Gymnastics is a sport that includes exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shoulders, back, chest and abdominal muscle groups. Alertness, precision, daring, self-confidence and self-discipline are mental traits that can also be developed through gymnastics. Gymnastics evolved from exercises used by the ancient Greeks that included skills for mounting and dismounting a horse, and from circus performance skills
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which individuals or groups of five manipulate one or two pieces of apparatus: rope, hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon and freehand. Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport that combines elements of ballet, gymnastics, dance, and apparatus manipulation. The victor is the participant who earns the most points, determined by a panel of judges, for leaps, balances, pirouettes (pivots), apparatus handling, and execution. There is no maximum number of points anymore but there was before the judges consider artistry, mastery, and execution. The choreography must cover the entire floor and contain a balance of jumps, leaps, pivots, balances and flexibility movements. Each movement involves a high degree of athletic skill and key movement. Physical abilities needed by a rhythmic gymnast include strength, power, flexibility, agility, dexterity, endurance and hand-eye coordination.
The Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique is the governing body of competitive gymnastics. Its headquarters is in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was founded on July 23, 1881, in Liège, Belgium, making it the world's oldest existing international sports organisation. Originally called the European Federation of Gymnastics, it had three member countries—Belgium, France and the Netherlands—until 1921, when non-European countries were admitted and it received its current name.
The Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships are the world championships for the sport of rhythmic gymnastics. The tournament is promoted and organized by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG). It is one of the three tournaments in rhythmic gymnastics officially organized by FIG, as well as the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup and the gymnastics competitions at the Olympic Games. The first edition of the World Championships was held in 1963, a time when the sport was known as modern gymnastics. The current program of the World Championships contemplates both individual and group performances. In even non-Olympic years and the year before the Olympics, a team event is also contested. Two events are not competed at the World Championships anymore: individual rope and free hands.
The European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships are an annual series of artistic gymnastics championships for male gymnasts from European countries organised by the European Union of Gymnastics.
The European Women's Gymnastics Championships are an artistic gymnastics championships for female gymnasts from European countries organised by the European Union of Gymnastics. They are held annually, though rotate between two different formats.
The Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships are the European championships for the sport of rhythmic gymnastics. They were first held in 1978. The European Championships and the European Junior Championships were united in 1993. Prior to 2006, they were called the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships. The competition is organised by the European Union of Gymnastics.
The 26th European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships were held from 27 April to 30 April 2006 in Volos, Greece.
The 24th European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships were held from 18 April to 21 April 2002 in Patras.
Gymnastics competitions at the 2015 European Games were held in the National Gymnastics Arena, Baku between 15–20 June 2015.
The 6th European Men's and Women's Artistic Gymnastics Individual Championships was held from 15 to 19 April 2015 at the Park&Suites Arena in Montpellier, France. As usual in this format, no team competitions took place.
The European Union of Gymnastics organises European Gymnastics Championships for each of the following gymnastics disciplines:
The 31st European Championships in Women's Artistic Gymnastics Seniors and Juniors was held from 1 to 5 June 2016, at the PostFinance-Arena in Bern, Switzerland. It was the first time the city had hosted a major female international competition, and was the first time Switzerland hosted the competition in the country.
The 32nd European Championships in Men's Artistic Gymnastics Seniors and Juniors was held from 25 to 29 May 2016 at the PostFinance-Arena in Bern, Switzerland.
The 2016 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships was the 32nd edition of the Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships, which took place on 17–19 June 2016 in Holon, Israel.
The European Team Gymnastics Championships, initially held as the European Gymnastics Masters, was a competition organized by the European Union of Gymnastics combining men's and women's artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics events.
The 7th European Men's and Women's Artistic Gymnastics Individual Championships were held from 19 to 23 April 2017 at the Polyvalent Hall in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. As usual in this format, no team competitions took place.
The 33rd European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships was held from 9 to 12 August 2018 at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.
The European Men's and Women's Artistic Gymnastics Individual Championships are an artistic gymnastics championships for male and female gymnasts from European countries organised by the European Union of Gymnastics. It was first held in 2005 and has been held biennially since then in odd-numbered years. These championships occur in years between the European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships and the European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships, which have been held in even-numbered years since 1990.
