Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport that combines physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, artistry, and endurance. It involves the performance of sequences of movements requiring physical strength, flexibility, balance, endurance, gracefulness, and kinesthetic awareness, such as handsprings, handstands, split leaps, aerials, and cartwheels. The word "gymnastics" comes from the Greek word "gymnos," which means "naked," but it generally means to train and exercise. The sport has evolved from exercises used by the ancient Greeks, including skills for mounting and dismounting a horse, and from circus performance skills. Gymnastics is considered to be a dangerous sport due to the height of the apparatus, the speed of the exercises, and the impact on competitors joints, bones, and muscles. It is an event in the Olympics that involves physical strength, power, agility, flexibility, grace, control, coordination, and balance. The sport includes various disciplines and events such as artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampolining and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics, and aerobic gymnastics. Gymnastics is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique and is open to participants of all ages and abilities.
