on buttocks, bend right leg at the back

about 90 degrees angle, the other leg extended
diagonally forward.
2. Stride Kneeling

Kneeling on both knees and with knees apart.

8. Heels Sit

From kneeling position, sit on the heels of the

feet, toes pointed.
3. Half-kneeling Right or Left
9. Cross Sitting Kneeling on right, left in half-kneeling position in
front. Hands on hips.
Sitting on buttocks, cross legs, knees pointing
outward, cross arms at shoulder level.

4. Kneeling Position One leg

Extended sideward. Kneeling on one leg,

the other extended sideward, forward or
C. KNEELING
backward.
1. Kneeling

Kneel on both knees, knees close together, body

erect, hands on hips.
D. LYING
1. Back or Supine Lying. Lying on tge back, the
body is well extended, arms overhead, toes
pointed.
2. Front Lying
Body is well extended and front of the
body is in contact with the floor. Toes pointed,
arms forward.
3. Side Lying
With the body well extended, the side of the
body is in contact with the floor, one hand on
the floor.
4. Hook Lying Position
In a back lying position, bend knees, with the
feet close to buttocks, feet flat on the floor. Arms
overhead.
5. Tuck Lying Position
Lying on back, pull the knees close to the
forehead, hold shin on legs.
Equipment Used in Gymnastics
Vault: The vault event involves feats of skill that
begin with a running start, a jump off a
springboard, and the use of a stationary device
called a vault or a vaulting horse. The event
involves different body positions, including
tucked, pike and stretched. Vaulters are judged
on proper body alignment, form, repulsion, height
and distance traveled saltos, and twists. Lastly,
gymnasts should "stick" their landings, which
means landing in place without needing steps to
steady themselves. Required apparatus includes a
springboard and vaulting horse.
Uneven Bars: This event involves a series of
maneuvers performed on two horizontal bars set
at different heights. Gymnasts are required to
transition from one movement to the next without
pauses or meaningless swings on the bars.
Judges pay special consideration to high-flying
release moves (including pirouetting) and
dismounts. Judges also look for exact handstand
positions, with large deductions for any
deviations. Required apparatus include the
horizontal bars (and plenty of chalk to counteract
sweaty hands)

Balance Beam: In this event, gymnasts
perform routines on a four-inch wide
solid beam. They must present the same
grace and execution one might expect if
they were performing on the floor.
Judges look for routines that showcase
excellent height, flexibility, and power. A
balance beam routine may not exceed 90
seconds and must cover the entire
length of the beam. Handsprings, back
handsprings, saltos, back saltos, turns,
and split jumps are all common in beam
routines. The key balance beam
apparatus is the beam itself.
Pommel Horse: Pommel horse routines
consist of continuous circular movements
plus required scissor leg elements. The
hands are the only part of the body that may
touch the pommel horse. Judges look for
flow with steady, controlled rhythm. Hand
placements should be quick, quiet, and
rhythmic. The apparatus is the pommel
horse itself, which looks like a vaulting horse
with two handles jutting upward.
Still Rings: In this event, gymnasts perform
maneuvers on two rings suspended in the air.
Throughout the rings event, the rings must
remain still and under control at all times.
Arms must never shake, and the gymnast’s
body must remain straight with no arching.
Judges look for maneuvers like a swing to
handstand, a cross, an inverted cross, and a
swallow or Maltese cross. Unnecessary swings
and instability result in lower scores. The
apparatus includes two rings suspended from
high above the floor.
Parallel Bars: Instead of uneven bars,
male gymnasts use parallel bars. Male
gymnasts use parallel bars to demonstrate
swing and flight elements. Judges look for
the gymnast to execute swinging elements
from a support, hang and upper arm
position. An under swing (aka a basket
swing) is also part of the routine. The
parallel bars themselves represent the
apparatus.
Horizontal Bar (High Bar): A particularly
high flying event, the horizontal bar
competition runs gymnasts through a series
of swings, release moves, and dismounts.
Judges expect high bar entrants to execute a
series of continuous swings and turns. Each
gymnast must perform an in-bar skill (for
instance, a stalder circle) and demonstrate at
least one element in el-grip, dorsal hang, or
rearways to the bar. Extra consideration is
given for somersaults, twists, and dramatic
dismounts. The high bar itself represents the
apparatus for this event.