What is Artistic Gymnastics?

Artistic Gymnastics is one of the most recognized and celebrated forms of gymnastics, combining strength, flexibility, power, and artistry in a way that captures audiences worldwide. It’s the version you typically see at the Olympics, where athletes perform highly polished routines across a variety of apparatus.

Artistic gymnastics is divided into two main categories:

• Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG)

• Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG)

Each has its own set of apparatus, with some overlap in skills and techniques but different areas of focus.

Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) involves four apparatus:

• Vault: A sprint down a runway followed by a dynamic springboard jump and flip over a vaulting table.

• Uneven Bars: Swinging, releasing, and catching between two bars set at different heights.

• Balance Beam: A 10cm wide beam where gymnasts perform flips, leaps, and dance elements with precision and grace.

• Floor Exercise: A choreographed routine to music, blending tumbling passes with dance and expression.

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Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) has six apparatus:

• Floor Exercise: Powerful tumbling without music.

• Pommel Horse: Continuous circular movements with a focus on balance and rhythm.

• Rings: Strength holds and swings performed on suspended rings.

• Vault: Similar to women’s vault, but often featuring different styles of entry and more powerful flights.

• Parallel Bars: Swinging and balancing between two bars.

• Horizontal Bar (High Bar): High-flying release moves and giant swings on a single bar.

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Skills and Progression

Artistic gymnasts learn a wide range of skills, starting with basics like handstands, cartwheels, and rolls, then progressing to flips, twists, and highly complex combinations.

Each skill is assigned a difficulty rating, and athletes work through grades and levels as they advance. In the UK, this could start from Recreational Levels and Club Grades, moving into Regional Grades, National Grades, and then up to Elite Performance pathways. Internationally, gymnasts compete at FIG levels in major competitions.

• Lower levels focus on solid technique, safe landings, and clean form.

• Higher levels demand intricate skills like double somersaults, flight elements on beam, and twisting vaults.

Gymnasts are judged not only on how difficult their skills are but also on their execution, artistry, and connection between movements.

A Sport of Power and Precision

Artistic gymnastics demands incredible athleticism, but also elegance and performance quality. Every routine is a balance between explosive strength and refined technique. Whether it’s soaring through the air on vault or performing a delicate turn on the beam, artistic gymnasts demonstrate the ultimate blend of courage, control, and creativity.