A perfect fusion of athletics and aesthetics, gymnastics ranks among the defining sports of the Olympic Games. Mixing strength and agility with style and grace, the high-flying acrobats have provided many of the most breathtaking Olympic spectacles of the past quarter-century.
Perhaps more than any other sport, gymnastics requires tremendous flexibility of the athlete's shoulders, legs, etc. Good flexibility often determines whether or not gymnasts will be able to achieve certain skills, which require different ranges of motion. A flexible gymnast will not only execute split leaps and jumps more beautifully, but she will be able to perform certain difficult elements that require this characteristic.
Although the participants of the sport of gymnastics are mainly young girls, the strength required to complete the most difficult elements compares to the strength of any football player or weight lifter! Strength is necessary to hold oneself in many of the hand- supported positions in gymnastics, such as handstands and handsprings. Leg strength is also needed for all of the skills that require a powerful jump, such as flip- flops and leaps.
Without tremendous speed, events such as the vault and the floor exercise cannot be mastered. The entire vault is generated from a quick run and punch of the spring board, and all tumbling elements require a fast approach or quick muscle movement to initiate the skill. The gymnast needs the speed of a sprinter to achieve the most advanced skills of gymnastics.
Without power, a gymnast cannot achieve the height she needs to complete her gymnastics skill before landing. Many elements, such as full twisting somi's and double back flips, demand that the gymnast reach heights of up to 10 feet in the air before completion. And all of this height comes from the power and the punch generated entirely from a gymnast's legs!
Once a gymnast achieves height in her tumbling and gymnastics elements, she must be able to control herself both in the air and on the landings. The athlete must be aware of exactly where she is while both flipping and twisting; no easy task! To avoid taking "extra steps" on the landings, and "form breaks" in the air, this awareness must be developed over years of training.
To put all of the above characteristics together, the gymnast must have outstanding coordination. She must be able to combine her fast approach with her powerful takeoff, and be completely aware of her position in the air prior to landing. This type of coordination also comes with years of gymnastics training.
Beyond the pounding athleticism of gymnastics, there is a graceful and beautiful side to the sport. Not only must skills be performed with amplitude and technique, but they must be surrounded by flowing dance that ties the routines together. Top gymnasts also take ballet and dance classes every week, working on the execution of their leaps, turns, and movements. Since floor exercise routines are performed to music, the gymnast must also have a good sense of beats, rhythms, and expression.
Perhaps more than any other trait, a gymnast must have dedication. As any gymnasts knows, success in the sport does not come easy and immediately. Skills are not achieved over night, but are the end result of countless long hours of training and conditioning. But for those who are willing to put in the time and energy, the rewards make it well worth the effort.
Created / edited by Gymbrooke 01/27/2007