PRELIMINARY

Overview of the Lesson

Life is not only an art but it is not only academic or simply a sport. Life is the wholeness
of all the options. It is the core for giving Physical Education great emphasis in all academic
disciplines. Every academic discipline has its own area of concern. Language is concerned on
communication; mathematics is concerned on numbers and so -on. Physical Education
encompasses all these things. A poor physical education could never absorb math, language and
so on. It is always the physical condition of the perso n that matters.

Gymnastics is extremely a student-centered course. Students are expected to undergo

into all the physical activities designed in this book. They will develop and enhance all the different
aspect of Physical Fitness. At the same time, students are expected to answer all the written
activities provided for at the end of every chapter.

INTRODUCTION OF GYMNASTICS

INTRODUCTION

Gymnastics as one of the many physical activities refers to a system of physical

exercise used for therapeutic, educational, and competitive purposes. Therapeutic or remedial
gymnastics is a series of selected exercises that help
relieve physical discomfort re restore function to disabled
people, while educational gymnastics is a program that
challenges students to master tactics involving strength,
rhythm, flexibility, balance and agility. Competitive
gymnastics consist of prescribed sets of events for men
and for women, each of which is scored separately in
order to determine a winner.

Gymnastics is one of the most valuable areas in

physical education because of its total fitness value. It
deals with the skills on the floor , balance beam skills,
stunts, tumbling and the basic skills on the vault.
Activities in gymnastics help develop strong,
healthy and shapely bodies. It helps one gain self-
confidence, determine and self-discipline. Gymnastics activities also improve poise, posture and
coordination of movements of an individual.

History of Gymnastics

Gymnastics as a sport has been around for over 2000 years. It is of the oldest
Olympic sports, and has always been part of the ancient, as well as the modern Olympics game.
The term “gymnastics” derives from the Greek word “gymnos”, meaning naked.

The following were great contributors in the Develop of gymnastics:

Johann Basedow ( 1724-1790)

- was the German educator who stated a program from the total reform of
the educational system. For Basedow, games, manual work in the garden
in the shop, physical training and hiking activities appropriate to youth.
 Johann Friedich Guts Muth ( 1759- 1839) - was the " Great
Grandfather of Gymnastics" he wrote the book " Gymnastics for youth "
published in 1073. The book becomes the manual for physical education
teacher in several countries.

Friedrich Ludwig Jahn ( 1778 - 1852 ) - created exercises for boys

and young men on several apparatus they had designed. This
innovation ultimately led to what is considered modern gymnastics. As
a result, Friedrich Jann became known as the " father of gymnastics".
Jahn introduced the horizontal bar, parallel bars, side horse with
pommels, balance beam, ladder, and vaulting horse.

Franz Nachtegall ( 1772 - 1847 ) - stated the first school for

training gymnastics teacher.

Per Henrik Ling of Sweden ( 1776 - 1839) - invented the bar and
the vaulting box. He was the first to appreciate the corrective value of
gymnastics.

Adolf Speiss ( 1810 - 1852 ) - introduced marching and freehand

exercise.

Dr. Dudley Sargent ( 1849 - 1924 ) - was the first American

contributor to gymnastics.

Mrs. Francisca Reyes Aquino (right)

and

Direction Candido Bartolome (left)

- started gymnastics in the Philippines.

In the early nineteenth century, educators in the United States followed suit and adopted
German and Swedish Gymnastics training programs. By the early twentieth Century, the armed
services began publishing drill manuals of Physical Drill, these important drill provides proper
instruction for the bodies of active young men.

As time went by, however, military activity moved away from hand to hand combat and toward
fighter planes and contemporary computer-controlled weapons. As a result of the development
of modern warfare, gymnastics training as the mind and body connection, so important for the
Greek, German, and Swedish educational traditions, began to lose force. Gymnastics one again
took on the aura or being competitive sports.

By the end of the nineteenth century, men's gymnastics was popular enough to be included in
the first modern Olympic Games held in 1896.The sport was title different from what we
currently known as gymnastics however. Up until the early 1950's both national and
international competitions involved a changing variety of exercises the modern gymnast may
find a bit odd such as synchronized team floor calisthenics, rope climbing, high jumping,
running, and horizontal ladder to name a few.

Women first started to participated in gymnastics events in the 1920's and the first women's
Olympic competition was held in the 1928 Games in Amsterdam, although the only event was
synchronized calisthenics Combines exercises for women were first held in 1928, and the 1952
Olympics featured the first full regime of event for women.

By the 1954 Olympic Games apparatus and events for both men and women had been
standardized in modern format, and scoring standards, including a points system from 1 to 10,
were implemented.

Modern Men’s gymnastics events are scored on an individuals and team basis and presently
included the floor exercise, horizontal bar, parallel bars, rings, pommels horse, vaulting, and the
all- around, which combines the scores of the other six events.

Women's gymnastics events include balance beam, uneven parallel bars combined exercises,
floor exercises, vaulting, and rhythmic sportive gymnastics.

Until 1972 gymnastics for men emphasized power and strength, while women performed
routines focused on grace of movements .The year however , a 17 year old soviet gymnast
named Olga Korbut captive a television audience with her innovative routines.

Mary Lou Retton became American's sweetheart with her perfect scores and her gold medal in
the All-around competition in front of the home crowd in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los
Angeles.

These days' gymnastics is a housrlehold name and many children participate in gymnastics at
one time or another as they grow up. Both men's and women's now attract considerable
international interest, and excellent gymnasts can be found on every continent.

Meaning of Gymnastics

Gymnastics is defined as a self-motivating activity where one can manipulate the

different parts of the body in varied movement (Diñoso, 1993).
 Gymnastics is the performance of systematic
exercise often with the use of light apparatus like
rings and wands and other heavy gymnastic
apparatus.
It is a competitive sports in which individuals
perform optional and prescribed acrobatics, mostly on
special apparatus and body control.

OBJECTIVESS OF GYMNASTICS

The following are the essential objectives of gymnastics.

1. Improve and maintain physically-fit body.
2. Improve efficiently of movement through grace, poise, dignity, form and rhythm.
3. Improve social development like courage, initiative, determination and perseverance.
4. Correction of minor posture defects.
5. Stimulate enjoyment and interest in gymnastics.

BASIC POSITIONS IN GYMNASTICS

A. STANDING

1. Feet together

The feet are about one inch apart, toes pointing forward arms at the side.

2. Stride Position
 The feet are about 12 inches wide. The stride may be made wider than 12 inches. The
weight of the body in on both feet and the trunk is at the center. Arms at sides.

3. Lunge Position

Bend one knee, the other leg straight. Weight on both feet.

4. Full knees Bend

The knees are fully bent; sit on the heels of the feet. The weight of the body in on the
balls of the feet.
B. SITTING

1. Long Sitting

Sitting with legs extended forward, toes pointed and trunk erects.

2. Hook Sitting

Sit on buttocks; bend knees close to the body. Trunk erect, hands on shin of the legs.

3. Long Sitting Rest

Legs and toes are extended forward; hands at the rear on the floor. Elbow and body
straight.

4. Tuck Sitting

Sit on buttocks; bend knees close to body; round back so that the forehead and the knees
are in contact; hold shin of legs.

5. Stride Stiting
 Sitting on buttocks, spread legs apart, trunk erect, hands on thighs or hands sideward.

6. Side Sitting

Sitting on buttocks, bend right or left leg I front; other leg extended sideward. Hands on
knees.

7. Hurdle Sitting

Sitting on buttocks, bend right leg at the back about 90 degrees angle, the other leg
extended diagonally forward.

8. Heels Sit

From kneeling position, sit on the heels of the feet, toes pointed.

9. Cross Sitting

Sitting on buttocks, cross legs, knees pointing outward, cross arms at shoulder level.
C. KNEELING

1. Kneeling

Kneel on both knees, knees close together, body erect, hands on hips.

2. Stride Kneeling

Kneeling on both kneesand with knees apart.

3. Half-kneeling Right or Left

 Kneeling on right, left in half-kneeling position in front. Hands on hips.

4. Kneeling Position One leg

Extended sideward. Kneeling on one leg, the other extended sideward, forward or
backward.

D. LYING

1. Back or Supine Lying

Lying on tge back, the body is well extended, arms overhead, toes pointed.

2. Front Lying
 Body is well extended and front of the body is in contact with the floor. Toes pointed,
arms forward.

3. Side Lying

With the body well extended, the side of the body is in contact with the floor , one hand on
the floor.

4.Hook Lying Position

In a back lying position, bend knees, with the feet close to buttocks , feet flat on the floor.
Arms overhead.
5. Tuck Lying Position

Lying on back, pull the knees close to the forehead, hold shin on legs.

Equipment Used in Gymnastics

Vault: The vault event involves feats of skill that begin with a running start, a jump off a
springboard, and the use of a stationary device called a vault or a vaulting horse. The event
involves different body positions, including tucked, pike and stretched. Vaulters are judged
on proper body alignment, form, repulsion, height and distance traveled saltos, and twists.
Lastly, gymnasts should "stick" their landings, which means landing in place without
needing steps to steady themselves. Required apparatus includes a springboard and
vaulting horse.

Uneven Bars: This event involves a series of maneuvers performed on two horizontal bars
set at different heights. Gymnasts are required to transition from one movement to the next
without pauses or meaningless swings on the bars. Judges pay special consideration to
high-flying release moves (including pirouetting) and dismounts. Judges also look for exact
 handstand positions, with large deductions for any deviations. Required apparatus include
the horizontal bars (and plenty of chalk to counteract sweaty hands)

Balance Beam: In this event, gymnasts perform routines on a four-inch wide solid beam.
They must present the same grace and execution one might expect if they were performing
on the floor. Judges look for routines that showcase excellent height, flexibility, and power.
A balance beam routine may not exceed 90 seconds and must cover the entire length of the
beam. Handsprings, back handsprings, saltos, back saltos, turns, and split jumps are all
common in beam routines. The key balance beam apparatus is the b eam itself.

Pommel Horse: Pommel horse routines consist of continuous circular movements plus
required scissor leg elements. The hands are the only part of the body that may touch the
pommel horse. Judges look for flow with steady, controlled rhythm. Hand placements should be
quick, quiet, and rhythmic. The apparatus is the pommel horse itself, which looks like a vaulting
horse with two handles jutting upward.
Still Rings: In this event, gymnasts perform maneuvers on two rings suspended in the air.
Throughout the rings event, the rings must remain still and under control at all times. Arms
must never shake, and the gymnast’s body must remain straight with no arching. Judges look
for maneuvers like a swing to handstand, a cross, an inverted cross, and a swallow or Maltese
cross. Unnecessary swings and instability result in lower scores. The apparatus includes two
rings suspended from high above the floor.

Parallel Bars: Instead of uneven bars, male gymnasts use parallel bars. Male gymnasts
use parallel bars to demonstrate swing and flight elements. Judges look for the gymnast to
execute swinging elements from a support, hang and upper arm position. An under swing
(aka a basket swing) is also part of the routine. The parallel bars themselves represent the
apparatus.

Horizontal Bar (High Bar): A particularly high flying event, the horizontal bar competition
runs gymnasts through a series of swings, release moves, and dismounts. Judges expect high
bar entrants to execute a series of continuous swings and turns. Each gymnast must perform
an in-bar skill (for instance, a stalder circle) and demonstrate at least one element in el-grip,
dorsal hang, or rearways to the bar. Extra consideration is given for somersaults, twists, and
dramatic dismounts. The high bar itself represents the apparatus for this event.