gymnastics, floor

I did wonder last night why the women gymnasts had stopped wearing leotards that cover their arses. Some just looked plain uncomfortable.

Although it's the same with athletics isn't it, no shorts any more.

There isn't so much difference in age between the women and men now. GBs single female gymnast at the Barcelona Olympics was 16 or 17 at the time, and nearly at the end of her gym career.

At London 2012 the women's team were 15, 18, 20, 23 and 27 years old. (Beth Tweddle was 27). One lady who competed at the London games age 37 was also at the Barcelona games 20 years previously. The change of scoring system made it a bit easier to continue competing for longer, along with the age rules that now say you must be rising 16 to compete at senior level.

I agree that gymnastics is very stereotyped with women being expected to be graceful and dancy where as men can just concentrate on being strong and co-ordinated.
I'd scrap the dancy moves and let the women just show off their tumbling with some strength and agility poses like the men on the floor.
When my son did gymnastics he was disappointed that he didn't get to do dancy bits and beam and had to concentrate on upper body strength.

The most surprising thing for me was how strong and muscly the women look now.
They aren't the hip-less girls of the soviet era. They look incredible and so strong. I was in awe.

Watching it with the DDs (8 & 4)this morning and loving how they have become instant experts. I asked them what they thought about the difference betweeen the mens and womens floor routines and they thought it was the men couldn't do both bits.

Absolutely it's sexist that women can't just be athletic, and have to be able to pose and dance. All while wearing little more than a swimsuit.

Those poor girls must be very well acquainted with wax! All those splits and straddle leaps wearing so little.

They could easily wear shorts or leggings without hiding their technique. But no, once again women have to display themselves in a way men do not.

Yes, that certainly seemed to be the case.

is it still the case that there's a large age disparity between men and women competitors? It used to be that the men were clearly men, 18 plus, usually 20s, and the 'women' were young girls. There were also some concerns raised about the long-term effects of the extreme flexibility required on young girl's development I think. I used to love watching it years ago but gradually stopped after hearing that

I'd like to see them lose the music (or introduce it for the men and go back to the original dance element - otherwise it perpetuates the idea of dance being a women's thing that is beneath the men) and focus on the athleticism of the tumbles.

And improve the equality in attire. As a minimum. Professional athletes shouldn't need to engage in intimate grooming to participate in their sport. (As I suspect many of them would feel pressured to do at present).

gym knickers

I was coming on here to say about the men being able to wear shorts and the women not. Reminds me of being at primary where the girls weren't allowed to wear trousers.

I wouldn't want my crotch out there for the world to see or my bum.

I was wondering that too. It doesnt seem to be set to the music as such (Like Torvil and DEans ice skating).

The flappy hand stuff is just weird. They flap around above, you think they're done - then they flap to the side and do the next bit.

Its strange.

Not debating the athletes skill & strength, they were awesome.

I'm questioning the whole requirement for the women's performances to be flouncy, dancey, and more sexualised than the men's. All that stuff actively detracts from the demonstration of strength & skill.

Also wondered why the men can wear shorts over what appears to be a full leotard but not the women.

Ive been watching it, I love the women's gymnastics. But I started wondering about the pretty superfluous fluttery and bum sticky outy bits too.
I was admiring how strong and muscled the women looked, how beautiful in their strength and how amazing the things they could do with their bodies. But the modern floor routine is really about the tumbling. Come on, ditch the stilted 'dance' bits.

I agree Slugs, they rip! But why does it need to be dressed up in the "flappy hands" etc (what is that called?!). And if it is necessary, let's see it applied equally.

Not criticising the athletes, they have done brilliantly this week!

It's the institution that I'm questioning. Why does the women's competition need to be that much more (I don't know if sexualised is what I mean here) flamboyant than the men's?

I'd like to see more parity between the expectations. Add some music and flappy hands to the men's competition, let the women wear shorts and prioritise strong over pretty.