A Little History
Gymnastics has ancient roots going back to classical Greece, where it was part of physical and military training. As a modern sport, however, it began to develop in the 19th century in Central Europe, especially in Germany and Sweden, with organised training systems and apparatus such as the parallel bars and the pommel horse.
The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) was founded in 1881 and is the oldest international sports federation in the world. Since then, the FIG has regulated and expanded the official disciplines, integrating artistic, rhythmic and acrobatic forms and, later, more modern ones such as parkour.
Official Disciplines Recognised by the FIG (2025)
Artistic Gymnastics (men's and women's)
This is the best-known discipline and has been part of the Olympic Games since Athens 1896. It involves performing routines on different apparatus, combining strength, technique, balance and expression.
Men compete on: floor, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and high bar. Women compete on: floor, vault, uneven bars and balance beam.
Finally, judges assess the difficulty of the routines, the technical execution and the overall presentation.
Rhythmic Gymnastics
This discipline combines dance, technical precision, body expression and handling of apparatus such as the rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon.
At present, it is exclusive to women at the Olympic Games, although men's competitions already take place at other events. Judges score body difficulty, apparatus handling, artistic expressiveness and technical execution.
Trampoline
In this discipline, gymnasts perform acrobatic jumps in the air using a trampoline bed.
There are individual events and synchronised pair events, where two gymnasts perform the same movements at the same time. There is also a double mini-trampoline event, a smaller and more dynamic version of the trampoline.
When scoring, height, the difficulty of the acrobatics, precision in the turns and stability on landing are all assessed.
Trampoline is an Olympic discipline, but only in the individual event.
Acrobatic Gymnastics
A form of gymnastics performed in pairs or groups (from 2 to 4 gymnasts). It combines balance elements, lifts and choreography, and demands great strength, trust and coordination. Each member has a role: bases (those who support or throw) and flyers (those who are lifted or perform the figures in the air). Although it is regulated by the FIG and has international competitions, it is not part of the Olympic programme.
Aerobic Gymnastics
This discipline is based on high-intensity movements of technical complexity performed to music. It can be competed individually, in pairs, or in trios or groups. Routines are performed on a special mat. Although it is not an Olympic sport, aerobic gymnastics is officially recognised by the FIG and holds world and continental championships.
Gym for All (Gymnastics for All)
This is the only non-competitive discipline of all. It seeks to promote gymnastics as physical activity at every age and, above all, to support inclusion and different technical and skill levels. In this discipline, the aim is not to compete but to encourage values such as diversity. International events and festivals are held, such as the World Gymnaestrada, organised by the FIG. It is not an Olympic discipline.
Parkour
Parkour is the most recent discipline officially incorporated by the FIG, since 2022. It is a sport that involves moving from one point to another as quickly and efficiently as possible, overcoming all kinds of obstacles through jumps and agile movements using only the body.
The FIG organises international parkour events focused on speed and style on urban courses. It is divided into two disciplines: Speed-run (a race against the clock) and Freestyle (judged on creativity, difficulty and style). Although it has gained a great deal of popularity and World Cups and FIG Championships are being organised, it is not yet part of the Olympic programme.
Which disciplines does the Spanish Gymnastics Federation (RFEG) include?
In Spain, the RFEG, which is aligned with the FIG, includes all official disciplines and also promotes other practices that are not recognised by the FIG but have their own development in Spain. Please note that categories, levels and rules vary by country, so check with your national gymnastics federation.
- Group Aesthetic Gymnastics (AEG): Although it has its own international federation (IFAGG), it is not recognised by the FIG, but it is recognised by the RFEG. It is not part of the Olympic Games, although it has its own circuit of international competitions.
- Men's Rhythmic Gymnastics: It is not yet an official FIG discipline, but it is developed in national championships in Spain and in other pioneering countries such as Japan.
- Other programmes: Although these are not disciplines, the RFEG also coordinates other categories and training levels that are key to the growth of the sport, such as schools and base (schools focused on initiation) and promotion and technique (aimed at talent identification and refinement).
Did you know...?
- The FIG is the oldest international sports federation in the world, founded in 1881.
- In acrobatic gymnastics, a single routine can include up to 4 people forming human figures more than 2 metres tall.
- The World Gymnaestrada can bring together more than 20,000 gymnasts from around the world at a single non-competitive event.
- Rhythmic Gymnastics was the first sport exclusively for women to be included in the Olympic Games, debuting in 1984 with individual routines and adding group routines in 1996.
- The youngest gymnast to compete at an Olympic Games was only 11 years old: Dimitrios Loundras, at Athens 1896. Today, the FIG sets a minimum age of 16 for senior international competitions.
How many types of gymnastics are there and how are they grouped
The answer depends on who you ask. The FIG recognises the disciplines we have covered above, and in Spain the RFEG adds other practices with their own history, such as Group Aesthetic Gymnastics or men's rhythmic gymnastics. To keep things simple, it helps to group them by their relationship to competition:
| Group | Disciplines |
|---|---|
| Competitive and Olympic | Artistic, rhythmic and trampoline (individual only) |
| Competitive and non-Olympic | Acrobatic, aerobic and parkour |
| Non-competitive | Gym for All (Gymnastics for All) |
| Recognised by the RFEG, not by the FIG | Group Aesthetic Gymnastics and men's rhythmic gymnastics |
So, if someone asks you about the branches of gymnastics, you can tell what is competed, what makes it to the Olympic Games, and what is practised simply for the joy of moving.
Competitive gymnastics, women's gymnastics and types of rhythmic gymnastics
These terms are often confused. "Competitive gymnastics" is frequently used as a synonym for artistic gymnastics, although in a broader sense it can refer to any competitive discipline. If you are searching for "women's gymnastics", you are most likely interested in women's artistic gymnastics, with its four events (floor, vault, uneven bars and balance beam), or in rhythmic gymnastics, which is exclusive to women at the Olympic Games.
How rhythmic gymnastics is organised
- Individual: one gymnast works alone with one piece of apparatus.
- Groups: a group of gymnasts coordinates their work with apparatus, as we explain in our guide to group rhythmic gymnastics.
- By apparatus: rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. If you are just starting out, you can browse our rhythmic gymnastics apparatus.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many types of gymnastics are there?
There is no single figure, because it depends on whether you count only the official FIG disciplines or also those recognised by national federations such as the RFEG in Spain. The FIG includes artistic, rhythmic, trampoline, acrobatic, aerobic, Gym for All and parkour. In Spain, Group Aesthetic Gymnastics and men's rhythmic gymnastics are added.
What is the difference between artistic and rhythmic gymnastics?
Artistic gymnastics is performed on fixed apparatus, such as the balance beam or the rings, and combines strength, technique and balance. Rhythmic gymnastics is based on dance and body expression with hand apparatus: rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. Each has its own scoring criteria.
What is competitive gymnastics?
It is a term often used as a synonym for artistic gymnastics. In a broader sense, it can also refer to the forms of gymnastics practised in competition, as opposed to recreational gymnastic activities such as Gym for All.
Which types of gymnastics are Olympic?
Artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline are Olympic, the latter only in its individual event. Acrobatic gymnastics, aerobic gymnastics, parkour and Gym for All are recognised by the FIG but are not part of the Olympic programme.
Conclusion
Gymnastics is not a single sport, but a wide range of disciplines that combine art, strength, precision and creativity. Whatever the discipline, they all share the same essence: the constant challenge of body and mind.
