I.

BRIEF HISTORY OF GYMNASTICS

The earliest recorded activities in gymnastics were some exercises,

stunts, and tumbling resembling gymnastics. Hanging, climbing ropes,
swinging, balancing on stone and logs, flipping, and turning were common
activities during the early civilians. The Chinese had a sort of exercise called
the “Kung Fu” or Medical Gymnastics, while India had the “Yoga”. The
Greeks had activities with apparatuses and they developed the word
“gymnastics” which meant “Naked Art”. The pictures on stones found in
Egypt are evidence of the Egyptian participation in some sort of balancing
activities. The pyramids were inspirations of the pyramid activities in
gymnastics. The Roman because of their love of war, devised a wooden
equipment similar to the back of a horse where they could practice mounting
and dismounting a horse indoor. This equipment is now being used in the
class activities and skills in its use is one of the events in the competitive
gymnastics.

Gymnastics may have originated in ancient Greece both men and

women placed great emphasis on gymnastics on gymnastics activities but
worked with apparatus rather than on it. The first rather of organized
gymnastics activity part of regular schoolwork was John Basedow (1723-
1790). Gymnastics, with its significant contribution to make toward the
general education of the child, was rather promoted by Johann Guts Muths
(1757, who published the first book on gymnastics, Gymnastics for youth.
Muths is commonly referred to as the “Great-grand father of Gymnastics.

In Germany, Freidrich Jahn (1778-1852) presented a plan to promote

national strength and unity through turnverein organizations. This was
probably prompted by Napoleonic victories over the German. The horizontal
bar side horse, and parallel bars were invented by Jahn. His contributions
brought him the title of “Father of Gymnastics”. European immigrants are
generally considered responsible for the impetus given to American
gymnastics. The turnverein organization was the strongest agency
promoting gymnastics development. In 1865, the American turners
established the Normal college of the American Gymnastics Union in order to
train future gymnastics teachers.

Gymnastics has special meaning of as a sport the emphasis is placed

on coordination and skills. Students whose capabilities and size may not fit
them for contact sports can find in gymnastics the satisfaction of competition
and accomplishment in an often as not daring sport remaining precision, split
–second timing, and great degree of perseverance and self-discipline. Once a
“Working reparative” of stunts is required, there is almost unlimited
opportunity for individual to express his or her creative ability.
 The German was the greatest contributions to our present gymnastics
program. The following people were instrumental in the development of
gymnastics:

1723 – 1790 – Johann Basedow introduced gymnastics in the school

curriculum.

1759 – 1839 – Johann Guts Muths called the “great grandfather of

gymnastics” wrote a book entitled Gymnastics for the Youth.
He invented the outdoor apparatuses like the see-saw, the
horizontal ladder, the oblique wooden ladder, the climbing
rope, balancing beam, the vault apparatus, and the rope
ladder.

1778 – 1852 – Freidrich Jahn is considered the “father of gymnastics”. He

started the Turverein movement. He introduced the
horizontal bar, the parallel bar, the side horse, and the
vaulting buck.

1810 – 1858 – Adolf Spies introduced marching and free hand exercises
performed with music.

1776 – 1839 – Perh Ling a Swedish enthusiast invented the stall bars and
the vaulting box or Swedish box.

The American gymnastics is largely influenced by Europe as evidenced

by the early Turverein movement in their colleges. Dr. Dudley Sargent was
the first American contributor to gymnastics because he was instrument in
including gymnastics in the school curriculum.

Gymnastics in the Philippines was started by two exponents of physical

education – Director Candido Bartolome of the University of the Philippines
and Mrs. Francisca Aquino of the Bureau of Public Schools.

II. GYMNASTICS DEFINED

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

different parts of the body into varied positions or movements. One can do a
pike, a tuck , a layout, and arch, a split, and can roll, twist, rotate, etc. The
attainment of skills in gymnastics can only be done through proper body
preparations specially on strength and flexibility.

The changes in today’s gymnastics are the emphasis on flowing

movements and the inclusions of dance and locomotor skills in the creation
of routines. Grace. poise, and dignity of movements are emphasized. The
masculine and rigid movements are now changed to more relaxed and easy
movements.

III. The Phases of the Gymnastics Program

The gymnastics program has different phases and each phase

contributes to the various elements in gymnastics. These elements are
strength. Flexibility, balance, agility, coordination, and endurance. In
addition, grace, poise and dignity of movements are attained.

1. Conditioning Program

The exercises are selected for the purposes of preparing the body for
more complicated movements and skills. Exercises for warm-up can also be
selected in this phase. This phase can also be considered as “Calisthenics”
since routines can be made out of the exercises in the conditioning program.

2. Rhythmic Gymnastics

Routines or Exercises accompanied with music are called “Rhythmic

Gymnastics”. They are so called because they are performed in a rhythmical
manner and the movements are flowing. This phase includes the free hand
exercise, and all exercise with the use of light apparatuses such as wands,
rings, hoops, ribbons, ropes, etc. Gymnastics skills, dance skills, locomotor
skills, stunts and tumbling skills are combined to form a routine on the floor.
This is where the performer can create and develop her own routine
according to her abilities.

3. Stunts

Stunts are activities in the form of play and they test one’s strength,
flexibility, balance, agility, endurance and coordination. This phase is
specially suited to the lower grades.

Some stunts can be considered as conditioning exercise and still some are
preparatory stunts to tumbling skills.

4. Tumbling

This is the most important phase of the gymnastics program, because this
is where the ability of the performer is tested as he rolls to and fro: twists,
turns and springs about in the mat, floor and in the air.

5. Apparatus Exercise (Heavy)

 This includes exercises done on the balance beam, vaulting horse, parallel
bars, uneven bars, rings, and the trampoline.

5. Pyramid Building

This phase of the program makes a pictures (mural) out of body static
positions. The positions should be properly arranged and selected so that
they form the shape of a pyramid.

Objectives of Gymnastics

1. To improve and maintain a physically fit body.

2. Tom improve efficiency of movement through grace. poise, dignity, form
and rhythm.
3. To enhance creativity through the exploration of new movements and
movement combinations.
4. To improve courage, initiative, determination, and perseverance.
5. To stimulate interest and enjoyment of gymnastics.

IV. Terms in Gymnastics

1. Arch – The arch is a position where the body is curved like an are of a
circle, with the hip forward and the head and trunk bent backward.
2. Dismount – Dismount is a stunt used by a performer to get off the
apparatus.
3. Exercise or Routine – Exercise planned series of dance skills, locomotor
skills, gymnastics skills and tumbling skills performed with or without
music.
4. Held or Static Position – These are positions held for 2 seconds.
5. Mount – Mounts are stunts performed by a performer to go up on an
apparatus.
6. Press – Press in the application of steady pressure to a particular muscle
or group of muscle in order to attain a desired stretch.
7. Scale – Scale is support on one leg with the other leg raised at the back
and the body arch.
8. Split – Split is a position where the legs are extended forward and
backward in a straight position.

9. Spotter – A spotter is a person who helps a performer go about a skill for

the first time
10. Spotting – Spotting is the act of helping a person to go about a skill for
the first time.
11. Tuck – Tuck is a position where the head and the knees are in contact
and the trunk is curved.

V. Background Knowledge

1. The Body

The body has four divisions. They are the:

1. Head
2. Trunk

a. Chest region
b. waist
c. Abdomen region
d. Hip region
e. Buttocks
f. Back – upper back and the lower back

3. Upper Extremities or Arms

a. Hands – fingers, palm

b. Wrist
c. Arms – forearms, elbow
d. Shoulder girdle.

4. Lower Extremities

a. Feet – toes, heels

b. Ankies
c. Legs – thigh, hamstrings, lower legs, knees.

VI. BODY MOVEMENTS

There are two types of body movements:

Axial Movements – are movements done by a part or several parts of

the body in stationary place.

Locomotor Movements – are movements that brings the performer

from one place to the other.

1. The Axial Movements

 a. Bend or Flex – To move the body or part of the body around a wide
axis.
b. Lift, Raise – To elevate a part of the body or the whole body to a
desired level.
c. Stretch, extend, straighten – To lengthen a part of the body.
d. Twist – To move a body around a long axis.
e. Circle – To move a body a point.
f. Swing – To move continuously from one point to the other.
g. Turn, Rotate – To change direction to move around an axis.

2. The Locomoter Movements

The preparatory movements to locomotor movements.

a. Point – to touch the floor with the toes, the knees well extended.
b. Step – to transfer weight from one foot to the other.
c. Place – to touch the floor with the whole of the foot with slight body
weight on it.
d. Spring – to push off the leg or legs in the air. It is a combination of a
bend on the knees and leg stretch.

Types of Locomotor Movements

a. Walk – a transfer of weight from one foot to another foot without

loosing contract to the ground done in any direction.
b. Run – a transfer of weight from one foot to another foot with a split
second where the body in suspended to the air or loosing contact to
the ground.
c. Hop – A spring from one foot landing on the same foot in place or in
any direction. The other foot many maybe raised in any direction (in
port, in rear, side and or across.)
d. Skip – is combination of step and hop with the same foot in one count.
e. Leap – A spring from one foot, landing on the other foot in any
direction (forward, sideward, or oblique).
f. Jump – A spring from one or both feet, landing on both in any direction.

VII. Direction of Movements

There are different movements done in several directions:

1. Forward 5. Diagonal or Oblique

2. Sideward 6. Clockwise

3. Upward 7. Counterclockwise

4. Downward 8. Backward

11 12 1

10 2

9  3

8 4
7 6 5

VII. Safety Suggestions

Knowledge of safety techniques in gymnastics activities is a very

important teaching prerequisite. To prevent injuries while learning
gymnastics, the class is divided into three periods:

1. Prework Out Period. This includes all activities and procedures that
prepares the individual for the actual instruction and practice of all
gymnastic skills.

a. Checkup of uniforms
b. Warm-up

2. Workout Period. (Actual Practice) In every plan, safety instructions should

be incorporated when reviewing and demonstrating the skills; the class
should be aware of the maximum safety precautions while it is performing
the exercises and skills.

VIII. Safety Suggestion for all

a. Full attention is needed when a new skill is discussed and demonstrated.

b. When in doubt, ask questions.
c. When doing a skill for the first time, have a ready spotter.
d. Master the fundamentals before doing the skill.
e. Stop when instructions are given to stop.
f. Foolish acts have no place in the class.
g. Learn to relax and fall to prevent injuries.

3. Postwork Out Period

a. Relaxation exercises
b. Keeping of equipment used in their proper places.

IX. FREE HAND EXERCISES

Gymnastics Defined

Definition – Gymnastics are systematic bodily exercises based on

scientific principles. There must be a reason for every movement.

The word gymnasium is derived from the word gymnasium and at one
time it included all the activities in a gymnasium. Today its use is more
sharply restricted to and includes only those exercises that are not games,
dances, sports or athletics. The term gymnastics therefore includes
calisthenics, light and heavy apparatus work, tumbling, stunts, and
marching.

Objectives:

1. To develop coordination and vigor.

2. To provide students with activities that will assist to correct minor
postural defects.
3. To maintain normal functioning of the organic system of the body.
4. To improve and maintain agility and suppleness,
5. To increase muscular strength.
6. To learn some exercises that will be useful throughout life as
conditioning or “keeping fie” exercises.

X. PARTS OF A COMMAND

First Part – Preparatory Command tells the class

(1) what part of the body is to make the movement (right foot) (2) in
what direction the movement is to be made (forward).
Pause – Gives time for the class to think what is to be done.

Second Part – Command of Execution tells the class what to do. This is
usually a verb in the imperative form (Touch!).
 Examples: Right foot forward ….. Touch!
Trunk forward ………. Bend!
Arms upward ………… Raise!
Feet apart sideward .. Jump!
Arms forward ………… Bend!

A good command needs a loud, clear, and forceful voice. It must be

short and simple.
Note: Sometimes a number is used for command.
Example: Bend trunk forward – One!

Glossary of Words of Commands

Bend – To flex or bend a joint.

Circling – Moving the part prescribed in a circle.
Dress – To look in the direction commanded and see that the line is straight.
Face – To turn the whole body to right or left or about, without changing
place.
Fling – To throw or raise the arms very quickly.
Halt – To stop walking, running, or doing a certain movement.
Hop – To spring on one foot and land on the same foot in any direction.
Jump – to spring on one foot and land on the same foot in any direction.
March – To start to walk.
Place – (a) To put the hands in a certain position or place of the body.
(b) To take the stride or walk-standing position.
Position – To stand at attention, in fundamental position with the feet parallel
and close together, arms at the lines, trunk and head erect, and eyes
front. It is the starting position.
Raise – To lift the part of the body prescribed straight up in the direction
commanded.
Rest – (a) In place – To stand at ease as you like, but keep one foot in its
place.
(b) to be at ease or rest yourself as you please.
Rotate – To turn the part prescribed around its long axis.
Sideward – To move in straight line to the side.
Sink – To resume the fundamental position with the heels, toes, legs, or arms
in the same manner that they were raised.
Stride – To brace the feet apart with a distance of the individuals own two-
foot length between the heels.
Stretch – To extend a flexed joint; consequently, it is necessary to bend
before we stretch.
Twist – Torsion of the head or trunk.