Gymnastics is a sport that often only catches the public eye during larger world-wide events like the summer Olympics. However, gymnastics is a sport that participants practice and compete in year-round, ranging from the preschool level all the way up to the professional level. In each gymnastic competition, athletes can compete in many events, which require a wide range of skills from strength routines to floor tumbling.
Bars
Two main competitions in gymnastics use bars as part of the equipment apparatus -- the parallel bars and the uneven bars. Parallel bar competitions revolve around performing tricks and exchanges between two bars that are the same height and parallel to each other. Uneven bars also involve exchanges and tricks between two sets of bars, except that the bars are at different heights. Scoring is based on requirements for the event, such as form, difficulty and execution.
Beam
The balance beam is one of the main events for women's gymnastics, but is rarely, if ever, seen in men's gymnastics competition. The beam event includes mounting, dismounting and acrobatic movements on a balance beam approximately 4 feet tall and 16 feet long. Gymnasts mount the beam from the floor mat or by using a springboard. The vault event is also done with a beam and requires vaulting from a springboard and using the beam to push off during mid-jump to perform a trick, followed by a firm and secure landing with as little hop as possible. Both men and women compete in the vault.
Rings
Gymnastics rings competitions are reserved for men only, mostly because of the large amount of upper strength needed to perform in the event. The rings competition consists of performing moves such as handstands, swing elements and strength holds from two rings hanging from ropes on a metal apparatus. Upper strength is necessary both to pull the body up onto the rings, as well as hold the body in specific positions in the air without letting go or letting the feet touch the ground.
Floor Competitions
Floor competitions include floor exercises, as well as rhythmic gymnastics. In the floor exercise, a gymnast tumbles, flips and performs other tricks across the length of a specially designed spring mat that allows both male and female gymnasts to spring higher in the air for jumps. Rhythmic gymnastics is also performed across the span of a designated floor, but uses a mixture of tumbling mixed with dance and props like hoops, balls and ribbon. Although there are men's rhythmic gymnastic teams, only women's rhythmic gymnastics is recognized by the International Gymnastics Federation.
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