PE 02: PHYSICAL EDUCATION GYMNASTICS | PRELIMS

PRELIMINARIES INTRODUCTION OF GYMNASTICS

Unit 1 Introduction of Gymnastics Introduction

Lesson 1 Brief History of Gymnastics
Meaning of Gymnastics Gymnastics as one of the many
Objectives of Gymnastics physical activities refers to a system of
Great contributors physical exercise used for therapeutic,
Basic positions in Gymnastic educational and competitive purposes.
Therapeutic or remedial gymnastics is a
Equipment in Gymnastics
series of selected exercises that help
Key Terms: relieve physical discomfort re restore
1. Flexibility – is the ability to move function to disabled people, while
a limb or joint through the furthest educational gymnastics is a program that
possible range of motion. challenges students to master tactics
2. Exercise- is a planned, structured, involving strength, rhythm, flexibility,
repetitive and purposeful physical balance and agility. Competitive
activity for the improvement or gymnastics consist of prescribed sets of
maintenance of one or more events for men and for women, each of
components of physical fitness. which is scored separately in order to
3. Agility – is the ability to rapidly determine a winner.
change the direction while
maintaining dynamic balance. Gymnastics is one of the most
4. Balance – is a static position valuable areas in physical education
which requires the gymnast to because of its total fitness value. It deals
keep the shape of their body still with the skills on the floor, balance beam
for a short period of time, usually skills, stunts, tumbling and the basic skills
performed on the beam. on the vault.
5. Axial Movement- movements
done by a part or parts of the body Activities in gymnastics help
in place , such as bend, lift, develop strong, healthy and shapely
stretch, twist, circle and the like. bodies. It helps one gain self-confidence,
6. Body Composition- the amount determine and self-discipline. Gymnastics
of lean versus fat tissues in the activities also improve poise, posture and
body. coordination of movements of an
7. Cardio respiratory Endurance- individual.
the body’s ability to deliver oxygen
to all of its vital organs, the most History of Gymnastics
essentials components of heart,
blood vessels, and lungs to deliver Gymnastics as a sport has been
nutrients and oxygen to tissues around for over 2000 years. It is of the
and remove waste. oldest Olympic sports, and has always
been part of the ancient, as well as the
modern Olympics game. The term
“gymnastics” derives from the Greek word
“gymnos”, meaning naked.

The following were great

contributors in the Develop of
gymnastics:

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PE 02: PHYSICAL EDUCATION GYMNASTICS | PRELIMS

Per Henrik Ling of Sweden (1776 -

Johann Basedow 1839) - invented the bar and the
(1724-1790) vaulting box. He was the first to
appreciate the corrective value of
- was the German
gymnastics.
educator who stated
a program from the
total reform of the educational system.
For Basedow, games, manual work in the Adolf Speiss
garden in the shop, physical training and (1810 - 1852)
hiking activities appropriate to youth. - introduced
marching and
freehand exercise.
Johann Friedich
Guts Muth (1759-
1839) - was the
“Great Grandfather of Dr. Dudley
Gymnastics" he wrote Sargent (1849 -
the book” Gymnastics for youth “published 1924) - was the
in 1073. The book becomes the manual first American
for physical education teacher in several contributor to
countries. gymnastics.

Friedrich
Ludwig Jahn Mrs. Francisca Reyes Aquino and
(1778 - 1852) - Direction Candido Bartolome
created exercises
for boys and - started gymnastics in the Philippines.
young men on
several apparatus they had designed. This
innovation ultimately led to what is
considered modern gymnastics. As a
result, Friedrich Jann became known as
the “father of gymnastics". Jahn
introduced the horizontal bar, parallel
bars, side horse with pommels, balance
beam, ladder, and vaulting horse.

Franz
Nachtegall
(1772 - 1847) -
stated the first In the early nineteenth century,
school for training gymnastics teacher. educators in the United States followed
suit and adopted German and Swedish
Gymnastics training programs. By the
early twentieth Century, the armed
services began publishing drill manuals of
Physical Drill, this important drill provides

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PE 02: PHYSICAL EDUCATION GYMNASTICS | PRELIMS

proper instruction for the bodies of active rings, pommels horse, vaulting, and the
young men. all- around, which combines the scores of
the other six events.
As time went by, however, military
activity moved away from hand-to-hand Women's gymnastics events
combat and toward fighter planes and include balance beam, uneven parallel
contemporary computer-controlled bars combined exercises, floor exercises,
weapons. As a result of the development vaulting, and rhythmic sportive
of modern warfare, gymnastics training as gymnastics.
the mind and body connection, so
Until 1972 gymnastics for men
important for the Greek, German, and
emphasized power and strength, while
Swedish educational traditions, began to
women performed routines focused on
lose force. Gymnastics once again took on
grace of movements .The year however, a
the aura or being competitive sports.
17 year old soviet gymnast named Olga
By the end of the nineteenth Korbut captive a television audience with
century, men's gymnastics was popular her innovative routines.
enough to be included in the first modern
Mary Lou Retton became
Olympic Games held in 1896.The sport
American's sweetheart with her perfect
was title different from what we currently
scores and her gold medal in the All-
known as gymnastics however. Up until
around competition in front of the home
the early 1950's both national and
crowd in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los
international competitions involved a
Angeles.
changing variety of exercises the modern
gymnast may find a bit odd such as These days' gymnastics is a
synchronized team floor calisthenics, rope household name and many children
climbing, high jumping, running, and participate in gymnastics at one time or
horizontal ladder to name a few. another as they grow up. Both men's and
women's now attract considerable
Women first started to participated
international interest, and excellent
in gymnastics events in the 1920's and the
gymnasts can be found on every
first women's Olympic competition was
continent.
held in the 1928 Games in Amsterdam,
although the only event was synchronized
calisthenics Combines exercises for
women were first held in 1928, and the
1952 Olympics featured the first full
regime of event for women.

By the 1954 Olympic Games

apparatus and events for both men and
women had been standardized in modern
format, and scoring standards, including a
points system from 1 to 10, were
implemented.

Modern Men’s gymnastics events

Meaning of Gymnastics
are scored on an individuals and team
basis and presently included the floor Gymnastics is defined as a self-
exercise, horizontal bar, parallel bars, motivating activity where one can

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PE 02: PHYSICAL EDUCATION GYMNASTICS | PRELIMS

manipulate the different parts of the body

in varied movement (Diñoso, 1993).
Gymnastics is the performance of
systematic exercise often with the use of
light apparatus like rings and wands and
other heavy gymnastic apparatus.
It is a competitive sport in which
individuals perform optional and
prescribed acrobatics, mostly on special
apparatus and body control.
3. Lunge Position
Objectives of Gymnastics
Bend one knee, the other leg straight.
The following are the essential objectives Weight on both feet.
of gymnastics.
1. Improve and maintain physically-fit
body.
2. Improve efficiently of movement
through grace, poise, dignity, form and
rhythm.
3. Improve social development like
courage, initiative, determination and
perseverance.
4. Correction of minor posture defects.
5. Stimulate enjoyment and interest in
gymnastics.

Basic Positions in Gymnastics 4. Full knees Bend

A. STANDING The knees are fully bent; sit on the
heels of the feet. The weight of the body
1. Feet together
in on the balls of the feet.
The feet are about one inch apart, toes
pointing forward arms at the side

2. Stride Position

The feet are about 12 inches wide.

The stride may be made wider than 12
inches. The weight of the body in on both
feet and the trunk is at the center. Arms
at sides.

B. SITTING

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PE 02: PHYSICAL EDUCATION GYMNASTICS | PRELIMS

1. Long Sitting Legs and toes are extended forward;

hands at the rear on the floor. Elbow and
Sitting with legs extended forward,
body straight.
toes pointed and trunk erects.
4. Tuck Sitting

Sit on buttocks; bend knees close to

body; round back so that the forehead
and the knees are in contact; hold shin of
legs.

2. Hook Sitting

Sit on buttocks; bend knees close to

the body. Trunk erect, hands on shin of 5. Stride Sitting
the legs.
Sitting on buttocks, spread legs apart,
trunk erect, hands on thighs or hands
sideward.

6. Side Sitting

Sitting on buttocks, bend right or left

leg I front; other leg extended sideward.
Hands on knees.

7. Hurdle Sitting
3. Long Sitting Rest
Sitting on buttocks, bend right leg
at the back about 90 degrees angle, the
other leg extended diagonally forward.

8. Heels Sit

From kneeling position, sit on the heels of

the feet, toes pointed.

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PE 02: PHYSICAL EDUCATION GYMNASTICS | PRELIMS

Kneeling on right, left in half-kneeling

position in front. Hands on hips.
9. Cross Sitting

Sitting on buttocks, cross legs, knees

pointing outward, cross arms at shoulder
level.

C. KNEELING

1. Kneeling

Kneel on both knees, knees close

together, body erect, hands on hips.

4. Kneeling Position One leg

Extended sideward. Kneeling on one

leg, the other extended sideward, forward
or backward.
2. Stride Kneeling

Kneeling on both knees and with

knees apart.

3. Half-kneeling Right or Left

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PE 02: PHYSICAL EDUCATION GYMNASTICS | PRELIMS

D. LYING

1. Back or Supine Lying 4. Hook Lying Position

Lying on the back, the body is well In a back lying position, bend knees,
extended, arms overhead, toes pointed. with the feet close to buttocks, feet flat on
the floor. Arms overhead.

2. Front Lying

Body is well extended and front of

the body is in contact with the floor. Toes
pointed, arms forward.

5. Tuck Lying Position

Lying on back, pull the knees close to

the forehead, hold shin on legs.

Equipment Used in Gymnastics

Vault:

The vault event involves feats of skill that

begin with a running start, a jump off a
springboard, and the use of a stationary
3. Side Lying
device called a vault or a vaulting horse.
With the body well extended, the side The event involves different body
of the body is in contact with the floor, positions, including tucked, pike and
one hand on the floor. stretched. Vaulters are judged on proper

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PE 02: PHYSICAL EDUCATION GYMNASTICS | PRELIMS

body alignment, form, repulsion, height deviations. Required apparatus include the
and distance traveled saltos, and twists. horizontal bars (and plenty of chalk to
Lastly, gymnasts should "stick" their counteract sweaty hands)
landings, which means landing in place
Balance Beam:
without needing steps to steady
themselves. Required apparatus includes a In this event, gymnasts perform
springboard and vaulting horse. routines on a four-inch wide solid
beam. They must present the same
grace and execution one might expect
if they were performing on the floor.
Judges look for routines that showcase
Uneven Bars:
excellent height, flexibility, and power.
A balance beam routine may not
exceed 90 seconds and must cover the
entire length of the beam.
Handsprings, back handsprings, saltos,
back saltos, turns, and split jumps are
all common in beam routines. The key
balance beam apparatus is the beam
itself.

Pommel Horse:

Pommel horse routines consist of

continuous circular movements plus
required scissor leg elements. The hands
are the only part of the body that may
touch the pommel horse. Judges look for
flow with steady, controlled rhythm. Hand
placements should be quick, quiet, and
rhythmic. The apparatus is the pommel
This event involves a series of maneuvers horse itself, which looks like a vaulting
performed on two horizontal bars set at horse with two handles jutting upward.
different heights. Gymnasts are required
to transition from one movement to the Still Rings: In this event, gymnasts
next without pauses or meaningless perform maneuvers on two rings
suspended in the air. Throughout the
rings event, the rings must remain still
and under control at all times. Arms must
never shake, and the gymnast’s body
must remain straight with no arching.
Judges look for maneuvers like a swing to
handstand, a cross, an inverted cross, and
a swallow or Maltese cross. Unnecessary
swings and instability result in lower
swings on the bars. Judges pay special
scores. The apparatus includes two rings
consideration to high-flying release moves
suspended from high above the floor.
(including pirouetting) and dismounts.
Judges also look for exact handstand
positions, with large deductions for any

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PE 02: PHYSICAL EDUCATION GYMNASTICS | PRELIMS

Parallel Bars: in place or different direction,

skills on the floor on the different
heavy apparatus. There is an
activity like stunts, tumbling and
pyramid building that are
interesting and gives fun and
enjoyment to an individual.

Instead of uneven bars, male gymnasts

use parallel bars. Male gymnasts use
parallel bars to demonstrate swing and
flight elements. Judges look for the
gymnast to execute swinging elements
from a support, hang and upper arm
position. An under swing (aka a basket
swing) is also part of the routine. The
parallel bars themselves represent the
apparatus.

Horizontal Bar (High Bar):

A particularly high flying event, the

horizontal bar competition runs gymnasts
through a series of swings, release moves,
and dismounts. Judges expect high bar
entrants to execute a series of continuous
swings and turns. Each gymnast must
perform an in-bar skill (for instance, a
stalder circle) and demonstrate at least
one element in el-grip, dorsal hang, or
rear ways to the bar. Extra consideration
is given for somersaults, twists, and
dramatic dismounts. The high bar itself
represents the apparatus for this event.

Teacher’s Insights:
Gymnastics is one of the
important areas in physical
education program because of its
educational, physiological and
total fitness value. It deals with
the different movements whether

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