What are the various types of gymnastics?

Gymnastics is a sports activity that involves all parts of the body, through a series of rhythmic movements, flexibility and strength. These gymnastic exercises are classified into six modalities, which involve different apparatus and execution techniques, to be evaluated by a jury in a competition.

The history of gymnastics dates back to ancient times. Its records begin in Egypt, where its inhabitants practiced flexibility and agility movements in religious rituals; while the Greeks, with their desire to achieve aesthetic perfection, made gymnastics a system of body exercises. For their part, the Romans took advantage of these practices for their warriors. In addition, some Chinese dynasties practiced gymnastics as a method that combined breathing and posture.

Later, between the 18th and 19th centuries, modern gymnastics began to be talked about, aimed at children and adolescents. But it is really in 1881 when the sport is formalized, through the first international gymnastics federation. In 1896, she made her debut at the Athens Olympics, while in 1920 women’s sports gymnastics emerged. By 1936, rhythmic gymnastics began to make its way and it was not until 1962 that modern gymnastics was recognized as an independent type of sport.

In the following years, the growth of sports gymnastics was immediate, being recognized as an Olympic discipline in the rhythmic, artistic and trampoline modalities. However, the acrobatic, aerobic and general gymnastics modalities have been accepted by the “International Gymnastics Federation”.

In addition, it is important to comment that among the aspects not recognized by the previous organization, there is Swedish gymnastics and medical gymnastics. The first of them can be practiced by anyone, since no type of apparatus is needed, the movements are characterized by being smooth and help improve physical condition. 

For its part, with medical gymnastics it is possible to treat different pathologies, thanks to the series of therapeutic exercises. Likewise, there is German wheel gymnastics, male rhythmic gymnastics and group aesthetics.

Gymnastics Ranking

Sports gymnastics is classified into at least six modalities, which we explain below, along with the respective devices to be used for its development.

Rhythmic gymnastics

You may be wondering what rhythmic gymnastics is, since long ago it was called modern gymnastics, and this, eventually, generates confusion in people. It is an individual or group practice, performed by the female gender, whose development involves one or two rhythmic gymnastics apparatus and characteristic movements of both theatrical dance and ballet.

Among the elements used by the gymnast , the clubs, the hoop, the ball, the ribbon and the rope stand out. In each presentation, the selected apparatus must be in full movement to the sound of rhythmic gymnastics music, avoiding as much as possible that the manipulated object falls to the ground, due to the loss of control by the athlete.

Clubs: they are made of polymer or rubber. Likewise, there are some wooden models. Any of them is usually covered with tape, so that its aesthetic is consistent with the gymnast’s costume. With these elements you can make asymmetrical movements of great difficulty, being able to be launched with one hand, hit them in the air, etc.

The hoop: it is a device that offers great dynamism in the execution, because you can pass through it or jump over it. Likewise, the gymnast has the option of placing it to rotate in any part of the body, to roll on the ground, throw it up or from one hand to the other.

Said structure is made of light polymer and with a moderately flexible body, since, when handling it, it must provide stability and it is not allowed to deform.

The ball: it is an element that requires great control on the part of the gymnast, in order to maintain visual harmony with respect to the movements executed when throwing it, turning it, catching it and bouncing it.

The Ribbon: With the ribbon, the athlete can create large circles that she will jump through, with a series of spirals in the air that complement her body movements. The device is made up of a rod for fastening and a tape of approximately six meters.

The rope: it is an element of rhythmic gymnastics, whose difficulty lies in the fact that it cannot touch the ground, since this would lead to a penalty by the jury.

Artistic gymnastics

Artistic gymnastics is a competition of Olympic rank, in which rhythmic movements executed at high speed can be seen. This practice is carried out by men and women, but there are some differences between the devices to be used.

For example, the artistic gymnastics floor and vault are mixed-use, while the balance beam and unevens are for women. For their part, the men participate with the horse with rings, the rings, and the fixed and parallel bars.

acrobatic gymnastics

Acrobatic gymnastics is another of the Olympic gymnastics modalities, whose execution involves balance, throws, grips, flexibility, somersaults, pyramids, turns and jumps. The routines can be performed in pairs or in groups of up to four people.

Aerobic gymnastics

Aerobic gymnastics does not use any of the types of apparatus mentioned in the previous modalities, since the routines involve body movements with great intensity, either individually, in pairs, trios or groups of five or eight members.

gymnastics with trampoline

The trampoline is one of the most recent forms of gymnastics, which allows the athlete to gain height, to perform acrobatic movements in the air. For this, the gymnastic equipment used is the trampoline, the tumbling and the double mini-trampoline.

general gymnastics

This gymnastics is not of a competitive type, since it is used to keep fit and have fun. Its members can be men or women of any age and the groups are usually between 30 and 200 members, who execute movements in a coordinated manner.

Gymnastics, in any of its modalities, is a visually charged discipline of energy and elegance, for which its representatives dedicate years of training. If you are passionate about this sport and want to start practicing it, keep in mind that you must have the support of a professional and use wristbands or bandages to protect yourself from tears or injuries.