Gymnastics Research Paper free essay sample

Emily Pascavis Karl Bakkum English Comp. Gymnastics Long ago, gymnastics was very different from what we know today. Gymnastics comes from the Greek prefix â€Å"gymno- or gymn-† which means, â€Å"to be naked†. The Greeks used gymnastics for entertainment, performing naked. When the Romans conquered Greece, they took over the sport. They used it for its functional uses. The used the wooden horses to practice the quick mounting and dismounting of their actual horses during battle. Which later became the men’s event that we know today as pommel horse. Awhile later, Roman Emperor Theodosius banned the sport. It was not seen or used again until the late eighteenth century. Friedrich Ludwig Jahn is credited with starting gymnastics clubs in the late 1700s. Another physical educator, Johann Friedrich GutsMuths, influenced Jahn. Johann had been studying ancient gymnastics, and was interested in bringing it back and improving it to be compatible with the (then-current) culture. We will write a custom essay sample on Gymnastics Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Jahns contributions to gymnastics that we are familiar with today include the balance beam (a women’s only event, parallel bars (now known as the uneven parallel bars a women’s only event) and horizontal/high bar (a men’s only event). In 1881 the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) was formed, later was renamed â€Å"Bureau of the European Gymnastics Federation†. This organization pioneered the international competition. The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) was formed in United States in 1883. Along with other amateur sports in United States, this organization took over the control of gymnastics in the U. S. and championships started to develop by various clubs and organizations at about the same time during 1880s. The first â€Å"large-scale† competition was the 1896 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Germany had been the dominant team sweeping almost every medal. Only five countries participated in the gymnastics portion. The first international event following the 1896 Olympics was held in 1903 in Antwerp, Belgium. Gymnasts from places such as Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands competed. This event is now considered the first World Championships. The first â€Å"mens team† competition was added and held in 1904 Olympics at St. Louis. The1924 Olympics in France marked the beginning of what gymnastics is today. Men started to compete for individual Olympic titles in each event. The first womens gymnastics team debuted during the 1928 Olympics. The first U. S. womens gymnastics team competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. In 1962 the AAU recognized rhythmic gymnastics within the sport. In 1963 in Budapest and Hungary, the first Rhythmic World Championships took place. It included 28 athletes, from 10 countries. In 1973, the United States joined the sport of rhythmic gymnastics and competed in the Rhythmic World Championships. During the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, the rhythmic individual all-around competition was held for the first time. At the Centennial Olympics this same year in Atlanta, Georgia the rhythmic gymnastics group event (multiple gymnasts on the floor at once doing a choreographed routine) became a medal-sport for the first time. Finally in 1970, the United States Gymnastics Federation, now formally known as USA Gymnastics or USAG, was organized and became the governing body on this sport in the U. S. The gymnastics world still runs under this system to this day. There are many components of physical fitness that gymnastics improves. Gymnastics improves ones flexibility, muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, and body composition. Gymnasts are some of the strongest people in the athletic world, due to the fact that nearly everything they do is either on their hands or explosive off of their legs. It helps get you physically fit and tones your body (club gymnasts are the more serious gymnasts that practice upwards of 24 hours a week). The one thing that has remained prominent since the beginning of gymnastics is the mental aspect. As a sports psychology consultant, Dr. Alan Goldberg has worked with gymnasts at all levels around the United States from elite all the way down to recreational gymnasts.