Women Gymnastics
Among gymnastics disciplines, women’s artistic gymnastics is the most widely practised in the United States. There are approximately 4.5 million artistic gymnasts in the United States, with 71 percent of them being female, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA). Approximately 67,000 of those girls and women participate in the United States Junior Olympic programme, with the remainder participating in AAU, YMCA, and other programmes.
A Brief Overview of the Past
The 1928 Olympics were the first time that women competed in artistic gymnastics. The sport, on the other hand, was very different from what it is today: it was strictly a team sport. Women’s artistic gymnastics made its international debut at the 1950 World Championships in the form that we know today, with competition in team, all-around, and individual events.
The People Who Took Part in the Exercise
Women’s artistic gymnastics, as the name implies, is comprised entirely of female competitors. Gymnasts frequently begin competing at a young age, with the lowest levels of competition beginning around the age of six. The first day of January of a gymnast’s 16th year marks the date when she becomes age-eligible for the Olympic Games. (For example, a gymnast born on December 31, 1996, would have been eligible to compete in the 2012 Olympics.) Elite gymnasts, on the other hand, are a diverse group of individuals ranging in age from their early twenties to their early thirties and beyond.
Physique and athletic requirements
Top artistic gymnasts must possess a variety of characteristics, the most important of which are strength, balance, flexibility, air sense, and grace, among others. Furthermore, they must have psychological characteristics such as the courage to attempt difficult tricks and to compete under intense pressure, as well as the discipline and work ethic to repeat a routine numerous times.
The Occurrences
When a gymnast performs the vault, she runs down a runway, jumps onto a springboard, and is propelled through the air and over a vaulting “table” that is approximately 4 feet above the ground.
Uneven Bars: Using two horizontal bars that are set at different heights, the gymnast performs swings, release moves, pirouettes, and a dismount, among other things. The lower bar is usually about 5 feet off the ground, and the upper bar is about 8 feet off the ground, depending on the situation.
Equitation Beam: The gymnast completes a choreographed routine that includes mounting, leaping and jumping, flipping, turning and dismounting on a padded wooden beam that is approximately 4 feet in height. The exercise may not last more than 90 seconds in total.
A choreographed routine to music of her choosing is performed by the gymnast during the floor exercise. Each tumbling pass, as well as leaps and jumps and dance moves, must be performed three or four times. The routine cannot last longer than 90 seconds. Typically, carpet is laid over padded foam and springs to create a floor mat that measures 40 feet by 40 feet in size.