Equipment for artistic gymnastics: history, types, characteristics

Artistic gymnastics competitions are held in the following disciplines:

• team competitions;
• all-around;
• floor exercise;
• horse;
• rings;
• vault;
• parallel bars;
• uneven bars;
• log;
• crossbar.

Team competitions, all-around competitions, competitions in individual types of disciplines are held - in 6 types among men (floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars, crossbar) and 4 types among women (vault, uneven bars, beam, floor exercise) .

Types of gymnastic equipment

Gymnastic apparatus in artistic gymnastics can be divided into male and female. Floor exercises are performed on a platform measuring 14x14 m with a marked working area of ​​12x12 m.

Men's apparatus in artistic gymnastics:

• gymnastic flyhorse;
• gymnastic vault horse;
• gymnastic rings;
• parallel bars;
• gymnastic bar.

Women's apparatus in artistic gymnastics:

• gymnastic vault horse;
• uneven bars;
• balance beam.

b) The body of a gymnasium horse of type 2 np and tag of type 4

3.2 Safety requirements

3.2.1 The design of gymnastic horses and goats must comply with safety requirements in accordance with GOST R 56446.

3.2.2 When testing the damping properties of the body covering of a gymnastic horse or goat in accordance with GOST R 56446 (Appendix B), the maximum acceleration value should not exceed 500 m/s2 from a fall height of 300 mm.

3.2.3 When testing for stability in accordance with Appendix A, the supports of the tested gymnastics horse or goat must not come off the supporting surface.

3.2.4 When testing for strength in accordance with Appendix B, there should be no damage to the structure of the tested gymnastic horse or goat, including cracks, breakages, excessive residual deformations, weakening of connections and bonds.

Sports equipment "horse"

The horse is a special projectile with handles. On it, gymnasts perform combinations of swing and rotation movements, and handstands.

The prototype of the sports equipment is considered to be a wooden structure resembling the shape of a horse, only without handles. On it, the cavalry soldiers of Alexander the Great practiced their skills of quickly mounting and dismounting their horses. Similar simulators were used by Roman cavalrymen and medieval knights.

“The Father of Modern Gymnastics,” Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, proposed using uneven bars, suspended bars, beams and pommel horses for the physical training of young people in sports and gymnastics societies.

Until 1956, the shape of the projectile changed: it either resembled the uneven croup of a horse (the back of the body), or the asymmetrical shape changed to symmetrical. After the certification of the sports equipment by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), significant changes were no longer made to the design of the gymnastic pommel horse.

Types of gymnastic pommel horse

1. Gymnastic jumping horse.
2. Gymnastic flyhorse. It differs from the jumping one by the presence of handles (supports). The distance between the supports in professional models is adjustable +/-10 cm.
3. Universal gymnastic horse. The apparatus has the ability to remove and put on the handles.

Types of gymnastic equipment pommel horse

Gymnastic flyhorse

The competition is held only among men and is included in the team and individual all-around program, and is also separated into a separate discipline.

The first Olympic champion in the Horse discipline was Istvan Pelle (Hungary) in 1932. The first world champions were Georges Dejaeger (France), Joseph Lux (France), Henricus Thyssen (Netherlands) in 1903.

The prefabricated structure has:

1. The body is wooden or plastic with rounded edges and corners. To reduce pain in athletes, the top of the body is covered with foam and a cover made of high-strength artificial leather.
2. Four stationary legs.
3. Four retractable telescopic supports (hooves).
4. Two symmetrically located handles.
5. Floor mounting kit.

The device of a gymnastic horse

The prefabricated structure has: 1. A wooden or plastic body with rounded edges and corners. To reduce pain in athletes, the top of the body is covered with foam and a cover made of high-strength artificial leather. 2. Four stationary legs. 3. Four retractable telescopic supports (hooves). 4. Two symmetrically located handles. 5. Floor mounting kit.

International Gymnastics Federation requirements for pommel horse

1. Length 160 cm. 2. Width 35 cm. 3. Height (from the floor) 115 cm. 4. Height of handles 12 cm. 5. Diameter of handles 3.4 cm. 6. Distance between handles 40-45 cm. 7. The height of the lining (gymnastic mats) is 10 cm.

Gymnastic vault horse

Until 2001, the horse was used as a sports equipment for both exercises and jumping. In competitions among women, the apparatus is placed across, for men - along. The large number of injuries during jumping is pushing sports equipment manufacturers to search for a new apparatus for performing vaults.

The official partner of the FIG is beginning to develop and produce the “gymnastic jumping horse”, and the former coach of the GDR national team, Ditter Hofmann, is offered to become a consultant on the project.

At the 1997 World Championships in Lausanne, a demonstration of a new projectile takes place. Since 2001 it has been used in all competitions under the auspices of the FIG. The new gymnastics vault pommel horse is also called the vault table.

Device of a gymnastic horse for vault

1. The body is wooden or plastic with rounded edges and corners. To reduce pain in athletes, the top of the body is covered with foam and a cover made of high-strength artificial leather.
2. Four stationary legs.
3. Four retractable telescopic supports (hooves).
4. Two symmetrically located handles.
5. Floor mounting kit.

Dimensions of a gymnastics pommel horse for vault

1. Width of the take-off table 90 +/- 5 cm. 2. Length of the take-off table (in horizontal projection) 120 +/- 5 cm. 3. Height 105-135 cm.

The production of gymnastic pommel horse in Russia is regulated by the national standard GOST R 56896-2016 “Gymnastic equipment. Horses and goats. Functional requirements, safety requirements and test methods" dated 01/01/2017.

This standard has been developed taking into account the basic regulations of the European regional standard EN 12196:2003 “Gymnastics equipment. Horses and goats. Functional requirements, safety requirements and test methods" and establishes functional requirements, safety requirements and test methods for gymnastic horses and goats.

Preparatory shells

• Board with handles. Used to teach gymnasts double circular movements with their legs.
• Gymnastic fungus. Designed for practicing basic gymnastic exercises during training. It consists of a support and a wooden body in the shape of a hemisphere, covered with polyethylene foam and artificial suede. They produce models with and without handles. The fungus is placed on the floor or a stand with adjustable height. Dimensions: height from the floor - 48 cm, diameter - 60 cm.
• Gymnastic floor horse with two or one handle. Used to practice exercises at the initial stage of training. It differs from the competition apparatus by having short legs. The height from the floor, depending on the model, is 20-50 cm.
• Low horse. Height from 50 to 65 cm. Helps the gymnast gradually move from the gymnastic fungus to the pommel horse.
• Foam vault apparatus. Consists of three modules, designed to perform a vault at the initial stage of training.
• Gymnastic goat. A shortened version of the gymnastics pommel horse. It is a collapsible structure consisting of a body and four supports. Body size: length - 60-67 cm, width - 30-35 cm. Designed for performing gymnastic exercises during training.

The history of the gymnastic goat

It is generally accepted that the first gymnastic goat appeared in the 315th century BC under Alexander the Great, who was famous for his riding skills and was able to create his own state thanks to the strongest cavalry army.

The riders of A. Macedonsky did not use stirrups and saddles while riding horses, but were trained using wooden structures made in the shape of a horse. This design is considered the first prototype of a modern gymnastic apparatus. The goat, made of wood, was used to train riders to get on and off it in the correct way. The swings used in modern gymnastics have not been worked out.

Similar designs were common in the Roman Empire for training troops. European knights in the 17th–18th centuries and students in fencing schools also trained with the help of these simulators.

Modern gymnastic pommel horse

The founder of modern artistic gymnastics is considered to be an officer of German origin, Friedrich Ludwig Jahn. After the loss of the Prussian army to Napoleon's troops, Frederick considered it necessary to raise the country's morale by developing physical indicators. For this purpose, societies were organized to prepare the young population for the struggle for liberation. Then beams, suspensions, which became the prototype of modern rings, logs and sawhorses, began to be used.

For many decades, the equipment used for jumping and exercise was not significantly different, but was used within both disciplines.

Over time, the shape of the horse began to change: there were models that imitated the uneven back of a horse. Gradually the design became flatter, and in 1948 symmetrical projectiles became common in the United States.

Only by 1956 was the modern form of the horse finally approved and certified by the International Federation of Artistic Gymnastics.

Several decades later, in 1983, the head coach of the German Democratic Republic, Ditter Hofmann, voiced the problems that arose when using a goat: the projectile was too traumatic, which especially affected athletes with broad shoulders, since they were often unable to correctly push from the horse, which stood along.

D. Hofmann provided consultations to the company Janssen & Fritsen, which was engaged in the production of specialized equipment for gymnastics, after which the company began to design a new apparatus. The resulting product was first presented at the World Championships held in 1997. The new projectile was given a name - “table” or “tongue”.

Until 2001, the goat was used in vaulting: the projectile was installed transversely in competitions between women and lengthwise between men. Since 2001, the classic horse has been replaced by a tongue.

Sports equipment "rings"

The men's competition program includes ring exercises.

Rings for artistic gymnastics are a U-shaped frame secured with cable braces to the embedded floor elements. Rings are attached to the frame with cable hangers. Professional gymnastic rings can withstand a breaking load of more than 400 kg. Protective cuffs made of genuine leather are put on at the junction of the cables and belts.

According to the rules of the sport “Artistic Gymnastics”, rings:

• suspended on cables ending with belts 70 cm long and 4 cm wide;
• suspension height from the floor 580 cm;
• distance between rings 50 cm;
• height of rings above the floor 280 cm;
• inner diameter of the ring 18 cm;
• profile diameter 2.8 cm.

Types of gymnastic rings

1. Wooden rings.
2. The rings are plastic.
3. Trainer rings.
4. Metal rings.
5. Children's rings.

Rings are available in diameter:

• 28, 30, 32, 35, 40 mm - for adults;
• 25 mm - for children.

The production of gymnastic rings in Russia is regulated by the national standard GOST R 56436-2015 “Gymnastic equipment. Rings. Functional requirements, safety requirements and test methods" dated 06/01/2016.

This standard has been developed taking into account the basic regulations of the European regional standard EN 12655:1998* “Gymnastics equipment. Rings. Functional requirements, safety requirements and test methods" and establishes functional requirements, safety requirements and test methods for gymnastic rings.

For the manufacture of rings the following is used:

• wood (birch, oak, beech, hornbeam);
• multilayer plywood;
• plastic;
• metal.

Sanded wooden rings have good grip when gripping, are aesthetically pleasing and pleasant to the touch. The disadvantages include: short service life, high price.

In gyms there are rings made of impact-resistant plastic with a textured surface for better grip. Plastic rings can withstand high temperature changes, are easy to clean, have a long service life and low cost. Available in one diameter - 28 mm.

Metal rings are used for strength training . For a better grip, such a projectile is covered with a thick layer of rubber or a rough coating. Metal rings are well suited for athletes in the weight category over 100 kg.

Trainer rings are available for beginner athletes . They differ from ordinary gymnastic rings by special thickenings in the form of overlays. The athlete can independently change the grip depth, gradually complicating the exercise.

In amateur sports, the rings are secured using nylon slings with a spring lock. The slings are easy to install and allow you to quickly change the height of the rings.

Sports apparatus "uneven bars"

In artistic gymnastics, men perform exercises on parallel bars, women - on uneven bars.

Simple exercises on parallel bars were performed in the early 19th century. The creators of the uneven bars are considered to be Friedrich Ludwig Jahn (founder of sports and gymnastics societies), and the uneven bars are considered to be Francisco Amoros (founder of the French gymnastics system).

In 1872, Napoleon Laine’s book “Practical Gymnastics: A Guide to the Gradual Exercise of Gymnastics in All Its Various Types and Branches,” translated by V. Ya. Poiret, was published in Moscow. It describes 3 groups of exercises, one of which is devoted to exercises on fixed and moving apparatus, including uneven bars.

In 1896, competitions among men on parallel bars were included in the program of the First Olympic Games in Athens and the First World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in 1903 in Antwerp (Belgium). Gymnast Alfred Flatow (Germany) became the first Olympic champion, Joseph Martinez (France), Francois Entge (Luxembourg) became the first world champions.

At the XX World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, competitions among women are being held for the first time. In the capital of Hungary, Budapest, gymnasts perform exercises on the men's uneven bars. The team from Czechoslovakia receives the gold medal in the all-around.

At the XXII World Championships in 1950, for the first time, women performed exercises on uneven bars in the individual all-around; in team competitions, gymnasts were allowed to choose between bars and rings.

Since 1952, competitions on uneven bars have been designated as a separate discipline. The first Olympic champion in parallel bars exercises was gymnast Margit Korondi (Hungary) at the XV Summer Olympic Games in Helsinki (Finland), and the first world champion (1954) was Agnes Keleti (Hungary).

Projectile improvement

The design of uneven bars changed until 1967:

• 1953 To give stability to the projectile, R. Reuther and R. Spitus install guy wires in the middle of the upper pole posts. The German company for the production of sports equipment and equipment "Reuther/Spieth" is demonstrating the new parallel bars at a sports festival in Hamburg.
• 1965 R. Reuther changes the design of the bars. Double poles are attached to the base and secured to the floor using guy wires. The installation has significant advantages over existing structures. It becomes mobile, collapsible, almost 10 times lighter than other structures, easy to transport and install, and the distance between the poles can be easily adjusted.
• On July 29, 1966, patent No. 1478057 was issued for the installation and mass production began.
• 1967 At the European Championships, gymnasts officially perform exercises on the new uneven bars.
• 1967 The International Gymnastics Federation approves the design of the parallel bars.
• 1989 The wooden pole is replaced with a fiberglass pole with a wood cover.

Types of gymnastic bars

1. Parallel parallel bars.
2. Asymmetrical (uneven-high) gymnastic bars.

International Gymnastics Federation requirements for parallel bars

1. Length of poles 350 cm. 2. Oval profile of poles: vertical axis 5 cm, horizontal axis 4 cm. 3. Height of poles above the floor 200 cm. 4. Distance between poles: length 230 cm, width 48 cm. 5. Distance between the inner surfaces of the poles is 42-52 cm. 6. The height of the mats is 20 cm.

International Gymnastics Federation requirements for uneven bars

1. Length of poles 240 cm. 2. Profile diameter 4 cm. 3. Height above the floor: upper pole 250 cm, bottom — 170 cm. 4. Distance between the inner surfaces of the poles 130-180 cm. 5. Height of the mats 20 cm.

The production of gymnastic bars in Russia is regulated by the national standard GOST R 55674-2013 “Gymnastic equipment. Combined asymmetrical and parallel bars. Requirements and test methods taking into account safety" dated 01/01/2015.

This standard has been developed taking into account the basic regulations of the European standard EN 914:2008 “Gymnastic apparatus. Bars, combined asymmetrical and parallel bars. Requirements and test methods, including safety" and establishes functional requirements for two types of bars: parallel bars and combined asymmetrical/parallel bars.

Sports apparatus "crossbar"

The competition is held only among men and is included in the team and individual all-around program, and is also separated into a separate discipline.

In 1811, a gymnastics ground was built near Berlin, which was equipped with special equipment - horizontal bars (crossbars), parallel bars, pommel horse, poles, and climbing ladders. Currently, a multifunctional sports complex has been built on this site. In 1952, the Berlin city council decided to name this facility in honor of the “father of artistic gymnastics” - Friedrich Ludwig Jahn.

The first crossbars are a wooden structure consisting of two posts and a wooden crossbar with a diameter of 60-70 mm. The racks are spaced from each other at a distance of 1800 mm.

In 1850, the wooden crossbar was replaced with a stronger one - steel, which allows you to do the exercises more confidently.

In 1896, at the Marble Stadium in Athens, the first Olympic set of medals was played in team and individual competitions on the horizontal bar. The team of gymnasts from Germany wins, and German gymnast Hermann Weingärtner becomes the first Olympic champion in the horizontal bar exercises.

In 1903, at the 1st World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, the French gymnast Joseph Martinez showed the best result in the horizontal bar competition.

Competitive gymnastic crossbar

Used for gymnastics in gyms and open street areas. The design is height adjustable depending on the height of the athlete.

A modern gymnastic bar consists of:

• high-strength steel rod;
• two telescopic stands;
• 4 guy wires (chain, cable, lanyard).

Wall gymnastic crossbar

To save space in the gym, a wall-mounted gymnastic crossbar is installed. The design is height adjustable depending on the height of the athlete.

The wall crossbar consists of:

• steel rod;
• one telescopic stand, which is attached to the floor using guy wires;
• wall rack, which is attached to the wall with anchor bolts.

International Gymnastics Federation requirements for the horizontal bar

1. Length 240 cm. 2. Diameter 2.8 cm. 3. Height from the floor 280 cm. 4. Length of landing mats 1200 cm, width 300 cm, height of landing mats 20 cm.

The production of gymnastic bars in Russia is regulated by the national standard GOST R 55675-2013 “Gymnastic equipment. Crossbars. Requirements and test methods taking into account safety" dated 01/01/2015.

This standard has been developed taking into account the basic regulations of the European regional standard EN 12197:1997 “Gymnastics equipment. Crossbars. Safety Requirements and Test Methods" and sets out the functional and safety requirements for three types of crossbars: floor recessed, floor plate and bolt fixed, cable fixed.

Sports equipment "log"

Competitions on the beam are held only among women, are included in the team and individual all-around program, and are also separated into a separate discipline.

In 1938, at the XXI World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Vlasta Dekanova from Czechoslovakia won the balance beam competition. The first Olympic medal in balance beam exercises was won by Soviet gymnast Nina Bocharova at the XV Summer Olympic Games in Helsinki (Finland) in 1952.

Types of gymnastic logs

The gymnastic balance beam consists of a wooden beam, which is coated with anti-slip compounds or materials, and is supported by two metal supports. All products undergo special processing during the production process to increase strength and aesthetic appearance.

Types of gymnastic balance beam

Gymnastic floor balance beam

Sports equipment for gymnastics is used for athletes to practice new gymnastic elements, to train beginner gymnasts, and to conduct physical education lessons at school.

The prefabricated structure consists of two supports and a beam:

• Glued laminated timber. Coniferous wood is used for production. The timber is sanded and coated with colorless varnish.
• Supports. They can be metal, wood, or plywood. Metal supports are powder coated.
• Case. Children's logs can have a cover made of carpet or artificial leather, which reduces the possibility of injury and provides better traction between the surface of the log and the child's foot.
• Anti-slip - synthetic leather covering to prevent slipping. Used on balance beams to train beginning athletes.
• For very young children, the wooden beam is covered with isolon to give softness to the projectile. A faux leather cover is placed on top.
• Dimensions: beam length - 1500-5000 mm, beam width - 100-130 mm, beam height - 100-160 mm, working surface width - 100 mm, support height - 40-110 mm.

Universal gymnastic balance beam

Gymnasts and students, after mastering a set of exercises or an element, move on to training on a gymnastic beam on high supports, practicing dismounts and complex acrobatic elements.

The prefabricated structure consists of two supports and a beam:

• Glued laminated timber. Coniferous wood is used for production. This material belongs to the category of high-strength, durable and environmentally friendly. The timber is sanded and varnished.
• Steel supports. Wide support bars ensure the stability of the gymnastic beam and do not allow the apparatus to tip over. Some models have height adjustment, which allows the apparatus to be used for different age groups.
• Dimensions: beam length - 1500-5000 mm, beam width - 100-130 mm, beam height - 100-160 mm, working surface width - 100 mm, height from the floor - 1200 mm.

International Gymnastics Federation requirements for balance beam

1. Length 500 cm, 2. Width of the upper and lower surfaces 10 cm. 3. Thickness of the horizontal axis 13 cm, vertical axis 16 cm. 4. Height from the floor 125 cm. 5. Height of the mats 20 cm.

The production of gymnastic balance beams in Russia is regulated by the national standard GOST R 56438-2015 “Gymnastics equipment. Logs. Functional requirements, safety requirements and test methods" dated July 1, 2016.

This standard has been developed taking into account the basic regulations of the European regional standard EN 12432:1998 “Gymnastics equipment. Logs. Functional requirements, safety requirements and test methods" and establishes functional requirements, safety requirements and test methods.

Attributes

Gymnastics has a variety of equipment, which is made for both professionals and amateurs. Its main types are listed below.

Making a mat

The mats are made as follows: take a shoe tent (fabric for making shoes) or canvas or tarpaulin. A mat is sewn (180 by 120 by 8 centimeters), evenly and tightly stuffed with wool, cotton floss, sea grass or horsehair. The cover is made of leather or leather substitutes; handles are made of similar materials.

Medicine ball

A medicine ball is made from a tire (leather), which is cut into many pieces, the number of which reaches ten, stitched with seams, and a lining is sewn inside. They are stuffed with different materials - wool, sea grass, hair, bast (young linden fiber).

Jump rope

Jump ropes come in long and short varieties. Short ones are made from rope with a cross-section of 8 millimeters, length from two to two and a half meters. Short ones are also made from rubber, half a centimeter in diameter and 2.65 meters long. Long ones - made of rope from four to five meters long.

Safety belt

Safety belt - for safety during training in acrobatic exercises. It is also worn during dangerous dismounts. Professional ones are made from leather, the sharp protrusions are smoothed out. It is attached to ropes or cables that are suspended from blocks. There are two types of belts - suspended and manual. Recently they have been made from synthetic materials.

Jumping bar

The plank is a standard length of 3.64 meters and a standard triangle section with equal sides of three centimeters and is made of birch, ash or pine.

Gymnastic poles

There are two types of gymnastics sticks, one meter long, 2.7 centimeters in diameter, and also 1.1 meters long with a diameter of 3 centimeters. They are made from a variety of materials - birch, beech, aluminum. The sticks are polished so that there are no knots.

Gymnastic weights

Gymnastic weights have a weight from half a kilogram to eight kilograms, the weight difference is half a kilogram. Although it’s easier to say dumbbells for this weight.

Floor exercise area

Floor exercises are performed by gymnasts on a specially equipped area measuring 14x14 m with the obligatory allocation of a working area.

The gymnastics floor exercise mat, certified by the FIG, consists of 3 layers:

1. Base layer (platform). It is a stable plywood base mounted on more than 2000 springs to provide the gymnast with an instant rebound when performing the element.
2. Middle layer. Consisting of dual-density foam in a puzzle shape, the pad provides a high level of comfort and cushioning.
3. Upper layer. It consists of tracks that are fastened together using mounting tape.
4. Markings in the form of a 12x12 m square are applied to the top layer with contrasting tape.

The training carpet consists of two layers - a soft multi-layer polyethylene foam flooring and a lint-free carpet.

Gymnastics

The gymnastics mat has an area of ​​13 square meters, with safety zones along the edges.

Inventory is strictly regulated:

• jump rope - only from natural hemp and similar materials, ribbon - from five to seven meters long, the holder must be in the form of a stick with a length of 0.6 to 0.7 meters;
• the hoop can be plastic or wooden with an internal diameter of 0.8 to 0.9 meters and weighing at least 0.3 kilograms;
• ball - plastic or rubber with a diameter of at least 0.2 meters and a weight of 0.4 kilograms;
• clubs are made of plastic or can be wooden with a minimum weight of 0.15 kilograms and a minimum length of 50 centimeters.