Gymnastics is a very fun sport. It can be for boys and girls but it’s more common in girls. It’s a very physically and sometimes mentally demanding sport. Gymnastics came from exercises used by the ancient Greeks. That included, mounting and dis-mounting from a horse and things like circus performing skills, or acrobatics. Gymnastics is just as popular as it was back then, but now the tricks are much different, along with different categories of gymnastics including artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline gymnastics, power tumbling, and acrobatic gymnastics. Each category is available professionally if you’re good enough.
Artistic Gymnastics is the most popular type of gymnastics currently. It is also the biggest ticket seller in the Olympics. This sport is divided into men and women events only, there’s no in-between. This type of gymnastics requires a lot of coordination, endurance and lots of upper body strength. Movements are made to be artistic and choreographed as a form of delight and beauty.
Rhythmic Gymnastics is also a very popular category. It is only for girls. This event requires flexibility and a good sense of rhythm. They tend to use a lot of balls, hoops, ribbons and ropes. It’s very similar to ballet.
At number three is trampoline gymnastics (TRG). Trampoline is a necessity with any part of a gymnastics program, and it branched off into its own discipline. It utilizes a lot of high up flying maneuvers. It also has individual and synchronized events.
Power tumbling is a tough sport; it requires you to have good spatial awareness, strength, and coordination to succeed. Power tumbling is similar to TRG as it uses a trampoline too, except in this case, it adds a high level of art.
Acrobatic Gymnastics is one of the most stunning displays of coordination and being strong in gymnastics history. There is no equipment used here, simply the gymnast and the floor. Acrobatic gymnastics have gained and kept their fame for their great sense and exhilarating movements.
Carterville resident Carol Anne Davey was in gymnastics for 14 years. She knows a lot about gymnastics and how physically demanding it was. She said, “It was a good way to burn off energy, I would definitely sleep well. I was surprisingly never sore. The only time I was sore was when I was a starter. It was very physically demanding and you had to put in the work though.”
There are 1-10 levels of gymnastics. One being a beginner, starting point and 10 being the most highest and most skilled there is. There are a number of gymnastics places in Illinois kids 18 and younger can get enrolled in. Locally, Extreme Kids in Marion is rated 4.5 stars, and Saluki Gymnastics in Carbondale is rated 4.5 stars as well.
