Gymnastics

Junior Gymnastics Badge:

1. What does a gymnast do to warm up and stretch before beginning her session? Try some stretches.
2. Learn about or try the balance beam, vault, or tumbling and floor exercises.
3. How could you participate in gymnastics in your community?
4. Watch a pro gymnast do their routine.
5. How are gymnastics routines scored?
6. Learn about different types of gymnastics: rhythmic, sport acrobatics, trampoline.
7. Learn about Rhythmic Gymnastics. Try ribbon, ball, hoop, rope.
8. How is gymnastics different for boys and girls? Why?

Gymnastics requires: physical strength flexibility agility coordination balance

Types of gymnastics: artistic rhythmic trampolining & tumbling aerobic acrobatic

The word "gymnastic" comes from Greek gymnastikos "fond of athletic exercises" and gymnos "naked," because Greeks historically exercised and competed in the nude.

Artistic gymnastics is the best known type of competitive gymnastics, typically including uneven bars, balance beam, floor exercise, and vault (women's events) and floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, and high bar (men's events).

Rhythmic gymnastics: Typically only women compete in rhythmic gymnastics, combining ballet, dance, and gymnastics with 5 routines using ball, ribbon, hoop, clubs, and rope. However, Japan has begun a men's version rhythmic gymnastics.

Post by Jezebel.

Boys and girls gymnastics: Men and women compete in different gymnastic events.

Dominique Moceanu

Athletic attributes of a female gymnast:

• strength, balance, flexibility, air sense, and grace
• courage to attempt difficult tricks and to compete under intense pressure
• discipline and work ethic to practice a routine many times

Women's events:

• vault - run, jump on springboard, and vault over a vaulting table
• uneven bars - swings, pirouettes, and dismount
• balance beam - routine of mount, leaps, jumps, flips, turns, and dismount
• floor exercise - 90 second mat routine of tumbling, leaps, jumps, and dance moves

 Scoring:

• good form and execution
• height and distance
• stuck landing (not moving the feet)
• uniqueness of routine

Famous Female Gymnasts:

• Top women gymnasts of today
• Top female gymnasts ever
• Nastia Liukin - 2008 Olympic all-around champion 
• Rebecca Bross - 2010 U.S. National champion
• Dominique Moceanu - youngest senior national champion ever (age 13)
• Shawn Johnson - 2007 world all-around champion