Gymnastics Equipment - Physical Education Reviewer

PHYSICAL EDUCATION REVIEWER MODULE 6: "GYMNASTICSEQUIPMENT" - **Gymnastics is an ancient sport that combines strength, technique, and creativity.** Athletes perform complex routines on various apparatuses, both individually and as part of a team. Unlike other sports, gymnastics focus...

PHYSICAL EDUCATION REVIEWER MODULE 6: "GYMNASTICSEQUIPMENT" - **Gymnastics is an ancient sport that combines strength, technique, and creativity.** Athletes perform complex routines on various apparatuses, both individually and as part of a team. Unlike other sports, gymnastics focuses on mastering body control and equipment usage, rather than competing against opponents. To excel in this sport, athletes must dedicate themselves to rigorous training and perfect their skills on specialized gymnastics apparatus. What Is a Gymnastics Apparatus? - term apparatus refers to a piece of equipment that's used in gymnastics, like the vault table or the balance beam. - It demonstrate their strength and agility. - the term apparatus describes the events themselves. - The term apparatus, therefore, has two meanings in gymnastics: it refers to the individual events and the equipment that makes these events possible. Gymnastics features the following pieces of apparatus and competitive events: **BALANCE BEAMS** - gymnasts perform routines on a **four-inch wide** solid beam. - 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 beam itself. **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, picked 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). **FLOOR** - The floor exercise is set to music and involves gymnasts performing a series of tumbling and athletic feats interspersed with dance choreography. - Judges look for versatile use of floor space, changes in the direction and level of movement, theatrics, command of music, and height and distance of jumping and tumbling maneuvers. - The floor routine lasts no more than 90 seconds and must cover the entire floor area. The apparatus is a performance area measuring 1,200 centimeters x 1,200 centimeters (± 3 centimeters). **POMMEL HORSE** - Pommel horse routines consist of continuous circular movements plus required scissored 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.