Rules:

Gymnastics rules are based off the Code of Points, which is the judging system used in gymnastics.

1. Each gymnast is allowed 1 attempt on each apparatus.

2. They form their own routine and meet the criteria of the degree of difficulty.

3. Unsporting behavior is penalized.

4. Gymnasts are permitted help into their starting positions for the rings and horizontal bars and are allowed to use bandages or leather grips on their hands.

5. Coaching during routines is forbidden

6. They are not allowed to leave the arena during competition without permission.

Gymnastics is judged by good structure, execution, flexibility, originality of the routine, control on the apparatus, and dance routine.

· There are two groups of judges who rate each performance. Two difficulty judges present to give each routine a difficulty rating out of 10, depending on the maneuvers included in the routine.

· They give each routine a score out of ten, removing fractions of points for mistakes. Minor errors result in the loss of 0.1 of a point, more serious errors cost the gymnast 0.2, 0.3 or 0.4 of a point.

· A gymnast who falls off, or into, the apparatus loses half a point.

· The highest and lowest scores awarded by the judges are removed and the remaining four are averaged.

· In events the marks for each competitor on each apparatus are added, getting the greatest score of 40 for the women or 10 points for each of 4 apparatus and 60 for the men or10 points for each of 6 apparatus.

· Each national teams competition is represented by 6 athletes. Five complete routines on each apparatus with only count the top 4 scores.

· The most score a nation can build up for each apparatus is 40, meaning a highest score of 160 for the women and 240 for the men.

Types of Gymnastics

Artistic gymnastics uses music and each gymnast carefully chooses songs and choreography to demonstrate originality and individuality. Gymnasts perform on an apparatuses, and floor exercises involve tumbling, leaping, and stationary display, of balance, strength, and flexibility. Vaults, uneven bars, balance beam, are equipment associated with artistic gymnastics. Both men and women compete as a team as well as individually.

Rhythmic gymnastics derived in Eastern Europe in the 1930’s. Gymnasts perform with music while using balls, ropes, and ribbons. Rhythmic gymnastics is a women's sport also known as "modern gymnastics". Rhythmic gymnastics’ Equipment: rope, hoop, ball, clubs, and ribbon. The performance is supplemented by music.

Equipment-Parallel bars, horizontal bars, balancing beam, pommel horse, vault, rings, rope, hoop, ball, clubs, mats, and ribbon are all equipment used in rhythmic gymnastics. Ring grips, horizontal grips, uneven bar grips and leotards are all items a gymnast wears.

History:

Gymnastics began in Ancient Greece and originated in somewhere from (2,700 B.C. - 1,400 B.C.) Gymnastics is described as the art of bodily exercise. It came to Europe at the end of the 19^th Century, and began to form a club called Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG). Then it spread to the United States in1883. Most gymnastics today comes from the work of Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, also known as "the father of gymnastics, who discovered the gymnastic club in Germany. He invented exercises and some apparatus, including the parallel bars, the rings, and horizontal bars.

Works Cited

"Gymnastics " Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia . eLibrary. Carmel High School Media Center.  7 May 2009.

“History and Background of the sport of Gymnastics” 14 May 2009.

http://www.maffra.gymnastics.org.au/pages/history.html

"History of Gymnastics.” The Chevron Cars.  7 May 2009

www.chevronacars.com/learn/sports/history-olympic-gymnastics

 “Rules of Olympic Artistic Gymnastics.” USGyms.Net. 14 May 2009.

http://www.usgyms.net/rules_of_olympics.htm

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