| Equipment Article |
To the Ancient Greeks, physical fitness was paramount, and all Greek cities had a gymnasia, a courtyard for jumping, running, and wrestling. As the Roman Empire ascended, Greek gymnastics gave way to military training. The Romans, for example, introduced the wooden horse. In 393 AD the Emperor Theodosius abolished the Olympic Games, which by then had become corrupt, and gymnastics, along with other sports declined. Later, Christianity, with its medieval belief in the base nature of the human body, had a deleterious effect on gymnastics. For centuries, gymnastics was all but forgotten.[1]
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, however, two pioneer physical educators . Johann Friedrich GutsMuth (1759 . 1839) and Friedrich Ludwig Jahn (1778 . 1852) - created exercises for boys and young men on apparatus they designed that ultimately led to what is considered modern gymnastics. In particular, Jahn crafted early models of the horizontal bar, the parallel bars (from a horizontal ladder with the rungs removed), and the vaulting horse.[1]
By the end of the nineteenth century, men's gymnastics competition was popular enough to be included in the first "modern" Olympic Games in 1896. However, from then, and up until the early 1950s, both national and international competitions involved a changing variety of exercises gathered under the rubric gymnastics that would seem strange to today's audiences: synchronized team floor calisthenics, rope climbing, high jumping, running, horizontal ladder, etc. During the 1920s, women organized and participated in gymnastics events, and the first women's Olympic competition . primitive, for it involved only synchronized calisthenics - was held at the 1928 Games in Amsterdam.
By the 1954 Olympic Games apparatus and events for both men and women had been standardized in modern format, and uniform grading structures (including a point system from 1 to 10) had been agreed upon. At this time, Soviet gymnasts astounded the world with highly disciplined and difficult performances, setting a precedent that continues to inspire. The new medium of television helped publicize and initiate a modern age of gymnastics. Both men's and women's gymnastics now attract considerable international interest, and excellent gymnasts can be found on every continent.
Nadia Comaneci received the first perfect score, at the 1976 Olympic Games held in Montreal, Canada. She was coached by the famous Romanian, Bela Karolyi. According to Sports Illustrated, Comaneci scored four of her perfect tens on the uneven bars, two on the balance beam and one in the floor exercise. Unfortunately, even with Nadia's perfect scores, the Romanians lost the gold medal to the Soviets. Nadia will always be remembered as "a fourteen year old, ponytailed little girl" who showed the world that perfection could be achieved.
In 2006, a new points system was put into play. Instead of being marked 1 to 10, the gymnast's start value depends on the difficulty rating of the exercise routine. Also, the deductions became higher: before the new point system developed, the deduction for a fall was 0.5, and now it is 0.8. The motivation for a new point system was to decrease the chance of gymnasts getting a perfect score.
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 | nisson portable parrallel bars
$19.99 |
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|  | GYMNASTICS TRAINING DOWNHILL INCLINE MAT, 4'X6'X16" FD
$268.00 |
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 | Nastia Liukin Cartwheel Beam Gym Gymnastics Mat AAI New
$48.00 |
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|  | 2" Thick 4'x12' Bonded Foam Gymnastics Gym Tumbling Mat
$199.99 |
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5 GYMNASTICS FLOOR MUSIC ROUTINES ~READY TO USE~
$4.99 |
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|  | GYMNASTICS TUMBLING MAT, 4X8X2" BRIGHT PASTEL RAINBOW
$178.00 |
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 | GRIPS FOR GYMNSATICS/SMALL
$0.99 |
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|  | Gymnastics large picture frame - gymnast 5 x 7 photo
$2.99 |
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 | ACTIVE WRAP HEAT COLD COMPRESSION ICE PACK SHOULDER S/M
$69.95 |
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|  | Gymnastics - Uneven Bars Balance Beam Mats Spring Floor
$2900.00 |
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 | GYMNASTICS Book DEDUCTIONS Levels 1-6 IMPROVE UR SCORE
$19.99 |
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|  | Resilite Folding Gymnastics Mat
$99.00 |
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 | AAI Foam Bonded Cheerleading Gymnastic Carpet MAT 4'x6'
$95.00 |
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|  | Personalized Gymnastics Gymnast Dance Duffle Bag
$22.99 |
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 | GET HIGHER GYMNASTICS SCORES LEVEL 3-4-5-6
$5.99 |
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|  | AAI Octagon foam shapes Cheerleading Gymnastics 20x28
$200.00 |
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 | Nastia Liukin Cartwheel Beam Gym Gymnastics Mat AAI New
$48.00 |
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|  | Octagon Donut
$49.99 |
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 | Reisport Grips - Double Buckle Straps
$39.00 |
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|  | Nissen Gymnastics Uneven Bars
$200.00 |
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 | NEW Gymnastics Routine DVD Levels 1-4 - *buySAFE*
$20.95 |
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|  | Foam Gymnastics Tumbling Floor Kit
$299.00 |
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 | Nastia Liukin Foam Balance Beam AAI Gymnastic Pink
$110.00 |
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|  | AAI Junior Bug / Spring Board Vaulting Gymnastics Jr.
$210.00 |
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 | AAI Foam Bonded Cheerleading Gymnastic Carpet MAT 4'x6'
$95.00 |
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| 5 GYMNASTICS FLOOR MUSIC ROUTINES ~READY TO USE~CD#2
$4.99 |
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 | 2x4 Folding Incline Mat
$165.00 |
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|  | GET HIGHER GYMNASTICS SCORES LEVEL 3-4-5-6
$5.99 |
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 | Gymnastics Pommel Vault Horse w/cart
$300.00 |
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|  | New Gymnastics Routine DVD Levels 5-6 - *buySAFE*
$29.95 |
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 | Folding Floor Balance Beam Suede Excellent Condition
$31.00 |
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|  | Lagurro Gymnastics Paws Wrist Safeguard
$35.00 |
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 | Gymnastics Parallel Bars AAI
$0.99 |
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|  | Octagon Tumbling Training Gymnastics Gym Mat New 15x24
$139.99 |
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 | Gymnastics Junior Training Bar
$222.50 |
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|  | Personalized GYMNASTICS Bag Tag,Luggage,Backpack U-PICK
$4.50 |
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 | GYMNASTICS TRAINING BAR Junior Horizontal Practice Bars
$192.00 |
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|  | US Glove Tiger Paws Gymnastics Wrist Support (Sand)
$39.30 |
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 | Parallettes (Gymnastics Press Bars)
$30.00 |
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|  | AAI Nastia Liukin 4x8 Pink/White Folding Gymnastic Mat
$165.00 |
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 | AAI Junior Training Bar Gymnastics Horizontal Bar Jr.
$510.00 |
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|  | Red Tiffen Gymnastics Cartwheel Mat
$24.99 |
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 | NEW GYMNASTICS POSTER GYMNASTS RISK
$6.49 |
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|  | Gymnastics Bailie Velcro Dowel Grips Size 3 Ladies
$5.99 |
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 | gymanstics sectional balance beam set of 2!!
$150.00 |
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|  | 16 ft Suede Tan Gymnastics Balance Beam
$150.00 |
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 | Blue Gymnastics Cartwheel Beam Mat
$60.00 |
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|  | Gymnastics Folding Low Balance Beam
$39.99 |
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 | NEW GYMNASTICS POSTER GYMNASTS IT'S A GIRLS THING
$6.99 |
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|  | -18" HIGH- New 8 ft Suede Tan Gymnastics Balance Beam
$269.99 |
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 | Reisport Grips - Velcro Straps
$42.00 |
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|  | Baby Blue PreSchool Vaulting Board
$25.00 |
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 | AAI Blockbuster 96” x 24” x 4” Gymnastic Folding Mat
$255.00 |
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|  | New Suede 8 ft Tan FOLDING Balance Beam
$99.99 |
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 | Olympic Gymnastics Rings One
$900.00 |
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|  | 10.0 HI BAR GRIPS FOR COMPETITIVE GYMNASTS (SIZE ONE)
$24.99 |
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 | REISPORT Swiss Cup 0 Hand GRIPS Velcro straps NEW!
$8.99 |
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|  | GYMNASTICS JUNIOR TRAINING BAR FOR GYM AND HOME USE
$282.00 |
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 | NEW GYMNASTICS POSTER GYMNASTS HAVE MORE FUN
$6.99 |
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|  | NEW GYMNASTICS POSTER, LIKE A GIRL BEAM
$6.99 |
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 | 8 Ft. Balance Beam* Perfect condition
$75.00 |
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|  | AAI Nastia Liukin 4x8 Pink/White Folding Gymnastic Mat
$165.00 |
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 | Foam Rubber 4" squares/cubes used for Gymnastic pits
$29.99 |
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|  | 3' x 6' gymnastics folding incline mat
$280.00 |
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 | AAI Nastia Liukin Handstand Bar Single Floor Training
$125.00 |
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|  | Leather Tiger Paws Wrist Support New !
$34.00 |
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 | AAI Hand Chalk 1lb Gymnastics Chalk American Athletic
$9.99 |
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|  | PERSONALIZED workout gym yogo bag handbag fitness
$20.99 |
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 | Gymnastic Balance Beam
$25.00 |
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|  | AAI Gymnastics Exercise Folding Gym Mat
$26.99 |
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 | 2 GK Elite Leos Adult Small - AS - soft velour
$0.99 |
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|  | American Athletic Foam Balance Beam AAI Gymnastic Suede
$110.00 |
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 | Gymnastics Mom Circle Magnet - gymnastics
$1.99 |
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|  | Gymnastics Junior Training Bar
$195.00 |
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 | ACTIVE WRAP HEAT COLD COMPRESSION ICE PACK SHOULDER S/M
$69.95 |
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|  | NEW TEN.0 10.0 WOMANS GRIPS SIZE 1 DOWEL G910
$26.99 |
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 | ~Pink Polka Dot ~ 8 ft Suede Gymnastics Balance Beam
$114.99 |
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|  | Personalized GYMNASTICS Bag Tag,Luggage,Backpack U-PICK
$4.50 |
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 | Nastia Liukin Cartwheel Beam Gym Gymnastics Mat AAI New
$48.00 |
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|  | nisson portable uneven bars
$19.99 |
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 | Alpha Factor Snake Skin Grip Bag for Gymnastics Leotard
$9.99 |
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|  | NEW GYMNASTICS POSTER, LIKE A GIRL BARS
$6.99 |
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 | gymanstics sectional balance beam
$75.00 |
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|  | CHEERLEADING FLEXI-ROLL TUMBLING MAT 4X6X1 3/8
$105.00 |
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 | 4x8x4 Tumbling or Adjustable Junior Training Bar Mat
$199.00 |
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|  | Gymnastics Pommel Vault Horse
$200.00 |
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 | NEW GYMNASTICS POSTER GYMNASTS EASY CALLED FOOTBALL
$6.49 |
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|  | Women's Ten.O Uneven Bar Grips, Size 2, NEW!
$19.99 |
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 | 18" High * 12ft. Tan Suede Gymnastics Balance Beam
$199.00 |
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|  | NEW GYMNASTICS POSTER GYMNASTS FOCUS
$6.49 |
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 | AAI Foam Bonded Carpet Roll Cheer Gymnastic Mat 6'x42'
$740.00 |
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|  | 6 x 16 x 1 3/8 Gymnastics Tumbling Mat
$199.00 |
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 | USAG gymnastics DVD girls JO routines level 1-6
$4.24 |
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|  | Nastia Liukin Foam Balance Beam AAI Gymnastic Pink
$110.00 |
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 | GYMNASTICS Book DEDUCTIONS Levels 7-10 IMPROVE UR SCORE
$19.99 |
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|  | Mini Bar Gymnastics Exercise and Training Aid
$325.00 |
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 | AAI Hand Chalk 1lb Gymnastics Chalk American Athletic
$9.99 |
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|  | 10'X15' Rectangle *ULTRA* Trampoline w/Safety Enclosure
$1199.99 |
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