The balance beam is one of the most challenging apparatuses in women’s artistic gymnastics. Performing skills on a thin 10cm wide apparatus 4 feet off the ground requires immense skill, balance and courage. While the sport has evolved rapidly, with gymnasts performing increasingly difficult skills, there are some skills that were once popular but are …
Trampolining originated as a training tool and circus novelty act. But starting in the 1940s, it rapidly evolved into a formal competitive sport requiring tremendous athleticism, precision, and grace. Dedicated athletes and organizations pushed for trampolining to be recognized as an athletic endeavor in its own right, distinct from the circus traditions. Fast forward to …
Gymnastics is one of the most watched and awe-inspiring Olympic sports. The artistry, precision, and seemingly gravity-defying skills that gymnasts demonstrate during their routines require years of training and dedication. What does it take to become an elite, Olympic-level gymnast? It all comes down to intense, disciplined, and meticulously planned training that starts at a …
Trampolining has followed a bumpy road on its quest for Olympic legitimacy. From skepticism and roadblocks to breakthrough performances, trampoline athletes have fought for decades to prove their sport deserves a spot among the highest levels of gymnastic achievement. Their persistence ultimately paid off with trampolining’s debut as an official Olympic event in 2000. Early …
Trampolining’s Olympic Journey: From Controversy to Acceptance Read More »
Trampolining as we know it today traces its origins to the innovative work of George Nissen and Larry Griswold in the 1930s. But the foundations of this beloved sport run much deeper, with connections to ancient athletic traditions and early circus arts. The Innate Joy of Bouncing The basic impulse that drove the invention of …
The Precursors of Modern Trampolining (revealed) Read More »
Gymnastics judges carry an immense responsibility on their shoulders. Their scoring decisions and evaluations can make or break athletes’ career ambitions and dreams at the highest levels of competition. But how does one become qualified to take on the prestigious and challenging role of a gymnastics judge? Like the gymnasts themselves, prospective judges must dedicate …
Here is a glossary of gymnastics terms in alphabetical order: 10.0 System – The previous scoring system where gymnasts aimed for a perfect score of 10.0 before the change to the open-ended system. Acrobatic Gymnastics – Acrobatic gymnastics is a discipline where partnerships and groups perform acrobatic skills and lifts in choreographed routines. Aerial – …
An aerial is a gymnastics skill that is often described as a Cartwheel with no hands touching the floor. It involves a powerful leg drive to lift the body off the ground, timed rotation in the air, and control upon landing. Aerials are an advanced skill and demonstrate a gymnast’s coordination, flexibility, power and body …
Simone Biles, the most decorated American gymnast of all time, shocked the world when she withdrew from several events at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, citing mental health concerns. This raised major questions about whether the 24-year-old superstar had retired from the sport she has dominated for nearly a decade. Was Simone Biles retirement a permanent …
Denis Ablyazin is a Russian artistic gymnast who has made a name for himself in the sport with his innovative and envelope-pushing routines. Even when relatively new to the senior circuit, Ablyazin proved himself as an elite gymnast capable of challenging the traditional boundaries of the sport. Background and Early Career Denis Ablyazin was born …
Denis Ablyazin: A Talented Gymnast Pushing Boundaries Read More »
