Olympic Gymnastics

Olympic Gymnastics

Olympic gymnastics began in Ancient Greek times, with the word gymnastics deriving from the Greek “gymnos,” meaning “nude.” In Greece, Olympic gymnastics were a celebration of the human athletic form, and gymnastics competitions were held nude. In modern times Olympic gymnastics is obviously no longer performed nude, but remain a popular competitive event. Gymnastics has been a competitive event at every Summer Olympics since the start of the modern Olympic movement with the 1896 Summer Olympics. For the first thirty years, only men were allowed to participate in the competitive Olympics gymnastics programs. The first women’s Olympic gymnastics events were featured in the 1928 Summer Olympics, which took place in Amsterdam. At first the only competition available was in the artistic gymnastics discipline. The games stayed this way until 1984. At this time, the rhythmic gymnastics discipline was added to the Olympic gymnastics program. Also, in 2000, the trampolining discipline was also added to the Olympic gymnastics games.

Olympics Gymnastics Trampoline

In Olympics gymnastics, the trampolining discipline is a competitive gymnastic sport in which acrobatics are performed while the competing gymnast bounces on a trampoline. For the first hundred years of Olympics gymnastics competition, the trampoline discipline was not included in competitive Olympics gymnastics play. This changed in the 2000 Summer Olympics when the trampolining discipline was introduced. The acrobatics performed while bouncing on the trampoline allow for several different techniques or combinations, ranging from simple maneuvers such as jumps in the pike, straddle position or tuck, to complex combinations involving somersaults and twists. Before admittance into the Olympics, gymnastic trampolining was regulated by the International Trampolining Federation, which became a part of the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique in 1999. FIG now regulates all international trampolining for the sport.

Gymnastics Olympics Trampoline

The merger of the International Trampolining Federation with the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique in 1999 directly led to the acceptance of trampolining into the Olympics. When FIT merged with FIG, one of the agreements was that individual trampolining would be accepted into the Summer Olympic Games for 2000 as an additional competitive gymnastic sport. Currently, the basic format of individual trampoline competitions is made up of two or three routines which usually involve combination skills using somersaults and twists that utilize various body positions, making a variety of skills and combinations more advantageous.