Gymnasiums are full of equipment that coaches and gymnasts use on a regular basis. The type of equipment varies among the gymnastics disciplines and the level of difficulty the club offers. All gymnasiums, however, need to have sufficient safety equipment in place to protect participants. The styles and costs of equipment vary among manufactures, and some gymnasiums have custom-made equipment designed for their particular needs. For competitions, however, the International Gymnastics Federation has established standard specifications for equipment.
Mats and Flooring
Mats are used in gymnastics to protect the gymnasts while they perform skills during training sessions or competitions. Lower-level gymnastics can be practiced on basic foam exercise mats. The higher and elite levels in all disciplines use a spring-loaded carpet. In artistic and acrobatic gymnastics, the floor measures 39 feet by 39 feet and has a sprung base and foam matting with a carpet top layer. In rhythmic gymnastics, a 42.5 feet-by-42.5 feet low-friction carpet is placed on a base to form the performance area.
Safety Equipment
A good range of safety equipment is essential for any gymnastics training session. Safety mats, also known as crash mats, are used for landings from aerial skills. Safety pads are firmer than mats and are used to surround equipment in artistic gymnastics.
Artistic Gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics requires the most equipment of all the gymnastics disciplines. Clubs practicing women's artistic gymnastics need four pieces: the floor, balance beam, asymmetrical bars and vault. Men perform on six pieces of apparatus: the pommel, high bar, rings, parallel bars, floor and vault. Competition-standard apparatus, which falls in line with the International Gymnastics Federation regulations, is commonly used, but smaller cubs may use a variety of equipment to aid training.
Rhythmic Gymnastics
For rhythmic gymnastics, clubs need a variety of hand-held equipment. This includes a rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. Each gymnast may have her personal equipment, but clubs may also have sets of equipment that gymnasts use each training session. Rhythmic gymnasts may also wear specially designed shoes to assist with turns and spins.
Trampolines
Coaches regularly use trampolines to teach aerial skills. These are commonly made from strong woven fabric stretched over a metal frame and attached to the frame by springs. Most gymnasiums use competition-standard trampolines, which are rectangular and approximately 14 feet by 7 feet.
Additional Equipment
Trampets--miniature trampolines--are commonly used in gymnastics, along with springboards and soft play mats. Soft play and foam shapes are used in preschool gymnastics to improve coordination and movement in babies and young children. Trampets and small rebounders are useful when teaching somersaults and vaults to younger gymnasts.
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