Gymnastics provides a solid foundation for overall fitness. It requires coordination, flexibility, strength and balance. It is a good basis for all sports including martial arts, swimming, diving and dance. Some experts say the greatest benefits of gymnastics are that to the mind. Participation in gymnastics helps the child learn to listen and follow directions, builds self-esteem and confidence, helps with goal setting skills, concentration, determination, helps develop social interaction, enhances performance, develops attention to detail and perseverance.

Gymnastics has been around for more than 2,000 years but its development as a competitive sport just began a little more than 100 years ago. The Bureau of the European Gymnastics Federation, which later evolved into the International Gymnastics Federation as it is known today, was formed in 1881 opening the way for international competition. The first large-scale meeting of gymnasts was the 1896 Olympics where five countries competed in the men's events of horizontal bar, parallel bars, pommel horse, rings and vault. The first international gymnastics competition outside of the Olympics was held in 1903 in Antwerp, Belgium and was considered the first World Gymnastics Championships. At the 1930 Luxembourg World Gymnastics Championships, competition included pole vault, broad jump, shot put, rope climb and a 100 meter sprint. Track and field remained part of the World Gymnastics Championships until 1954. Until the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, where modern Olympic gymnastics competition was firmly established, team titles were the only medals awarded. At the 1924 games, the male gymnasts began competing for both individual and team medals. The 1928 Olympic Games is where the debut of women's gymnastics occurred. Today, gymnastics is one of the most watched sports in the Olympic Games and is practiced all over the world.

PHYSICAL BENEFITS

Strength - One of the most obvious benefits of gymnastics is acquiring physical strength. The strength and endurance develop by gymnastics requires no formal weight training. The youngsters use their own body weight as resistance and perform exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups which aid in limiting the chance of injury. The handstand, one of the basic skills of gymnastics also helps develop strength. Gymnasts also tend to develop upper body strength more than any other sport.

Flexibility - The flexibility demands of gymnastics are probably the most significant and unique aspects of gymnastics and serves to separate gymnastics from most other sports. Flexibility is emphasized in gymnastics due to the need for gymnasts to adopt certain positions in order to perform skills. It is believed that flexibility can be an effective aid in the reduction of injury, preventing athletes from forcing a limb to an injurious range of motion.

Balance - Gymnasts have an unparalleled sense of balance. Gymnasts tend to develop a higher tolerance for imbalance or disturbances to their balance. They do not react with as large a "startle response" to sudden imbalances as non gymnasts. This probably means that gymnasts can tolerate larger disturbances to their posture because they have become more familiar with these positions.

Injury Prevention - As mentioned before, increased flexibility, as required by gymnastics, helps an athlete limit the possibility of injury. However, gymnastics also teaches youths to fall without hurting themselves. Gymnasts learn to fall and roll to spread the forces of impact over a larger area and time. The first skill any child is taught in gymnastics is to roll. Gymnasts develop a very "cat-like" ability to right themselves and to fall without being hurt. Gymnasts are also more aware of their bodies, they know how far they can safely push themselves.

Variety - Gymnastics is an "acyclic sport" which means that the same movements are not repeated over and over. Gymnastics activity subjects the gymnast's body to wide variety of stimuli.

BENEFITS FOR THE MIND

Gymnasts tend to do very well in school. Gymnastics is a complex sport with many dramatic and subtle nuances. Educational experiences in gymnastics reach from physics to the appreciation of cultural diversity. This sport presents the teacher/coach with lots of opportunities to help a young athlete learn many of life's most important and difficult lessons in a controlled environment.

Gymnastics is not an easy sport and the learning time is long when compared to other sports. You may think this would be a downfall but there are many benefits. The long time required to attain mastery of the fundamental skills requires patience, dedication, perseverance and planning. Gymnastics helps people learn to work hard for objectives that can take years to achieve. Most gymnasts pursue success rather than avoid failure.

Gymnastics encourages children to work at their own pace. There is no need to keep up with the pact. Gymnasts are encouraged to achieve their personal best. They learn to listen to their body and know how far they can push themselves safely. This provides a solid foundation for school, other sports, work habits and for the rest of their life.

Gymnastics shares with other sports the opportunity to learn about teamwork, sportsmanship, fair play, dedication and so forth. Gymnastics embraces the concept of providing a positive, nurturing environment from which to grow. Successful participation in sport, particularly gymnastics, not only requires many qualities but also produces many traits. Self-esteem is one such trait. Gymnastics promotes self-esteem and self-confidence. Coaches teach manners and respect.

Study after study confirm that children involved in sports including gymnastics, are more likely to avoid drugs, score higher on achievement tests, stay in school, have greater self esteem and live a healthier lifestyles. The children who participate in gymnastics not only learn motor development, but interpersonal relationships skills, perseverance, discipline, commitment, perspective, teamwork, humility and leadership.

(Information taken from Technique, the Official Technical Journal of USA Gymnastics)
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