In order to know the meaning of the term artistic gymnastics that concerns us, it is necessary, first of all, to discover the etymological origin of the two words that give it shape:
– Gymnastics we can establish that it derives from Greek, specifically gymnós , which can be translated as “naked”.
– Artistic , on the other hand, comes from Latin. Exactly it is the result of the sum of the following lexical components of said language: the noun ars, artis , which can be translated as "art", and the suffix -ica , which is used to indicate "relative to". In this way, the meaning of artistic is “relating to art.”
What is artistic gymnastics
The idea of gymnastics refers to the activity carried out to achieve and maintain good physical condition through certain movements and exercises. Artistic , on the other hand, is that linked to art : a human manifestation that transmits thoughts or emotions through the use of different types of resources.
The concept of artistic gymnastics , in this framework, refers to a gymnastic specialty that is carried out with or without apparatus on a surface whose measurements are determined by a regulation. It is a sporting discipline that has origins dating back to the end of the 19th century .
a sport
In Athens 1896 , artistic gymnastics became a men's Olympic sport . Only in Amsterdam 1928 did women also begin to participate. That is why we can currently distinguish between men's artistic gymnastics and women's artistic gymnastics .
Artistic gymnastics competitions are usually individual , although group modalities exist. Each participant has between 30 and 90 seconds to show their skills according to the standards established by the International Gymnastics Federation .
Artistic gymnastics apparatus
Among the devices that can be used in artistic gymnastics are the fixed bar (or high bar ), the uneven bars , the rings and the easel (also called horse jump or pony jump ).
To excel in the field of artistic gymnastics, a gymnast needs to develop flexibility and strength and achieve great muscular coordination. This allows you to complete your exercise routines respecting the objective criteria that the jury is responsible for evaluating to establish the scores of each athlete in a competition.
It is considered that those who practice artistic gymnastics not only improve their flexibility and coordination but also that it helps them correct their body posture, improve their rhythm ability, increase self-confidence and to establish and consolidate what is their emotional stability.
Great figures of the discipline
Among the great figures who have stood out in this sporting discipline, we can highlight some such as the following:
– Nadia Comanecci , is a Romanian gymnast who is considered the best of all time. She has the distinction of having been the first to achieve a perfect score after an exercise.
–Svetlana Khorkina . She is of Russian origin and was European champion six times in a row.
– Almudena Cid , who is a Spanish gymnast who has the honor of having been the only one in the world to have participated in four Olympic finals.
– Gervasio Defer , Vitaly Scherbo , Anna Bessonova and Tomás González are other important figures in this regard.