Have you ever wondered how gymnastics has come to be such a unique and renowned sport? Here are the beginnings and major turning points in gymnastics history.
The name “gymnastics” derives from the ancient Greek word for disciplinary exercises. Gymnastics was introduced as a combination of weight lifting, track and field events, swimming and wrestling. Romans conquered the Greeks and continued using the sport as training for warfare. As Rome declined, tumbling stayed as a form of entertainment. Modern gymnastics was mostly created in Germany by Johann Bernhard Basedow who is considered the father of modern gymnastics. Today, gymnastics isn’t such a show of strength and masculinity but combines the dancelike movements with strength and acrobatic skills.
*Includes excerpts from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/history-gynastics-ancient-greece-modern-times
