Artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics F ounded in 1881, the International Gymnastics Federation is the oldest international sports federation in the world. The origin of gymnastics dates to antiquity, when it was recommended by philosophers as a way of combining physical exercise with intellectual activity. The sport grew in popularity during the 19th century as an increasing number of competitions were formed, including the gymnastics competition at the newly revived Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. Brief overview of the rules Artistic gymnastics is composed of a number of individual competitions on different apparatus, as well as a team competition involving gender-specific apparatus. Each piece of apparatus requires different skills. Men compete across the floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bar, while women’s events include the vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise. Each element of gymnastic competition requires strength, agility, coordination, an...