Gymnastics and the olympic games

Physical fitness was a highly valued attribute in ancient Greece for both men and women. Christians of the time considered gymnastics Satanic because of its focus on the body and that gymnasts performed in the nude at the all-male ancient Games of Olympia. Many of these exercises, activities and competitions grouped under the ancient definition of gymnastics later became separate sports such as track and field, wrestling, and boxing.

Early Greek gymnastics and physical fitness teachers, the paidotribes, were the first to design systems of physical activity for both athletes and the ordinary citizens. These programs were central aspects of a formal education. The Greek philosophy views the human body as a temple housing the mind and the soul, and the practice of gymnastics contributed to the physical and mental health of the temple and improved the functions of both.

Over a period of time, the structured gymnastic, calisthenics and exercises were abandoned in favor of game sports. Men gathered at gymnasiums, a center of activity for the time, to not only practices the sport, but also to debate art, literature and philosophy. The major focus of gymnastics at this time focused on finding a symmetry between the mind and body by pairing physical exercise with intellectual activity.

Numerous Greek philosophers like Plato, Aristotle and the poet Homer advocated the qualities of gymnastic activity at strengthening the body and mind. Philosophers of Greece, like Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates would go into the gymnasium and would exercise their bodies and debate philosophy to exercise their minds.

His work emphasized the fitness exercises of gymnastics for the masses of citizenry as a means for increasing and maintaining better health. In time, structured gymnastic and calisthenic exercises were abandoned in favor of game sports. The Greeks developed three distinct program goals for gymnastic exercise in ancient Greece.

It was used to maintain good physical condition in the citizenry. I was used as an integral part of military training. It was a part of the conditioning regime for athletes of many types. The early Greek teachers of physical fitness paidotribes were the first to design systems of physical activity for both athletes and the general citizenry.

Such programs, which included gymnastics, were considered central to the formal education of children. Region 8 previously hosted the events in in Nashville, Tenn. All times are in eastern. Tickets for the U. Gymnastics Championships will be available for public purchase at a later date. Registration for the National Congress and Trade Show is now open.

Visit usagymcongress. You Are Not Logged In. Member Login. First four Nastia Liukin Cup competitors set. The Nastia Liukin Cup Series kicked off over the weekend as two junior and two senior gymnasts punched their tickets to the Cup final slated for February 25 at Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.

Collegiate Gymnastics Weekend Recap - Jan. The Michigan wonmen's and men's gymnastics teams put up the top scores in the first week of the NCAA gymnastics season. Click for scores and recaps of last week's action. Have you registered?