HISTORY OF GYMNASTICS
o it is the world's oldest existing
Origin of Gymnastics
 Gymnastics started as ancient civilizations doing
strength and acrobatic exercises. The word
gymnastics comes from the Greek words
“gymno-“ or “gymnos” which means “to
exercise naked.
 (gymnos) meaning "naked" or "nude" >
(gymnazo), whose meaning is "to train naked"
 Originated in ancient Greece about 2,500 years
ago and was used as a form of physical training.
TIMELINE
 (500 yrs. B.C.): Greeks: sporting events,
tumbling, rope climbing, hand balancing.
 Johann Christoph Friedrich Gutsmuths
o (1793) first text of gymnastics by
GutsMuths for use in fitness training
and education of youth.
o German teacher and educator, is
considered the great grandfather of
gymnastics.
 Fredrich Ludwig Jahn (1811)
o open air gymnasium; German
Turnverein organization in 1821.
o Turner is the German word for gymnast
o Turners are members of German-
American gymnastic clubs called
Turnvereine. They promoted German
culture, physical culture, and liberal
politics.
 (1862) Miroslav Tyrš
o forms Sokol Prague and establishes the
Sokol movement
o Tyr trained in the German Turnverein
gymnastics system and adapted his
Sokol system to fit Czech ideals.
 Jan Malypetr
o provided gym space, and Prague
Gymnastic Club was established,
 Jindrich Fügner
o the club’s first president
 Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique
(International Gymnastics Federation)
o is the body governing all
disciplines of competitive gymnastics
international sports organization
FIG governs Eight Sports:
Gymnastics for All or GFA
Men's and Women's Artistic
Gymnastics
Rhythmic Gymnastics
Trampoline
Double Mini-trampoline
Tumbling
Aerobics, Acrobatics,
Parkour
 (1896) First modern Olympics (Athens) incudes
gymnastics.
o Total no. of athletes are 241, and all of
them are boys.
o All participants are European
o -It was the first international Olympic
Games held in modern history
o -Organized by the International Olympic
Committee (IOC), which had been
created by French aristocrat Pierre de
Coubertin
 (1928) First women’s gymnastics competition in
the Olympics.
o Called them 1928 Summer Olympics
known as the Games of the IX
Olympiad and commonly known as
Amsterdam 1928
o An international multi-sport event that
was celebrated from 28 July to 12
August 1928 in Amsterdam,
Netherlands.
o Halina Konopacka of Poland became the
first female Olympic track and field
champion.
 Major Gym Equipments

 Vaulting Table
 Rings
 Bars
 Pommel Horse
 Balance Beam

PHASES OF GYMNASTICS

1. Conditioning Program
o exercises are selected for the purpose of
preparing the body for more
complicated movements and skills.
o warm-up can also be selected in this
phase.
o also be considered as “Calisthenics”
2. Rhythmic Gymnastics
o routines or exercises accompanied
with music
o includes the freehand exercise, and all
exercises with the use of light
apparatuses such as wands, rings, hoops,
ribbons, ropes, etc.
3. Stunts
o activities in the form of play and they
test one’s strength, flexibility, balance,
agility, endurance and coordination.
4. Tumbling
o most important phase of the gymnastics
program, because this is where the
ability of the performer is tested as he
rolls to and fro; twists, turns and springs
about on the mat, floor, and in the air.
5. Apparatus Exercise (heavy)
o this includes exercise done on the
balance beam, vaulting horse, parallel
bars, uneven bars, rings, and the
trampoline.
6. Pyramid Building
o this phase of the program makes a
pictures (mural) out of the body static
positions. The positions should be
properly arranged and selected so that
they form the shape of a pyramid.