Gymnastics Near Me

Whether you’re looking to improve your flexibility, get fit, or enroll your child in a program: participating in gymnastics is a great way to improve the overall health and wellness of yourself and your family. For decades, gymnastics has been a proven way to increase strength and overall stamina. All while having quite a bit of fun!

Are you interested in finding a gymnastics gym near you? Simply browse gymnastics near me on the map below and find a list of gymnastics gyms located in a close proximity to you! Need a bit more information on gymnastics? Read on for interesting facts, trivia, and more on gymnastics!

Gymnastics Near Me – Find it on the Map

Gymnastics Near Me – Gymnastics Trivia

When was gymnastics first invented?

You may think that gymnastics is a fairly recent development, but this sport dates back to ancient Greece. In fact the name itself is derived from the ancient Greek word for disciplinary exercises, which combines the use of physical skills such as body control, coordination, gracefulness and strength with tumbling and acrobatic skills. All of which were to be performed in an artistic manner. Consider these facts as you search gymnastics near me! Gymnastics was first introduced in early Greek civilization in order to facilitate bodily development through exercises that included running, throwing, wrestling, swimming, and weightlifting. Many of the most basic gymnastic events were practiced in some form prior to the Greeks. Physical fitness was one of the most highly valued attributes in Ancient Greece. Both men and women were tasked with participating in vigorous gymnastic exercises. When the Romans conquered Greece, they developed the activities into a more formal sport, and they used the gyms to physically prepare their legions for warfare. After the decline of Rome, interest in gymnastics slowly dwindled, with tumbling remaining as the only true form of entertainment.

The uneven bars are one of the many props every gymnast must master.

When were gymnastics first modernized?

Now that you know that gymnastics were first introduced in Ancient Greece, you may be wondering when gymnastics were first modernized. According to historians, gymnastics were first modernized in 1774 when a Prussian by the name of Johann Bernhard Basedow began including physical exercises in with other forms of instruction at his school in Dessau, Saxony. With this, modernization of gymnastics was quickly underway. This also served to thrust the Germanic countries as frontrunners in the sport. By the late 1700s, Friedrich, Ludwig Jahn of Germany developed the sidebar, the parallel bars, the horizontal bars, the balance beam, and all of the jumping events now known in modern gymnastics. To most people, he is considered the father of modern gymnastics. As you search gymnastics near me, consider how the evolution of this sport has carried on for so many decades.

Gymnastics Near Me – Gymnastics Facts

The Olympic Games

Odds are if you’re searching gymnastics near me, you’re not exactly looking to get into the Olympics any time soon. With that said, gymnastics is currently one of the most watched and popular Olympic sports at the summer games. Men’s gymnastics first appeared at the modern Olympic games in 1896 and has been on the Olympic agenda continuously since 1924. Women’s Olympic gymnastic competition didn’t begin until 1936 with the all around competition. Separate events weren’t added until 1952. In these early Olympic competitions, the dominant male gymnasts hailed from Germany, Sweden, Italy, and Switzerland. It was in these counties that gymnastics was modernized and perfected. In the 1950s, Japan, the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries began to churn out some of the finest male and female gymnasts of all times. The US didn’t enjoy as much glory in this field until a few decades later.

Gymnastics Scoring

One thing that confuses many gymnastics enthusiast is how the sport itself is scored. If you’re searching gymnastics near me, read on for information on how this sport is officially scored. Gymnastics competitions are generally scored and judged on both an individual and a team basis. Each competitor is required to accomplish a certain number of moves on each piece of equipment. Judges then award points to each athlete in an event based on a 0 to 10 scale, with a 10 being perfect. Judging is very subjective; however, there are guidelines that every judge must follow in order to arrive at a wholly unbiased score. A typically gymnastics competition boasts four judges, and the lowest and highest scores are dropped in order to provide a more accurate and objective score. Gymnasts are tasked with performing very difficult and demanding routines in a way that is graceful, artistic, and masterful. This is quite a hard feat, even for the most seasoned gymnast! Odds are if you begin training in gymnastics at a local gym, you’ll quickly learn the moves that would lend you a higher or lower score in a competition.