Le Elfin Rhythmic Gymnastics

Gymanstics, as an activity sport, has been around for over 2000 years but as an competitive sport it is a little more than 100 years old.

The first large-scale competition was the 1896 Olympics in Athens, Greece. There Germany was the dominant team by almost sweeping every medal.

Five countries have participapted in this event. Men's competitions included horizontal bar, parallel bars, pommel horse, rings, and vault. In Ancient Greece, three distinct programs of gymnastic exercise were developed:

1. To maintain good physical condition

2. For military training

3. A conditioning regime for athletes

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. The Greek philosophy portrayed the human body as a temple housing the mind and the soul, and the practice of gymnastics contributed to the health and functionality of the temple. They coined the word, "gymnastics" which comes from the Greek word, "gymnos," meaning "naked art."

They built elaborate complexes known as gymnasia for their physical education training. Philosophers would go into the gym where they would exercise their bodies and debate philosophy to exercise their minds. The attitude of those early gymnasts was a "sound mind in a sound body." With the gathering of young and old alike, the gymnasia was more like a town hall than just a gym.