Comprehensive Sports Guide: Rules, Conditioning & Equipment

Athletic mastery depends on understanding official gameplay rules, optimizing equipment technology, and implementing sport-specific conditioning drills.

Young gymnast resting with bottled water

How to Get Into Gymnastics as an Adult

With elite gymnasts often competing in their teens and retiring in their 20s, gymnastics may seem like a sport for the youthful, but it’s really for everyone.

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Ballet instructor demonstrating for students standing at the barre

The Difference Between Gymnastics & Ballet

Gymnastics and ballet both center on the athlete’s body movements -- the strength, balance, flexibility and artistry displayed in a performance. Despite these similarities, gymnastics and ballet are two different physical activities.

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Required Level 1 Gymnastic Skills

Whether a gymnast plans to eventually compete on a team or wants only to participate in the sport recreationally, all gymnasts in the USA Gymnastics program must master the required skills in Level 1 before advancing to the next level.

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Playing basketball

Basketball and Elbow Pain

Whether you're an NBA All Star like Lebron James or just an amateur playing hoops at the park, elbow pain can hurt both your physical and mental basketball game. In 2010, LeBron James told the Associated Press that he cannot avoid thinking about his elbow pain during a game.

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Portrait of young gymnast

How Does Elite Gymnastics Work?

Elite artistic gymnasts are the best gymnasts in the world, competing for rankings and medals. Elite gymnastics begin once a gymnast has surpassed level 10 and met the elite requirements. In the United States, elite gymnasts are members of USA Gymnastics and follow the Federation de Internationale Code of Points.

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Girl doing handstand

How to Begin Gymnastics If You Are 15

Carly Patterson was 16 years old when she won the all-around for women’s artistic gymnastics at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Paul Hamm was 21 when he won the all-around for men’s artistic gymnastics in Athens. Elite gymnasts begin the sport at very young ages because their bodies peak so early.

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I need a rest and a bottle of water

Are Gatorade and Powerade Healthy for Athletes?

Gatorade and Powerade are the number one and number two sports drinks in America, respectively. Both brands have different flavors and lines. Gatorade has a line of three “performance” drinks for before, during and after exercise. Powerade offers ION4 and the ZERO calories series.

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Types of Jumps in Gymnastics

On the floor and the beam, gymnastics jumps are about height, flexibility, extension, form and speed. While the floor and the beam have some spring action, most of the height actually comes from the gymnast’s power.

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