The History And Origin Of Gymnastics

By Joshua Nelson


Gymnastic exercises are performed with a high level of flexibility, control, balance, and strength. An international organization, FIG, is responsible regulating and standardizing performance of the sport on a global scale. Even with the existence of FIG, individual states have their own regulatory organizations within them which are affiliated to FIG. International regulation is necessary because of international games held annually. Gymnastics is one of the best sports in Olympics.

Gymnastic as a term has its source in the Greek language. Corresponding English translation means naked. It could also mean dancing naked in some sense. A word with such a meaning was adopted because gymnasts from ancient times practiced while naked. In 1570s is when the terms first appeared. It has continued to be adopted globally from the time it was coined.

Gymnastic originated in Ancient Greece. Its invention was for military training. As part of preparations for war, soldiers trained in different gymnastic exercises. The skills and knowledge could assist soldiers in fighting according a common belief at the time. Inclusion into military training was dropped later. Some aspects of training in the military may however still be based on some gymnastic exercises even today.

Germany was the place of birth of modern gymnastic. The birth was pioneered by three pioneers. The pioneers designed apparatus and games for boys and young men. These exercises and apparatus later became what is now known as modern gymnastic exercises. Don Franscisco Ondeano is credited with introducing educative gymnastic in France. International competitions include events like high bars, parallel bars, and rings whose inclusion in competitions was promoted by Jahn. Jahn waw among the German pioneers.

The FIG got established in 1881 in Liege. By 1896, the high level of popularity of men gymnastic made to be included in Olympic Games. There was a lot of changing in male events from when they were first included in Olympic games until the 1950s on both national and international levels.

Events that old audiences found normal would surprise many modern ones a lot. Some of the old events competitors took part in include running, rope climbing, floor calisthenics, horizontal ladders, and high jumping. Women were introduced in competitive gymnastic later on in 1920s. Primitivity seemed to dominate the initial events held in 1928. The only events participants competed in are synchronized calisthenics and track and field activities. The 1928 Olympic Games happened in Amsterdam.

By 1954, there was a lot of standardization in male and female Olympic apparatus and events. There was global consensus on grading structures and formats to be used. During that time, the Soviet astonished the world with its outstanding performances and set a precedent that exists even today. Publicizing and initiation of the modern age in this sport was done through television a lot.

Today, the perfection and quality of both female and male events is very high. Many people in the world find the sport interesting and all continents have some of the best gymnasts the world has ever seen. Since competitive gymnastic began, the system for scoring has never changed until in 2006 when a new one came into use.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment