How Long Is A Gymnastics Competition?
There are many different types of gymnastics that anyone can perform. The three main types are artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, and acrobatic gymnastics. In general, gymnastics meets last about three hours. However, many factors can shorten or lengthen this timeframe. This includes what events are being performed and how many people are competing in them. Below is a breakdown of the different events that contribute to the timing of each gymnastics discipline.
Artistic Gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics is one of the most well-known types of gymnastics. It is one of the oldest disciplines of gymnastics, first being introduced to the Olympics in 1894. Gymnasts are tested on various apparatuses. There are different events for women’s and men’s artistic gymnastics competitions, which are explained below.
Women’s Events
For women’s artistic gymnastics, four different events are performed at each gymnastics meet. These include vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise. Vault, the first event, is very fast-paced and one run takes only seconds. Here, the gymnast runs about 82 feet, jumps onto the table into a hurdle, and performs a wide variety of tricks off of the opposite end of the vault. Next are the uneven bars, which require a great deal of upper body strength. There are two bars that are at different heights, which explains the name, and these performances last about 30 to 45 seconds per person and include around 15 skills. The third event is the balance beam; this is where the athlete performs a routine on a four-inch wide beam that is four feet off the ground. These routines usually last up to 90 seconds for each athlete. Last is the floor exercise; this is where the gymnast does a routine to a song of their choice. The routines include the athlete’s best artistic and technical skills and last for less than 90 seconds.
Men’s Events
When it comes to men’s artistic gymnastics, there are six different events at each meet. The events include the floor exercise, pommel horses, still rings, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bar. The floor exercise is very similar in that they perform routines with a wide variety of tricks. But in men’s competitions, each performance is no longer than 70 seconds. The pommel horse requires lots of skill and is the only continuously moving event. This means each gymnast is performing non-stop for about a minute or less. Next are the still rings, which take a lot of upper body strength. It is an event where male gymnasts can show off their strength and dismounts by performing by two rings suspended in the air. Each performance usually lasts around a minute. Vault is the same for males as it is for females, with each run lasting only a few seconds. The parallel bars for men are different from the women’s bars, which are at two different heights. The male bars are parallel and used to perform acrobatics while swinging from the bars, doing handstands, and more. This routine ends with a dismount and is done by each competitor in under a minute. Last is the horizontal (high) bar, which includes a series of turns, swings, and tricks to dismount off the bar. In the last male-only event, routines are as short as 15 to 30 seconds.
Rhythmic Gymnastics
Just like artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics has multiple different events at each meet or competition. For rhythmic gymnastics, the events include the rope, hoop, ball, clubs, and ribbon. There are five people in group events, and they must compete in two routines, one where everyone has the same equipment and the other with different types of equipment. For professional and international scoring, the individual performance is 75 to 90 seconds, and the group performances range from 2 minutes and 15 seconds to 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
Acrobatic Gymnastics
During the acrobatic routines, the group of gymnasts works together to move and perform stunts in sync with each other and the music. This type of gymnastics can also be performed in pairs, and unlike most other sports, there are co-ed groups. There are three different types of routines: balance, dynamic, and a combined routine. Balance routines are performed by holding still for a specific duration in towers and pyramids; these last around 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Dynamic routines are where they perform acrobatic moves with the addition of somersaults and twists for about 2 minutes. Lastly, combined performances involve a mix of balance, dynamic moves, and dance. These performances usually take about 2 minutes and 30 seconds.