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You are here: Home / All The Lingo / Sports Terms That Begin With ‘F’ / Floor Exercise

Floor Exercise

floor ex*er*cise

What Is The Definition Of Floor Exercise In Gymnastics?What Is A Floor Exercise In Gymnastics? Definition & Meaning | SportsLingo

1. Floor exercise is one of the events in women’s and men’s gymnastics competitions. It features a choreographed routine that includes a variety of skills, including tumbling and acrobatics.

Gymnasts are encouraged to use a large area of the available floor space, which measures about 40 x 40 feet. They are also expected to change directions and movements frequently throughout the routine. Precise choreography is executed, and in women’s floor exercise events, the choreography is set to music. Female gymnasts are judged on artistry in addition to the difficulty level of the routine, making musical and dance style an important element. Men’s floor exercise events, on the other hand, are largely comprised of straightforward tumbling.

Floor exercise became an official Olympic men’s event in 1936 and an Olympic women’s event in 1952.

How Long Is the Floor Exercise In Gymnastics?

Women’s floor exercise routines last 70 to 90 seconds, while men’s last 50 to 70 seconds.

What Are The Floor Activities?

There are a number of turns, jumps, and tumbling skills that may be incorporated into a floor exercise routine, including:

  • Turns: Rotating the body while upright with one leg on the floor.
  • Split jump: Keeping the legs apart and straight while jumping forward.
  • Scissors leap/switch leap: Swinging the legs in in a scissor-like motion while jumping forward.
  • Handstand: Balancing on the hands while holding the rest of the body straight above.
  • Cartwheel: Rotating in a sideways direction, placing the hands and legs on the floor along the way.
  • Roundoff: Rotating partway into a cartwheel before doing a brief handstand and landing back on the feet.
  • Somersault: Flipping forward or backward on the floor while keeping the knees tucked in.
  • Handspring: Flipping forward or backward into a handstand before landing back on the feet.
  • Salto: Flipping forward or backward without placing hands on the floor.

Gymnastics Floor Features

The floor itself is considered the apparatus in this event. Originally, these floors were very firm, much like regular wooden floors in gymnasiums. Mats were later used, but today’s floors feature advanced materials that contribute to routines that are both more impressive and safer than earlier versions.

A modern floor in gymnastics floor exercise events features springs under the surface to create a bouncy feel and assist in challenging tumbling passes. Rubber foam is also used for shock absorption to provide a softer landing for gymnasts and help to reduce injuries.

Example Of How Floor Exercise Is Used In Commentary

1. MyKayla Skinner has consistently been a top competitor in floor exercise due to her willingness to incorporate high-difficulty skills like a double twisting double layout.

Sport The Term Is Used In

1. Gymnastics

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