Gymnasts wear leotards not just for looks, but also for safety. The stretchy, form-fitting one-piece suit allows boys and girls to move their bodies freely without worrying that their clothing will snag on the apparatus or come loose when they...
If a gymnast is looking for his "leo," chances are, he's looking for his gymnastics uniform, not someone named Leonardo. The leo, or leotard, is just one piece of attire that a male gymnast wears. A gymnast changes his attire depending on the...
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons indicates that more than 69,000 youth under the age of 14 where seen in hospitals and doctor's offices in 2007 for gymnastics related injuries -- including ankle sprains. With the high-impact, dancing...
The idea of exercise often conjures up a pair of well-worn cross trainers. Wearing the proper type of shoes for the exercise you enjoy helps cushion your joints from the impact between your foot and the ground. But when the exercise you enjoy...
Trampolines are a favorite in the backyard, at the gym and even in competition, but do pose some significant risks. Understanding appropriate safety rules can prevent injuries, whether you have gymnasts-in-training or just energetic kids. Enforce...
Gymnasts tumble on the floor, leap across the beam, implode off the vault and fly over the high bar, completing skills fit for superheroes. But while gymnasts are some of the strongest and most flexible athletes, they don't actually possess...
Gymnasts use a wide range of equipment and apparatus across all the main gymnastics disciplines. In artistic gymnastics, women compete on four pieces of equipment, while men perform on six. Acrobatic gymnasts simply use the floor area and each...
Whether you're enjoying fun times on the trampoline at the gym, using it for tumbling exercises or taking a trampolining class, appropriate attire is essential. While your gym may have its own guidelines, simple rules apply for gymnasts of all...
Heel cups are cushioned pads that can help provide shock support for a gymnast’s foot during periods of heel pain, bruising, lacerations or the presence of other foot problems such as heel spurs. According to the American Academy of...
Adolf -- also known as Adi -- Dassler is best known as the founder of the Adidas company, whose three-stripe logo was to become synonymous with athletic shoes. By the late 1970s, the company was manufacturing 200,000 pairs of shoes per day and...
Gymnastic balls are used by more than just gymnasts. Physiotherapists have been using gymnastic balls for years to rehab patients, and trainers use them to teach balance and mobility. Gymnastic balls offer a quality total body workout without...
Competitive gymnastics can give high school boys and girls the opportunity to develop a unique set of athletic skills that will improve their strength, speed and coordination. Because not all high schools offer gymnastics, a new team can become...
The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators sets the rules for all star, school and college cheerleaders. The AACCA was founded in 1988 and has more than 70,000 cheerleading coaches nationwide. Cheerleading rules cover...
Cheerleading is a hardcore sport, which means plenty of practice to make it perfect. Whether your squad cheers for games only or you participate in cheer competitions, weekly practices help you hone your skills and unity as a squad. When you have...
Childhood is an important time for developing healthy behaviors and habits. Kids should be active for at least 60 minutes every day engaging in active play. When adults think of working out, words that are associated with the "gym" seem to be...
That tender pain you feel on the ankle can be a sign of inflammation or a more serious medical disease. The pain may be dull, sharp or nondescript in nature. Sometimes ankle pain can be so excruciating that it can affect the ability to walk. There...
Just as there is more than one way to roller skate, there is more than one style of skate. Each style works to enhance different skating techniques. Skate styles include those for artistic, dance and gymnastic movements, racing, hockey or roller...
Gymnastics refers to the mastery and performance of methodical exercises that stress skill, form, agility, strength and coordination. The word gymnastics originated in ancient Greece to describe exercises performed in gymnasiums. Of the many...
A cross between a form-fitting ballet shoe and a hiking boot, rock shoes play a key role in enhancing the performance and enjoyment of the sport of rock climbing. The components of rock shoes are the "last," the midsole, the laces or Velcro used...
Tai chi is a great exercise option for seniors, people recovering from surgery and anyone else looking for a low-impact workout. According to an article from Harvard University, tai chi is a "mind-body practice" originating in China that is...
Cheerleading is more than just chanting cheers, shaking pom-poms and getting the crowd excited, and cheerleaders perform their skills in more venues than sporting events. Competitive cheerleading is a popular activity and many of the same rules...
Some form of gymnastics has existed for more than 2,000 years, and artistic gymnastics dates back to the first Olympic Games. Gymnastics has evolved dramatically throughout the years. The requirements become more difficult each Olympics, as...
Gymnasiums are full of equipment that coaches and gymnasts use on a regular basis. The type of equipment varies among the gymnastics disciplines and the level of difficulty the club offers. All gymnasiums, however, need to have sufficient safety...
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...
