The balance beam is an event in the women's artistic gymnastics program. It was performed publicly for the first time at the inaugural Women's International Championships in Budapest in 1934. At that time, the beam was even smaller than it is in 2011 and the goal was more about balance than artistic movement. Things have changed in the event and in the specifications of a gymnastics beam as gymnasts attempt to exhibit their talent and flexibility with safety as a primary consideration.
History
A beam for balancing was introduced by Christoph GutsMuth of Germany in the late 1700s and was 64 feet long. A few years later, Friedrich Ludwig Jahn introduced a slimmer and shorter version, coming down to about 40 feet. The Germans brought it into physical education in school by the mid 1800s, but they did not consider it part of their national championships until 1934.
Material
The first gymnastic beams were made from fir tree trunks or pine wood. No consideration to safety was given. It wasn't until the 1960s that elastic and sheath was put on top of the beam to give it more cushion and make it easier for athletes to grip. In the 1970s, safety became a primary concern. A foot stand was added and the ends of the beam were padded to help guard against injuries.
Size
You will not find much variance in the size of a gymnastics beam. Both USA Gymnastics and the International Federation of Gymnastics have the same standards for the size of a balance beam. The height should measure 4 feet, it should be 4 inches wide and 16.5 feet long. The beam is on stilts and should be just over 4 feet off the ground, precisely measured by governing organizations as 1.25 meters.
Routine
Since the first backflip performed on a balance beam by Maxi Gnauck of East Germany in 1981, gymnasts have been striving to make the event more interesting, adding jumps and creative mounts and dismounts. In the 21st century, the balance beam is an event in women's gymnastics competition at junior, collegiate, international and Olympic competitions, so the routines have become even more exciting over the course of 90 seconds -- the time allotted for a beam performance.
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