BASIC GYMNASTICS

CHAPTER ONE
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND OF GYMNASTICS

1.Definition and Historical Development of

Gymnastics
 Definition of gymnastics
• Gymnastics is a graceful and artistic sport that
requires a combination of strength, balance, agility,
flexibility and muscle coordination, usually
performed on specialized apparatus.
• Gymnasts perform sequences of movements
requiring flexibility, endurance, and kinesthetic
awareness, such as handsprings, handstands, split
leaps, aerials and cartwheels.
• 1.2 Historical Development of Gymnastics
• 1.2.1 Early History
• The earliest evidence of gymnastics can be found in the
art of ancient Egypt, where female acrobats performed
for the Pharaohs and the Egyptian nobility. Many of
these drawings date back as far as 5000 BC.
• In the 2nd century B.C., the art of bull leaping was
developed in Minoan Crete, and was performed by
both men and women.
Gymnastics was introduced in early Greek civilization to
facilitate bodily development through a series of
activities that included running, jumping, swimming,
throwing, wrestling, and weight lifting.
• Basic gymnastics events were practiced in some
form even prior to the introduction of "gymnazein"
which means literally, "to exercise naked.“
• Early Greek fitness teachers were known as
Paidotribes, and were the first to design systems of
physical activity for both athletes and the general
citizenry
• The Greek philosophy portrayed the human body as
a temple housing the mind and the soul, and the
practice of gymnastics contributed to the health
and functionality of the temple.
• The Romans, after the conquest of Greece, adopted
gymnastics as their own, and developed it into a
more formal sport.
• The gymnasiums were used to train their legions for
warfare, but with the decline of Rome, interest in
gymnastics also declined.
MIDDLE AGES
"There is no record of any system of physical training
for the common people during the Middle Ages.
However, certain apparatus was used by some
medieval as well as ancient people.
 MODERN TIMES

Modern physical education begins with the work

of a group of leaders who were interested in
education in general, but in physical education in
particular
Johann Basedow, 1723-1790
• Basedow conducted the first gymnastics as part of the
school work in Europe.
• He was the first modern writer and teacher of
organized gymnastics of whom there are records.
• He regarded directed physical activities as a means to
a complete education embracing both body and mind.
 Johann Guts.Muths, 1759-1839
Guts Muths, an educator and "the great grandfather
of gymnastics," using Greek fundamentals and
adding new movements, published the first book on
gymnastics, "Gymnastics for Youth."
modern gymnastics were born in Germany by
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn. His outdoor gymnasium was
built in 1812 in a Berlin park and included wooden
horses with pommels, ladders, and parallel bars.
Wrestling, spinning while perched on a stick and
tumbling were common activities at his gym.
• John was heavily involved in politics, and when he
was jailed in 1819 for his activities, his outdoor
gymnasium was burned down.
• His students established secret indoor gymnasiums
and made the equipment smaller, portable and easy
to quickly disassemble and hide.
• Some of his students’ immigrated to the United
States and started "Turn Clubs" for the German word
for gymnastics.
• In 1821 a Swede named Peter Ling developed a
version of gymnastics specifically for organizing
military troops.
• The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) was
formed in 1881, and gymnastics was one of the first
sports to be included in the first modern Olympic Games
in 1896.
• The routines were performed outside, and many of them
barely resemble gymnastic routines performed today.
• gymnastics be included on the program of the first
revived International Olympic Games held in Athens in
1896.
• Only five nations sent gymnasts to that first modern
Olympics, and those contest-ants were exclusively male.
• The events were horizontal bars, rings and vault, and
unsurprisingly, most of the honors were taken by the
German team.
 1.2.3 Gymnastics in the 20th century

• In 1928, female gymnasts were included in the Olympic

Games for the first time
• The inclusion of this event, a team rhythmic dance, caused
considerable controversy, and as a result, women's gymnastics
was removed from the program for the 1932 games.
• Gymnastics in the 1932 Olympic Games was poorly
represented, with once again only five countries sending
competitors. This was due, in large part, to the dire economic
and political events taking place throughout Europe in the
years preceding the outbreak of World War II.
• By 1936, however, women's gymnastics was back in the
Olympic Games, and this time in all events except bars. These
were still team events, performed in a group, and not taken
very seriously.
• The first individual Olympic competition for women
took place in 1952, when the Russian women's
team made a very strong showing, and made it
clear that the sport was here to stay.
• Gymnastics as we know it today was never part of
the ancient Olympic Games. 
• It was regarded as training for other sports,
particularly athletics and wrestling, two of the main
events of the ancient Games.
 1.2.6 Women in Gymnastics
• Women first demonstrated gymnastics at the 1928
Olympic Games, but were not allowed to compete
until 1932.
• The first indoor competitions were held in 1948,
and first televised in 1960.
• The original routines had to be done in
appropriately unrevealing dress.
Nature and Purpose of Gymnastics

• Gymnastics is the performance of routines on a piece of apparatus

or with out. The routine is a combination of stunts and moves that

have been practiced and improved over a period of time.

• The gymnast is actually competing against himself, trying to

improve upon the last performance.

• The sport of gymnastics involves individual effort; however, the

gymnast’s score is added to that of his teammates to obtain a team

score.
• In gymnastics it is not only what is performed, but also how it

is performed is important.

• Gymnastics is judged by qualified individuals. Although

judging may sometimes seem too subjective, there are specific

guidelines that judges must use in scoring.

• A judge is considering the difficulty, the execution and the

composition of the routine.

• These three aspects are fundamentals in scoring, but other areas

also enter into a score- among them, amplitude, creativity,

elegance, risk, and so forth.

• Health related physical fitness: are directly related with good health that prevention of disease and

health promotion. It includes muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, body composition

and cardiovascular fitness (less vital in Gymnastics).

– Muscular endurance: is the ability of muscles to perform or sustain muscle contraction

repeatedly over a period of time.

– Muscular strength: is the ability or capacity of a muscle or muscle groups to exert force

against resistance. It also refers to a muscles ability to exert maximal force in a single effort.

– Flexibility: it is the range of motion at a joint or a serious of joints. It can be defined as the

ability to move your arms, legs, and trunk freely throughout a full, non-restricted and pain free

range of motion at a joint.

– Body composition: is the percentage of fat in the body relative to the percentage of all other

tissue including bones, muscle, tendon, ligaments, skin and etc…

– Cardiovascular endurance: the ability of the heart, blood vessels, and respiratory system to

supply fuel and oxygen to the muscle and the muscle utilizes fuel to allow sustained exercise. It

is not as such a vital component in gymnastics because routines in gymnastic ends within one

to two minutes period of time.

• Skill related physical fitness: are used to achieve high level of performance in motor skills,

such as, in sport activities and specific types of job. It includes, power, speed, coordination,

balance, agility and reaction time.

– Power: is the ability to generate great amount of force against a certain resistance in a

short time. It is also a function of both speed and strength.

– Balance: is the ability of maintain some degree of equilibrium while moving or standing

position.

– Agility: is the ability to change or alter quickly and accurate the directions of the body

movement during activity. Agility to large extent depends on coordination and can be

improved with increased flexibility and muscular strength.

– Reaction time: is the time elapsed between stimulation and beginning of reaction

(response) to that stimulation.

– Speed: the ability to perform movement/covering of a distance in a short period of time.

– Neuromuscular coordination: is the ability to integrate the senses with muscle function

to produce smooth, acute and skilled movement.

The Participant:

• As in other sport, size may determine the future and success

of a gymnast. However, in gymnastics someone small stature

is more likely to succeed than the usual stereotyped athlete.

– This does not mean that a tall gymnast will be unsuccessful,

but generally the most succeeded gymnast are shorter in

stature.

• Today’s gymnast must be above average in strength for height

and weight.

• Flexibility is another needed physical attribute.

• Also required are a good balance and kinesthetic sense

(awareness or sense where one’s body and body parts are in

space).

• In addition, a well developed sense of timing along with good

coordination is important.

• Cardeorespiratory endurance doesn’t play as a vital role in

gymnastics as in other sports; however, a gymnast must have
muscle endurance, and other fitness components.

• The participant is individualistic, self-motivated, confident,

and self-assured.
The Competition

• The gymnastic meet is an event in which more than one thing

is happening at once.

• In large meets all pieces of equipment may be worked at once.

• Judges will be at every station, and the gymnasts rotate to

each station to perform.
– for instance a women’s college meet, may have the balance beam
and floor exercise being judged as the same time by different sets of
judges.

– Later, the uneven bars and vaulting are judged.

• A gymnast may score differently on each piece of
equipments. For instance, he/she may be first on the
pommel horse and third in vaulting, etc.

• The “all-around” event comprises a total of the scores of

a gymnast who competed in every event.

• The gymnast who wins the all-around is considered the

top gymnast of the meet.

• A gymnast who does not compete all-around is called a

specialist and may work only the floor exercise and
vaulting.
• Each piece of equipments or event is unique, requiring a
different strength from the gymnast.
– For example, a performer on the still rings would require more
upper body strength than someone working floor exercise.

– However, the gymnast who specializes on rings may not be as

flexible as floor exercise specialists.

– The balance beam requires the athlete to have some dance

background and a good sense of balance,

– while vaulting centers more on the gymnasts’ speed and

explosive power.
The Rules and Judging

• (FIG) or International Gymnastics Federation published a code

of points, which has been the basis for the rules in gymnastics.

• To qualify as a judge, one must be certified.

• To earn certification involves passing a written test, attending

workshops and paying a fee for certification.

• A judge must be aware of the rules of the meet and the sport of
gymnastics.

• He/She must try to watch the performance with complete

concentration and be as objective as possible.
Judges should consider three major areas when scoring

gymnastic routine.

1. Difficulty: (what has been performed). Most stunts have been

given a difficulty value that the judges have learned.

2. Composition: (the way the routine is put together). Each

event has certain requirements that must be incorporated in a

routine.

3. Execution: (how the routine is performed).

• These three areas make up the greatest part of a judge’s score

sheet.
• Depending on the level of competition, the judge may have the

point with which may judge the risk, elegance, amplitude, and

so on.

• One other aspect of judging that is usually seen as private

clubs Compulsory routines.

– This is a routine that is constructed for each piece of

equipment at different skill levels.

– A gymnast learns the routines for their skill level and

competes against other gymnasts at the same level,

performing the same routine.

• Usually deductions are made on the floor exercise area each

time the gymnast goes out of bounds.

• Deductions are also made for falls, spotting, and not meeting

time requirements on balance beam and floor exercises.

• As the gymnast becomes more skilled, they may move to harder

“class level” and learn more difficult compulsory routines.

• The types of routines used in the Olympics or in intercollegiate

meets are those constructed by the gymnast, called optional

routines. These routines contain certain difficulties, but each one

is as different in composition as a gymnast.

 Skills and Techniques
A simple understanding of the basic body positions help
performance. Following are the positions used when performing
different stunts in routine: 
1.Tuck— The knee and hips are bent, and the head is in a chin-
down position.
2.Pike— The legs are straight, but the torso is bent at the hips.
3.Layout— The entire body is straight.
4.Puck— This position is a combination of tuck and pike. There is
only a slight bend in the knee.
•The following are specific terms for the way of the body moves in
gymnastics: 
1.Somersault—this is a rotation around a horizontal axis. The somersault
could be in the tuck, pike, or layout
2.Twist—a rotation around a vertical axis. Again it can be done in different
body positions or in combination with a somersault
3.Kip—the kipping action is a skill involving the flexing of the body and
then finishing in the extended position. It is done quickly and is used in all
events.
4.extension—this is the opposite of the kip because you extend first and then
achieve the move due to flexion. A good example of the use of extension
would be a back handspring.
Benefits and General Values of Gymnastics

• Gymnastics is the only sport that works total body strength,

flexibility and aerobic development. 

• Gymnastics enhances gross motor skills. 

• Self-discipline is developed due to the very nature of the sport. 

• Self-confidence is built through individualized goals and

accomplishments. 

• Early training results in increased kinesthetic awareness. 

• Another value is the fun and enjoyment received from

participating in the activity.

• Extended participation in gymnastics classes provides
children with many physical, cognitive and
psychological benefits.
1. Physical Benefits
• Good body posture.
• An increase in muscular strength, flexibility and
endurance
• Develop Correct body alignment while walking,
standing, jumping etc.
• Increased agility and coordination
2. Cognitive Benefits

• Awareness of the body and space (where the body is in it

and relationships: body parts to each other and the

apparatus).

• The knowledge of how to fall and roll safely.

• Developing neurological pathways in students and

promoting reading readiness.

• Longer attention spans, increased communication skills,

general problem solving skills and improved self-esteem.

3. Psychological Benefits

• The joy and fun of movement mastery

• Discipline and self control

• The exercise habit as a pleasurable daily occurrence

• The ability to relax

• A confidence, self image and a positive attitude towards their bodies

• Better school attendance, lower anxiety and depression, and

decreased use of tobacco and alcohol.

• Less likely to be involved in self-destructive and anti-social behavior.

• Trust in one's own abilities: move from a word of "I can't" to "I can"
4. Social Benefits
• Co-operative working
• Easily communicable with other friends
• Opportunity to meet with friends, make new
friends and have fun!
5. Health Benefits

• Preventing and reducing obesity over the long term.

• Reduced risk of developing cancers, asthma and diabetes

during adolescence.

• proven to delay the development of high blood pressure and

helps reduce blood pressure in adolescents with hypertension.

• development of bone density and the prevention of

osteoporosis.

• Decrease arthritis or joint problem by range of motions.

 1.3 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION IN GYMNASTICS

• The sport of gymnastics needs rigorous and

disciplined training.
• All gymnasts have undergone many years of
strict and exacting exercise and instruction to
develop the right skills and techniques that can
win medals and accolades in competitions.
Types of lessons in teaching gymnastics
• There are different types of lessons in teaching
gymnastics. Some of them include:
– Learning: it is a type of lesson when students acquire new
skills or technical maneuvers.
– Repetition: the lesson that further learning takes place and in
which students will try to improve their skills.
– Perfection of Skills: for those whose skill has reached an
accepted level, this lesson will be employed
– Assessment: it is the lesson when the teacher tests the
performance of the students.
• Different theories suggest that to teach successful
and effective lesson in gymnastics, teachers should
follow the basic steps of teaching motor skills.
1. Introduce the skill
2. Demonstrating the skill
3. Explaining the skill
4. Applying the skill
5. Supervision
6. Discussion
Forms of lessons in gymnastics
• Group Lesson: the lesson of an activity in which
gymnasts/students perform the same exercises at the same
time.
• Individual Lesson: the lesson of an activity in which
gymnasts/students perform different exercises at the same time.
• Mixed Lesson: a combination of both individual and group
lessons.
• Free training Lesson: the lesson of an activity that can be
performed by advanced gymnasts, by giving responsibility
individually.
Structure of Lessons in gymnastics
• A basic structure of lessons in gymnastics consists
of two parts: i.e, Theoretical and Practical part.

1. Theoretical Part
• It is the explanation of all the subject matter or
objectives, purposes, values and backgrounds of
gymnastics.
• There are two main aspects of
theoretical/intellectual preparation by gymnasts. i.e,
• Intellectual education: the main aspects are:
– Knowledge of the world motivation and sports
ethical characteristics of the sport, social and
personal significances of gymnastics for persons.

• The modeling of his/her intellectual ability:

That is the ability to construct new form of
movements and the creation of new variant of
movements.
The practical Part

• It is always consists of three sections:

– The preparatory/warming up part,

– The main part and

– The conclusion/cooling down part.

I) A preparatory part (warming up)

• Warming up is a simple exercises that takes before major exercises.

• It prepares the body and also has a psychological benefit, both

physiological and mentally preparing the gymnasts for the more
strenuous work to follow.
There are two types of warming up exercises.
(General and Specific warming up).
• The general warm up: increasing the warm up
capacity by increasing the function of the body:
– Raising body temperature

– Stimulate central nervous system function.

– Increases the blood flow
– Stimulates in the respiratory center leading to an
increased in the oxygen supply of the gymnast.
 – During the general warm up the intensity has to be
increased progressively.

– It is the most effective warming up seems to be one of

low to moderate intensity and of longer duration.

• The specific warming up: including stretching

exercises, improves flexibility of the gymnast and it
prevents muscle injury.
– Its main objective is to prepare the gymnast to the
predominant type of work to be performed during the main
part of the training season.
 some reasons to practicing gymnastic warm-
ups before its workout
 Pre-Stretch Your Body and Muscles
 Build Up to the Intensity Level of Your Upcoming
Workout
 Train to Compete
 Transition to Tumbling
 Warm-up All Major Joints
 Vary the Warm-Up
 Take the Time to Prepare for Practice
II) The main Part

• This part is the main work out part which includes learning the
skill and tactical maneuvers, develop motor ability, and enhance
the psychological qualities.

III) The conclusion (cooling down) part

• It is best to progressively decrease the work load at the end of the

lesson.

• It is important applying the reverse of warming up at the final

verge of the session in order to approach the gymnasts’ initial/
normal biological and physiological rest state.
 Tumbling

– Forward Roll – Front Walkover

– Backward Roll – Handspring

– Tripod Balance – Headspring

– Headstand – Kip (neck spring)

– Handstand – Cartwheel

– Handstand and Forward – Round-off

Roll – Back Handspring

– Back Walkover – Elementary combination

 1.4. FACTORS AFFECTING GYMNASTICS
PERFORMANCE
• The performance of gymnasts can be hindered by variety of factors.
Here there are ten most factors which affect the level of performance
aside of gymnasts.
1. Gymnastics -- a Long and Winding Road
• The human body is perhaps one of the most complex systems
imaginable, while the four competitive events in women's gymnastics
serve as a difficult medium through which to demonstrate the body's
potential.
• Wise coaches know the importance of carefully evaluating a would-be
gymnast's inherent anatomical, physiological, and psychological
readiness prior to his/her participation in a formal gymnastics program,
particularly as related to the anticipated level of participation.
• From both the coach's and performer's perspectives, keep in
mind: "There are no short-cuts...take the long way home.“
 2. All systems GO
• Readiness to perform is perhaps the single most important
consideration for success in any endeavor, and gymnastics is no
exception.
• If you're going to fly, first verify that all systems are a "go.“
3. Mastery of Basic Skills
• Task mastery of essential, core skills is the single most important
criterion for predicting future success.
• The basic skills are the easiest to perform but the most difficult to
master.
• Never forget the story of the tortoise and the hare/rabbit!
4. Persistent Use of Repetitions
• The only realistic way to achieve task mastery of any gymnastics skill or element
is through the persistent/ continual use of repetitions.
• Train smart, train hard, train forever, that the seasons of victory are yours and
not your inheritors'.
 5. Use of Appropriate Skill Progressions
• The use of skill progressions alone is not enough--far more
important is the knowledge of which sequence of
progressions ought to be introduced and when
 The following guidelines will assist in the development of
appropriate progressions:
• Select each skill progression based on how closely it
approximates the previously mastered skill (the closer, the
better);
• Make certain each progression is simplistic in nature,
• Master as broad a range of sequentially related progressions
as possible;
• Always proceed from simple-to-complex task mastery; and
• Remain at each progression level until task mastery is
consistently demonstrated for a significant period.
6. Learning Vs Performance
• The term "learning" implies a relatively permanent change in a
behavior or a movement pattern, whereas "performance" is an
intermittent variable that fluctuates from time to time, depending
on the given situation.
7. Skill Sequencing
• One often observes gymnasts spending inordinate amounts of
time practicing individual skills or elements, hoping somehow to
achieve absolute perfection before moving on.  
• Who can deny that fatigue, the great "robber baron" of success,
secretly lurks in every reconditioned athlete? There's an old
Chinese proverb: It's never too early to start winning.
8. Compensatory Skills--the Achilles Heel/weakness point
• Compensatory techniques are sequences, patterns, and shapes
employed in place of correct technical execution.
9. Sureness of Execution
• In artistic gymnastics, sureness of execution is the degree to which the gymnast
demonstrates absolute command of her performance. This concept seeks to define
how the story of movement technique is to be told.
• Judges are not impressed with luck, only skill.
10. Psychological Readiness--The Ultimate Domain
• Success in gymnastics is really no different from success in any other
sports endeavor. First and foremost, performers must possess the
requisite physical capabilities to meet the demands of the gymnastics
activity.
• In terms of gymnastics success, the correct mechanical techniques must
be applied to optimize skill execution. In other words, "biomechanical
readiness" serves as the gymnast's transmission when it comes to
"where the rubber meets the road.“
• The difference is found in the ultimate domain, "psychological
readiness"--the degree to which the performer is mentally and
emotionally prepared to demonstrate absolute command of the
performance.
 1.5. SAFETY DURING GYMNASTICS INSTRUCTION
• The first and most important topic in gymnastics instruction is how to
stay safe and uninjured. 
 The following is a list of some of the things you can do to help ensure
your safety and the safety of others.
• Be Prepared: As with any other physical activity, injuries occur much
more often when you are tired and/or worn down.   
• Follow and Master Skill Progressions: It is extremely important to learn
gymnastics skills in the proper order of difficulty. 
• Follow Equipment Progressions: It is only common sense to work on
gymnastics apparatus in their naturally progressive order.  Beam skills
are first learned and mastered on the floor (on a line).  Then gymnasts
can move up to low, medium and high beams.
• Don’t Do Gymnastics by Yourself: Just like swimming and other physical
activities where there is even the remotest chance of injury, gymnasts
should only work out when there is at least one other person around. 
• Don’t Spot Other Gymnasts: Spotting is an art and requires the
knowledge, strength and experience of a gymnastics instruction
professional. 
• Only Let Professional Coaches Spot You: By the same token, you
should only let qualified gymnastics professionals spot you on skills
you cannot do and need help with. 
• Stop Look and Listen: Just like crossing a street, when you approach an
equipment area, the floor exercise mat, tumbling strips or other mats
and pieces of equipment, you need to stop and look both ways before
you cross or enter to make sure you are not in the way or going to get
landed on.
• Learn How to Fall Safely: It is probably good ideas to learn or at least know how
to fall safely from any specific skill you are going to attempt, especially new skills.
• Pay Attention: You need to be aware of what is going on around you in the gym if
there are other gymnasts, especially bigger ones, around. 
• Build Your Strength to Increase Your Safety Margin: The stronger you are, the
less likely you are to get hurt and the more likely you are to learn gymnastics
skills quickly and safely.  
 …Cont`d
• Check Equipment First: Make sure all equipment is set and sturdy/solidly
built before you begin to perform any skills on it.   
• Don’t assume the equipment is correctly set and tight.  Check it an make
sure first.
• Know Fall Zones: Don’t sit or stand in potential landing or fall zones. 
• Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for a Spot: Ask for a spot if you are doing tricks if
you need or want it. 
• Make Sure You Understand What to Do: Tell your teacher if you don't
understand instructions on what to do
• Being Able to See is Helpful: Keep your hair out of your face and tie back
long hair during all gymnastics instruction.
• What Not to Wear: Don’t wear hair ties with hard objects, like plastic
balls, on them. 
• This is Not Ballet: Don't wear slippery nylon tights, like you commonly
see in ballet classes.   
• Don’t Be a Bag Lady: Don't wear baggy shirts or sweatshirts during
gymnastics instruction. 
• Fashion Safety: Don't wear dangling earrings,
necklaces or other jewelry. .
• No Valuable Jewelry: Don’t wear any valuable jewelry
in the gym, especially into a loose foam pit. 
• Tight is Right: If you wear socks to class, make sure
they fit tightly. 
• No Studs in the Gym: Don’t wear any clothes in the
gym to work out with belts, metal studs or buttons
during your gymnastics instruction.
• Watch Where You are Going: Watch where you are
walking. 
• No Such Thing as Too Many Mats: Make sure there
are enough mats under and around the equipment
you are working on. 
• Keep Gymnastics Instruction Fun! Gymnastics is a naturally
fun sport.   
• Fly In to the Foam: You can jump into the pit off a huge
variety of equipment.  You can vault over the vault horse into
the pit.  You can safely swing on the bars over the pit and do
beam and bar dismounts into it.  You can tumble into the pit
off the floor, off power tumbling floors and tumble tramps.  In
some gyms, you can even swing off a rope or trapeze into the
pit.
• Tell Your Teacher If You Get Hurt: Let your teacher decide if
you need medical attention, ice, a band aid, or if you can and
should continue to work out if you get injured. 
• Nail It: Keep your toenails and fingernails closely clipped and
manicured. 
• Be Safe, Not Sorry! : Follow all the rules for a safe and
happy gymnastics career.
• Bouncing Fun: There are tons of other fun pieces of
equipment. 
• Mat Fun: There are tons of different types of mats that
add to the fun. 
• Don't Let Anybody Ruin Your Gymnastics Fun:
Gymnasts shouldn’t allow their gymnastics teachers to
take the fun out of the sport for them by taking the sport
too seriously. 
• FUN, FUN, FUN: So pay attention and be and stay safe,
but get in the gym and enjoy yourself doing some
running, jumping, climbing, swinging, bouncing and
tumbling and have yourself some real gymnastics FUN!!
 Most Frequent Gymnastic Injuries

1. Blisters caused by new or badly fitting gymnastic shoes and friction on

the hands.
2. Abrasions or friction burns caused by contact with mats or apparatus.
3. Muscle injuries usually caused by tiredness or insufficient warm-up.
4. Torn muscles caused by a heavy blow or excessive load.
5. Tendon injuries in wrist, forearm and Achilles tendon.
6. Ligament injuries usually at the ankle and knee joint and caused by the
vigorous rotations and turning motions through an abnormal range.
7. Bruises caused by bleeding as a result of a fall or blow.
• Again, the best advice is for staff to seek training in First Aid and to deal with injuries
which occur in the gym in line with the guidelines prescribed by their own school or
Local Authority.
• More serious injuries occur infrequently in gymnastics but injuries to bones and
joints, concussion and spinal injuries should never be underestimated and qualified
medical help sought should be immediately.
Thanks
 CHAPTER TWO
BASIC GYMNASTIC PREPARATION

• This is an explanation of many things a gymnast

can do to prepare for a practice physically, mentally
and psychologically in order to maximize their
progress during their practice.

• Being physically and mentally prepared for practice

makes practices more efficient and successful.
Physical Preparation For Practice

• Physical preparation means two things.

– One: a gymnast needs to be healthy, unimpeded by
injury and physically fit enough to fully participate in
practice.
– Two: a gymnast needs to have all of the tools for
practice physically available in the right place at the
right time.
– This includes things like leotards, grips and other
personal gymnastics and personal accessories.
Gymnastics conditioning for physical Preparation
• Conditioning is one of the most important- but
sometimes the least fun aspects of working out. 
• Generally, if you are enjoying what you are doing, you
work harder, perform better, and improve faster. 
• The best way to keep conditioning and stretching fun is
to keep it varied. 
• Variety in a conditioning program not only makes it
more interesting, but also makes it significantly more
effective.
Upper Body Conditioning
• Gymnastics requires a tremendous amount of upper body
strength.
• These exercises cover arms, shoulders, chest and back

– Push-Ups - Here are some varieties to try.

– Dig-up, pull-up, and chin up: in variety ways of
performing.
– Handstand shoulder shrugs

– Handstand Walking
Conditioning for Abdominal area
• The abdominals are some of the most important muscles in the
body for gymnastics and many other sports. 
• Sit-Ups: This is a list and explanation of various kinds of sit-
ups.

Lower Body Conditioning

• The need to develop explosive powerful legs is essential for

gymnastics.

– Mountain Climbing

– Calve Raises
– Running Stairs - Run up stairs.

– Block Jumps -
– Pit Jumps
– Sprints - Run as fast as you can.
– Squat Jumps
– Squat Jumps Across the Floor
– Wall Sits
• Full Body Conditioning
– Burpees
– Burpees Pull-ups
– Jack knives
– Jumping Jacks
– Manna Swings
– Shoulder swing/ role
– Support Leg Lifts on Rings
Psychological Preparation For Practice

• It is also important to set and/or review your personal

goals for your next day’s gymnastics practice right
before you go to bed.
– The first goal is to review and perfect the skills you have
already learned on each event at previous practices and
improve your consistency and execution on those skills.

– The second step/goals is to improve the execution and

consistency of skills at your current level of practice or
competition.
• The final goal is to learn the next skill in the progression leading to
higher level skills.

• When you set and review your goals the night before practice, you
will most likely “dream” of accomplishing them.

– You will also want to prepare your mind for a successful practice
the next day by visualizing a great practice, great skills and
routines before you go to sleep.

– Mental practice is often the best practice since you don’t make
any mistakes in mental practice.

– You have to be mentally prepared before practice with your daily

goals in mind and be in control of your mind, attitude and self-
talk.
 CHAPTER FOUR
DOMINANT MOVEMENT PATERNS IN GYMNASTICS

Movement: The Foundation of Gymnastics Skills

• To teach the skills of gymnastics correctly, you

have to understand how the body of a gymnast
moves and functions.

• An understanding of fundamental movements also

helps establish links and similarities between
different skills on the different apparatus.
Dominant Movement Patterns

• Gymnastics skills can be classified into six

dominant movement patterns: landings, statics,

locomotion, rotations, springs, and swings.

– Landings: Landings involve absorbing force to stop

movement.

• Landing is the most important skill in gymnastics because

it is the most frequently performed, and proper landings

ensure safety.
• Statics: Statics involve any position where the center of gravity
is above the base of support and is stable. These include
positions where you are balanced and stable on various body
parts.
– Examples of bases of support are the feet, hands, shoulders, and
buttocks.

• Locomotion: Locomotion, or traveling, is achieved by the

transfer of weight from one part of the body to either the same
part or another part in succession. This is normally brought
about by transferring weight onto one or both feet.
– Examples of locomotion are running, skipping, hopping, and leaping.
• Rotations: Rotations are body movements around

an internal axis.

• Springs: Springs involve rapid displacement of the

body, such as the takeoff from both legs in jumping

and the spring from both hands in a front

handspring.

• Swings: Swings are rotations around an external

axis such as the uneven bar

Gymnastics Positions and Movements

• There are thousands of gymnastics positions and movements. These are

some of the basics to get you started.

General Body Positions

• The position or posture of the body is one of the most important aspects

in regard to successfully acquiring proper gymnastics skills and

landings.

• The proper position of the body is one of proper alignment. In a neutral

standing position, the stomach is pulled in, the buttocks are tucked

under, the shoulders are down, the arms are relaxed at the sides of body,

and the head is straight (neutral) with eyes facing straight ahead.
• Although various parts of the body will change
position in gymnastics,
• proper alignment of the body must still be
maintained.
• The following names show changes in body
positions while emphasizing proper body
posture (alignment).
 .

Skills and Techniques in gymnastics

•. General Body Positions
A simple understanding of the basic body positions help
performance. Following are the positions used when
performing different stunts in routine:
➤Squat
Using the balls of the feet for support with
the knees and hips flexed so that the buttocks
is near, but not touching, the heels and the
torso is erect.

➤Tuck
The body is curled up in a ball; the upper
body is flexed forward at the hips, and the
knees are flexed and pulled up to the chest. 74
16
Cont, ,,
➤Arch: The upper and lower parts of
the back are stretched backward,
forming a curve.
➤Hollow: Beginning from a
stretched body position, contracting
the chest and abdomen inward with
a pelvic tilt and bringing the
shoulders forward. the gymnast
should have a rounded upper back.
➤Straddle: A position in which the
legs are straight and extended
sideward. 75
17
Cont, ,,
➤Lay out The whole body is
extended (no bent segments). Also
called straight or stretched position.

➤Pike: The body is flexed forward at

the hips while the legs remain
straight.

➤ Inverted: Any position in which

the lower body is moved into a
position above the upper body.
76
18
• The following are specific terms for the way of the body moves in

gymnastics:
– Somersault - this is a rotation around a horizontal axis. The somersault

could be in the tuck, pike, or layout

– Twist - a rotation around a vertical axis. Again it can be done in different

body positions or in combination with a somersault

– Kip - the kipping action is a skill involving the flexing of the body and

then finishing in the extended position. It is done quickly and is used in all

events.

– Extension - this is the opposite of the kip because you extend first and

then achieve the move due to flexion. A good example of the use of

extension would be a back handspring.

Landing and Falling

• Landing properly and knowing how to fall are both

key aspects of injury prevention in the sport of
gymnastics.

Landing Properly

• Landing properly should be automatic and a natural

position for all gymnasts. Proper landing technique

helps reduce the forces of landings. Safe landing

technique includes the following:

– Knees slightly bent to absorb the impact of landing

• No straight legs on the landing

• No squat position on the landing

– Straight spine to keep the neck stable and prevent falling

forward

• No arch in the lower back

• No bending forward at the waist

– Arms extended to the front, straight and level with the

heart in order to keep chest up on the landing

SAFETY DURING GYMNASTICS INSTRUCTION

• The first and most important topic in gymnastics instruction is

how to stay safe and uninjured. 

• The following is a list of some of the things you can do to help

ensure your safety and the safety of others.

– Be Prepared: sleep, nutrition…

– Follow and Master Skill Progressions:

– Follow Equipment Progressions:

– Don’t Do Gymnastics by Yourself:

– Don’t Spot Other Gymnasts:

– Only Let Professional Coaches Spot You:

– Learn How to Fall Safely:

– Pay Attention:

– Stop Look and Listen:

– Build Your Strength to Increase Your Safety Margin:

– Check Equipment First:

– Know Fall Zones:

– Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for a Spot:

– Being Able to See is Helpful: Hair can obstruct your vision,

get caught on equipment or you can pull it on skills like back

extension rolls.
– Make Sure You Understand What to Do:

– What Not to Wear:

– This is Not Ballet:

– Don’t Be a Bag (gy) Lady: Don't wear baggy shirts or

sweatshirts during gymnastics instruction. 

– Fashion Safety: Don't wear dangling earrings,

necklaces or other jewelry. 

– Tight is Right: If you wear socks to class, make sure

they fit tightly. 

• No Studs in the Gym: Don’t wear any clothes in the gym to work out

with belts, metal studs or buttons during your gymnastics

instruction.

• No Such Thing as Too Many Mats: Make sure there are enough mats

under and around the equipment you are working on. 

• Tell Your Teacher If You Get Hurt:

• Nail It: Keep your toenails and fingernails closely clipped and

manicured. 

• Be Safe, Not Sorry: Follow all the rules for a safe and happy

gymnastics career.

• Keep Gymnastics Instruction Fun!

 Pyramid
• Pyramids are one of the most impressive stunts in
acrobatic gymnastics.
• World-class gymnasts perform them with strength,
flexibility, balance, agility and grace.
• . It can be done in groups of two or trios.
• Gymnasts must trust their teammates and work
together to do a pyramid successfully.
• Although there are many variations of a basic
gymnastics pyramid, each usually includes at least
one element to show off the team's strength,
flexibility and balance.