Floor gymnastics, also referred to as tumbling, can be traced back to archaeological drawings in ancient Persia, Egypt and China, according to USA Gymnastics. It is one of the oldest Olympic sports and the name gymnastics comes from the Greek word "gumnos," which means "naked." Men used to compete naked, making it one of the main reasons women were excluded as competitors and spectators, according to the International Gymnastics Federation.
Training For Soldiers
The first tumbling trainings were intended to increase the power and strength of soldiers during combat. The soldiers had to prove their ability to dodge obstacles and be quick and strong in their moves. Floor gymnastics were later incorporated into the Olympic Games in ancient Greece, but only men were allowed to participate.
Formalized Tumbling
Although floor gymnastics had been a part of the Olympic competitions, the routines had no formal style or requirements until the 1700s, when German educator Johann Christoph Friedrich Gutsmuths transformed the informal set of movements into a formalized form of exercise that was included in the physical education curriculum of German students. Simultaneously in Scandinavia, Per Henrik Ling was labeled the "father of Swedish gymnastics," developing numerous floor exercise drills for his students.
First U.S. National Championship
In 1886, the first power tumbling U.S. National Championship was performed on simple mats. Floor gymnastic routines are performed on spring floors, ski floors and the fiberglass floors designed by Randy Mulkey, as of 2011. These floors consist of a set of fiberglass rods under two layers of foam mats. This layout provides gymnasts with a springy surface to land on and take off from.
Modern Olympics
Floor gymnastics were reintroduced to the Olympics in 1936, but still open only to men. It wasn't until 1952 that women were allowed to compete in floor gymnastics.
Member Comments