The balance beam is one of four events performed in women's gymnastics, along with the floor routine, the uneven parallel bars and the vault. At 49.2 inches tall, 16.4 feet long and 3.94 inches wide, the balance beam tests the skill, artistry and balance of a gymnast. Although the balance beam continues to be a mainstay in women's gymnastics, it is a relatively new addition to the sport.
Origins
Gymnastics dates back to ancient Greece, but the balance beam as part of gymnastics originated in the 19th century. Johann GutsMuths, a German educator and author of the book "Gymnastics for Youth," created a balance beam from a round tree trunk. Fellow educator Friedrich Ludwig Jahn liked GutsMuths' balance beam and created a flexible balance beam and that moved while in use. Sweden adopted a low balance beam for the country's physical education program.
Evolution of the Balance Beam
The original balance beams were long tree trunks -- as much as 40-feet long -- set between two supports. Because of the length and placement of supports, they flexed, which added to the challenge of staying balanced. Furthermore, the beams were not cut with flat surfaces like modern balance beams. Instead the beams had rounded surfaces, making balancing even more difficult. By the 1930s, the balance beam was a staple in women's gymnastics and was modified, giving it a flat top surface and rounded edges. The width was expanded from 3.15 to 3.94 inches. From the 1960s through the late 1970s, the balance beam went through many changes that standardized its height, length and width, and improved stability and safety. Today's balance beams feature an elastic overlay of foam rubber and are designed to allow for movement and grip. Modern balance beams must have surface padding with a 1/5th of an inch give, in case a gymnast falls and hits the beam.
Balance Beam in Competition
Women performed gymnastics in international competitions in the early 20th century, however the balance beam was not added to the World Championship competition until 1934. Gabi Muzaros of Hungary and Elda Lividino of Italy impressed spectators with routines that included splits, which had never been seen performed as part of a balance beam event. The balance beam first appeared as an Olympic event during the 1956 games in Melbourne, Australia. Since then, the balance beam has been a compulsory apparatus in women's gymnastics.
Notable Balance Beam Gymnasts
Prior to the 1930s, gymnasts performed dance movements, leaps and balance poses on the balance beam, but no acrobatics. At the 1956 Olympics, East German gymnast Erika Zuchold stunned audiences by performing a back handspring on the balance beam. Russian gymnast Ogla Korbut performed the first back tuck on the balance beam at the 1972 Olympics. Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci was the first gymnast to earn six perfect scores, one of which was for her balance beam performance at the 1976 Olympics. In 2008, United States gymnast Shawn Johnson won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympic games by performing a series of layout flips, aerial acrobatics, twisting somersaults and a full-twisting double back dismount.
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