Gymnastics is one of the world's oldest sports and can be traced back thousands of years. Its origins are in ancient Greece. According to Olympic.org, the ancient Greeks believed gymnastics to be the perfect symmetry between mind and body. In early as 2000 B.C., men and women used to compete in bull jumping, which is likened to the modern day vault event. Over time, the sport and equipment used have evolved to become a popular Olympic sport. Modern-day equipment is made to high specifications to meet the difficulty and demands of the disciplines of the sport.
Early Gymnastics
The word gymnastics derives from the Greek word gymnos, meaning naked. In the beginning, events such as wrestling, rock lifting and club swinging were included in gymnastics. Men and women both competed in arenas in Greece in the early days of gymnastics. After the Roman invasion of Greece in around 146 B.C., gymnastics became a more of a form of military-based training and equipment was used by soldiers to prepare for battle. The wooden horse-like equipment was used to teach soldiers how to mount and dismount quickly.
Development of Gymnastics Equipment
In the 1700s, gymnastics equipment began to take a form that is more recognizable today. Friedrich Ludwig Jahn is often referred to as the founder of gymnastics. He was responsible for developing gymnastics equipment in the late 1700s and early 1800s. He used gymnastics as fitness training during physical education and began to use equipment, which is now recognized as the beam, bars and pommel horse. The popularity of the sport grew across Europe and the rest of the world as more countries began using the equipment and Jahn's version of the sport.
Becoming an Olympic Sport
Artistic Gymnastics has been an event in the modern Olympic Games, since they were first held in 1896. At this time, gymnastics was exclusive to men, and they competed on limited apparatus. The men in the first Olympic gymnastics competition performed on the horizontal bar, parallel bars, pommel horse, rings, vault and rope climbing. Women first competed in Olympic gymnastics in 1928, although it wasn't until the 1950s that the events resembled those of today for both men and women.
Modern Competition Apparatus
Modern international artistic gymnastics competitions are made up of six pieces of equipment for men and four for women. The men perform on the rings, parallel bars, high bar, pommel horse, vault and floor. Women also compete on the floor and vault apparatus; in addition they perform exercises on the balance beam and uneven bars. Major international competitions are also held using trampolines and smaller double-mini trampolines, which are much more modern events. Rhythmic gymnastics is a much more modern form of the sport. Gymnasts use hand-held equipment, such as the ropes, balls, ribbons and hoops. Rhythmic gymnastics first appeared as an Olympic sport in the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.
Equipment in Modern Gymnasiums
Gymnasiums are full of a wide range of equipment and can vary from disciple to discipline. This can include artistic apparatus, the bars, rings, beams, pommel and vaulting horses, as well as more generic equipment such as springboards, grips, parallel bars and trampolines. Gymnasts also use personal equipment such as gym shoes and chalk on a regular basis. Preschool and soft-play equipment, such as foam shapes and mats, are often found in gymnasiums if the club offers recreational and preschool gymnastics.
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