Gymnastics Balance Beam Evolution 50s-2010s (Re-uploaded)

[@mitchelltrio]

Really interesting to see how, particularly in the 1950s, the event truly was demonstrating that you could balance on a beam. Those earliest routines were mainly walking and posing. And you know what? I still couldn’t do it. 😂

[@glendamarie6256]

They could do it because of proper training and practice more than 8 hrs, 4 years and never giving up.

[@1funkychick]

In middle school PE in the late 70s, we had a balance beam. It was very difficult to balance and walk across it. We also learned a few basic moves that are shown on this video in the 50s & 60s.

[@GoddessNeith]

@@1funkychick we did too!!!!

[@andream9470]

Yeah I still would have fallen off but it certainly was much more artistic instead of technical.

[@sceneitfan]

My thoughts exactly!!

[@boycottpalmoil]

I really liked the 70’s and 80’s. They were allowed to introduce their own artistry and imagination into the routines. You never knew what the gymnasts would do which was the thrill. Nowadays you see the same moves in every routine partly because they are obligatory and because certain ones score highly. Watching this video was a breath of fresh air after the gymnastics in the recent olympics.

[@nancysherburne7445]

I would think that some of the imagination is what leads to new movements that are named after the gymnast who first introduced it in their routine. What an honor it must be to be so good that a new movement bore your name.

[@kp395]

Nadia and Olga were really the pioneers of modern beam works. They were the very first gymnasts to perform the aerial walkover and acro series on the beam, and that perfect double twist dismount. beam routines did evolve a lot since the beginning of 80s and a lot of moves were still adopted in todays' routines.

[@DragonsAurora]

Nadia had me wanting to be a gymnast. Thanks for share

[@juniper617]

I can remember when the idea of going full aerial on the beam was considered insane. Still, some of those old moves and poses are really cool; it’s too bad no one does them anymore.

[@jesseleeward2359]

The shift in skill between 1972 and 1976 was a chasm. Partly influenced by the fact that the gymnastics establishment in Romania never told the girls that other gymnasts were not performing these gymnastics skills to such a high level. The coaches insulated the information the girls heard and let the girls believe they were at a standard level and that even the slightest mistake would ruin everything. Nadia says she had all this knowledge in the 1980 Olympics and it weighed on her mind.

[@chonkydonklage]

I was particularly interested to see the wolf turn in one of the sixties routines

[@vaderladyl]

OMG those from the 80's are the best routines in my opinion. I think the whole world went downhill after the 2010's

[@CorwynCelesil]

I found myself enjoying the '60s and '70s routines the best, with their combination of real, balletic dance, slightly more daring acrobatics, and interesting contortionism. But there was also some really fun creativity in the '80s routines.

[@rufescens]

I've never seen videos of gymnastics from the 50s before. There's something so beautiful about them--they're of average people, not particularly young or skinny, accomplishing beautiful, but humanly possible feats.

[@joannablack]

The more modern routines are humanly possible too....because humans do them

[@rufescens]

@@joannablack They're superhuman in my book. 😊

[@hone.ybee01]

you described it so beautifully!

[@rufescens]

@@hone.ybee01 Thank you! 😊💜

[@nancysherburne7445]

I do realize these gymnasts, male as well as female, are otherwise normal people. I couldn't help but think as I watched the movie Nadia that no gymnast in street clothes in a typical setting looks like a gymnast.

[@janetslater129]

Okay...gotta admit that I LOVE the dance qualities on the beam from the 50s! Those were so nice to watch!

[@DavidOmaha1]

I agree, would be nice to see some of that come back in routines.

[@samanthapeters8314]

I like the 70s and 80s gymnastics. The gymnasts are in full control, artistic, and unique. I like how they can go from a fast routine then suddenly slow down into slow motion.

[@sylviahacker6695]

Interesting to watch the change in bodies through the years, from adult women to basically teenage girls. Nice background music.

[@nathancoleman7235]

I just said that to another commenter!

[@ferretyluv]

It’s just Blue Danube.

[@juliagoolia72]

One of my favourite parts of these videos is that one gymnast from the 60s with a perfect beehive hairdo.

[@Tracymmo]

Věra Čáslavská! Czechoslovakia. Also a really brave woman. In 1968, she protested the Soviet invasion of her country by refusing to look at the Czechoslovak flag when it was raised during the medals ceremony. Unsurprisingly, she paid a price for that when she went home and for years afterward.

[@karengummer6657]

And never a hair coming out of place. She must have dipped her head in shellac before she went on the beam

[@pattysims7236]

Thank you I'd wanted to know her name, she was fantastic 🎉❤ I'm sorry she had to go through all that when she got "home"!!😢

[@anagalbana]

the 80s was the golden era for gymnastics imo. super elegant and artistic but still including complex moves

[@nathancoleman7235]

Yes.

[@nubianfx]

id have to say it appears the late 60s to mid 70s were the most radical and pivotal time for gynmastics. There was definitely a great leap forward.

[@duran3d]

A leap forward in dificulty and a leap backwards in elegance, grace and sensibility, I would say.

[@stardroplet9499]

That is why Sanne Weavers Olympic gold win in Rio 2016 was so refreshing. Not many jumps but beautiful elegant moves that required great balance. Like the triple twists she did. So glad she won. Hope you do an updated version to include her routine.

[@Sunsetsonthehorizon]

I really like the 70s ones because of the flexibility being more emphasized! It seems like that was still pretty prominent up until the 2010s. I'm not as into the beam routines these days, although sometimes the Chinese and Russian gymnasts still have that graceful flexibility incorporated which is nice. I'm a dancer though so I'm biased ;)

[@jmj5388]

The Russian women used to have an hour of ballet as part of their daily training.

[@789uio6y]

No!!! It is sport not a balled!!! Also you have rytmic gymnastic for that!

[@crazeekids9744]

Kind of interesting to see how gymnast body types have changed as well. Seems like we went from average to ultra thin to super muscular.

[@siomhe8539]

Most of the super thin were from Communist countries that started the trend of very young athletes whose diets were strictly controlled. Athletes that practice serious gymnastics at older ages tend to have large thick bones, short stature be very muscular and have joint issues by the time they are 25

[@avocate2017]

@@cupcakeordeath I think most countries still prefer thinner gymnasts. The trend toward bulkier (shorter, more muscular) gymnasts began in the U.S. with gymnasts like Shawn Johnson and Simone Biles. Mary Lou Retton was really the first one, and she won gold at the 1984 Olympics.

[@crystalheart9]

I noticed that too when I started looking at videos from the 70's they were very thin and now they are muscular.

[@avocate2017]

@@crystalheart9 Most of us who have been following gymnastics for a long time are used to thinner, more graceful gymnasts. When the scoring system changed in 2006, that's when you began the see the rise of the bulkier, more compact, more muscular female gymnasts, especially in the U.S.

[@crystalheart9]

@@avocate2017 Thanks for your thought as I don't know much about it but enjoy watching it. Does it have to do with the types of skills they have have to do now? The skills are more athletic and require more muscle? I don't know I'm just curious and find it interesting.

[@anye76]

Today IMO the true artistic flare and personal expression on the beam seem to be gone now. The routines are almost sterile yet powerful. Nadia and Olga my goodness. Love this video❤

[@lorainefleeman6011]

And clones of each other. Gymnastics is not beautiful or artistic anymore.

[@martinasciolino1780]

The revised scoring system really inhibits creativity and originality on the beam. I particularly miss the intricate mounts, the arm balances, and the breathtaking tumbling including twisting front flips. It seems contemporary gymnasts all perform a similar set of skills nowadays, except for the Chinese team. Of course these skills are difficult, but they’re also overdone.

[@dorothyd4160]

I so agree with you. There is very little variety from one routine to the next. I think the code of points discourages innovation by design. The governing body wants to discourage female gymnasts from incorporating skills they deem risky or too difficult for most female gymnasts to perform. Take for example Simone Biles vault. It should have been awarded a higher value than it received. It got a lower difficulty value. some years ago, a Chinese gymnast did a one arm giant on the parallel bars. It was magnificent! However, it was never seen again because the skill didn’t result in a higher score. Other examples don’t come to mind now.

[@dorothyd4160]

I meant to say uneven bars not parallel bars.

[@jsek6800]

@@dorothyd4160 I kinda agree with you but also I think no one wants more broken necks. And in some places some gymnasts may be still forced to do dangerous routines if they make more points.

[@racheljones8935]

Yes!

[@verucasalt2391]

The 50s beam routines were more basic, of course, but their movements were more elegant and fluid, like a dancer. The beam routines now are more difficult, but any movements that are supposed to add artistry between the advanced elements are stiff, fast and robotic, not pretty.

[@ih82r8]

Agree

[@alissagonzales735]

The beam back in the 50's was supposed to be graceful while showing you talent. It is difficult to be graceful on a beam and perform.

[@GhostofMrsMuir1443]

Yes, totally. Ballet

[@gemsstoned6662]

thats why simone biles got pissed off about points, gymnastics is scored on difficulty AND Execution, just being an awesome tumbler is NOT gymnastics, but obviously one can get gold as a badass tumbler but two, elegant, badass chinese girls beat her in beam finals, showing the perfect example of gymnastics’ true form of ballet, elegance, and insane tumbling skill, watch for yourself and tell me they arent better and more pleaaing to the eye

[@Dlt814]

You perfectly articulated what I’ve been feeling but unable to express for some time now. I’m not criticizing Simon Biles. She’s a stunningly phenomenal athlete. But gymnastics is no longer pretty or elegant and fluid. It’s merely a series of elements with highly stylized flourishes in between. The balance beam seems to have especially suffered. It’s just just another tumbling routine but on a beam rather than the floor.

[@TooLittleInfo]

I really enjoyed watching the older routines, I feel that they were much more inventive and took more aesthetic risks back then. It feels like these days everybody is doing the mostly same moves as each other because those are the ones that get the highest points.

[@avocate2017]

Exactly. The older routines, especially from the '70s and '80s, were graceful, balletic, while still being daring and inventive. Plus, the gymnasts had beautiful lines. Today, most of the balance beam routines look similar to one another because everyone is trying to pack their routines with points. It's also why you see more wobbles and mistakes today.

[@TheRockprincess1697]

The earlier gymnastics look like the gymnast is still having fun and is more enjoyable to watch. These days it may be harder but just looks so mechanical.

[@michaelshelley1289]

PERFECT music for the video!!! i think the late 80's to 90's made the most changes...although they are doing spectacular things lately!!!!

[@williesnyder2899]

It appears that very early on the only expectation was the capacity to look graceful while balancing on a 4” wide beam. I recall how impressed I was with the Belorussian Swan, Svetlana, performing inverted handwork on the beam. That was when I saw moves that awed me. All ages have their innovative updates.

[@trirain146]

I'm glad you included Vera Caslavska, star of the Olympics 1964 Tokio and 1968 Mexico

[@robinconner9450]

Wow. The evolution is incredible! Olga and Nadia paved the way!

[@1funkychick]

I love those side dismounts. I haven’t noticed those in the past several summer Olympics.

[@MyaAni]

It's because they're very difficult to get much connection bonus on, and there isn't a ton of upgrade potential there, compared to tumbling dismounts where you can add twists or change shape to up the DD

[@swa7169]

What I see is the athletes getting younger and younger and the routines getting more and more dangerous. I vividly remember watching Dominique Moceanu coming down her head during the '96 games. She could've easily snapped her neck. She was 14.

[@juliagoolia72]

I was thinking the same thing. It seems the routines people are most wowed by are the ones performed by the youngest athletes. I remember a time when 18 was considered too old.

[@TexasPelican]

There was a young athelete who did break her neck and wound up paralyzed for life. She was one of Narolyi's students.

[@swa7169]

@@TexasPelican Julissa Gomez. She missed her footing on the springboard and hit the vaulting horse head first. She was on life support for three years before she died.

[@Tracymmo]

The ages have been going back up, thankfully

[@TexasPelican]

@@swa7169 May she rest in peace.

[@pageandink]

Why did this make me teary-eyed? Beautiful. Thanks for uploading.

[@lynnemarkgraf8689]

I recall in 1978 when the beam compulsory exercise had a back walkover for beginning competitors (Class III). We coaches flipped wondering how these kids would learn this! Now it's done by young kiddos routinely! My big tricks in the 60s were a backward roll and "Y" scale!

[@kissedbysun2517]

This was really fun and interesting. Love the bouffant hair dos!

[@midwestconcertvideo]

I would love to see you use the captioning system, to identify each individual gymnast, and the location so we could see the original full performances. Obviously we can recognize many of them, but not everyone. Thank you.

[@hone.ybee01]

the names of the gymnasts are in the description :)

[@Rachel-art-and-design]

This was a fascinating video. I find the balance beam amazing since I have Charcot Marie tooth disease I can’t even balance very well walking on the ground let alone on a tiny bit of surface. Love it

[@lindsaychristensen2848]

Awesome demonstration (& editing) of the evolution of difficulty and inspiring growth of routines on the Beam!

[@erinjohnson1124]

2008 Beam Final was lit! Lol still one of my favorites!

[@Ninusch11]

nice choice of music and editing

[@o6ina]

70s ans 80s were for sure the Golden age.

[@zona999]

Shawn Johnson was amazing on beam. And of course Nadia was such a pioneer.

[@katyaires]

No. The pioneer was Olga Korbut in 1972.

[@saragrant9749]

@@katyairesALL were innovative in their own way, pioneers for the sport.

[@cubemissy]

Thank you for these. It’s been interesting to see the skill level progress. I found this channel because a friend watched an old beam routine from the 1970s, and was confused because the elements were so different. The sport grows and evolves.

[@k.7.l.m]

Incredible body movement within that 4 inches wooden bar. So gracefully executed. Balance beam should regard as the most difficult performance in gymnastic world.

[@saragrant9749]

It’s considered one of the hardest events in any sport worldwide- definitely for a reason. 10cm isn’t much space to work with.

[@P1NKTHINKER]

I loved watching Omelianchik and Bo Yang and Li Li and Khorkina. All amazing 👏🙌!!

[@susannpatton2893]

Flipping incredible what we can get the human body to do. Just amazing

[@stephaniek1076]

AMAZING compilation and editing, choice of music to "reverse choreograph" a varied multitude of routines. Excellently done! And, AMAZING gymnasts and athleticism, too. What marvelous women!!

[@judysocal8682]

I admire the power of the current gymnasts but miss some of the more artistic/ graceful components. In floor exercises I sometimes wish they would just drop the token dance moves and just do the tumbling runs.

[@littlebee5048]

I agree with you about the token dance moves in floor exercise. They are just silly

[@Frankie4007]

I think those moves are used to catch their breath for a sec too

[@littlebee5048]

@@justmissjamey That makes sense. I hadn’t thought about it that way. I learned something today!

[@biff5856]

Figure skating has lost the artistry as well. It's about the quad jumps. What now qualifies as artistry is some arm flailing.

[@dorothyd4160]

@@Frankie4007 The moves we see ARE just fillers.

[@susanpayer3472]

Almost as amazing as the gymnastics displayed, is the editing, to match the music! Great video!

[@icarrus4u]

I wish coaches would use elements of artistry from the 50's in choreography in today's senior elites... Artistry nowadays is missing.

[@annapavfan4680]

Agreed. But thank goodness the new code is penalizing gymnasts for lack of rhythm and artistry (which is really needed). It's strange seeing a 13 as a good score . But some coaches are misinterpreting the code and adding ridiculous difficulty and not polishing the routines.

[@karaamundson3964]

Not entirely. Look at Kara Eakerly... Utterly graceful and artistic. Same for Sanne Wevers, Anna Pavlova, Nastia Luikin, Feng Zhe, Yang Bo, lots of other contemporary women gymnasts who really swim through their routines.

[@glendamarie6256]

Russian, Romanian and Chinese gymnasts are really graceful.

[@KellyeR1970]

I actually like the beam routines from the 70's and 80's more than today's.

[@nathancoleman7235]

So do I

[@brendacapestany2518]

Very creativity later on , on the balance beam even getting onto the beam was amazing. It’s definitely different in 2021 not as creative. I believe that has to do with the sport itself. It was amazing watching how the tricks got harder over time. What those girls could do was outstanding and I applaud them for that.

[@mcf-662]

Good to realize that in the last 10 years we lost grace, artistic elements and even balance

[@nushka1111]

Yep.

[@annexe4202]

Agreed. And real femininity😢

[@CindyCathel]

Absolutely 💯

[@wraithstrongopark]

y'all are a bunch of haters and, probably, fat. it sounds like white sour grapes, as it is one more sport that you can't dominate by keeping other races down . . . suck on it.

[@hawkcawcaw]

Imagine having such a nasty attitude at seeing such incredibly talented people. I hope you find God in your heart once more

[@winkieblink7625]

Beautiful piece. Thank you.

[@nedrakindle7432]

Wow! My name is Nedra Comaneci my Mother loved Nadia! And now my daughter is in gymnastics!

[@fulanideedee8709]

So much of the elegance of the sport and this appartus of gone.

[@BAMCarter12]

1:24 and thus thy "candle stick" 🕯️ was born:) amazing. I am enjoying this a lot!

[@clayz1]

A couple of those old moves seem almost laughably quaint. The girls however are as pretty as ever then and now. Thanks for the upload.

[@aurorarain1265]

Excellent clips! From walking to flying! Thank you for this!

[@drn6741]

From now on, when someone asks me what level I achieved when I was a gymnast, I’ll tell them to look at 50’s-70’s olympians 😅

[@987654321mnbv]

As long as you perform your routines on a polished wooden beam.

[@drn6741]

@@987654321mnbv My mom actually made me one of those! It hurt, but I got to practice at home 😅

[@ianflojam]

In my book, the golden age of gymnastics was the 70s and 80s. Back then, it was a neat mix of strength, style, and grace. But since the 90s, it's like we've hit a power overload, and that's all it's about now.

[@MsFlamingFlamer]

That “golden age” was a bunch of young teenagers with EDs. I do t know why anyone would want to bring that back. The Karolyis are high key problematic, probably even criminal

[@tulumbordon5242]

I prefer the elegance of the early years 💯

[@sixiscool4649]

Thank you so much for re-uploading!

[@givipixie]

Such an interesting video!! I was hoping it would include some 2020/21 videos! I love all the tricks gymnasts are able to do now-a-days but I do miss the artistry of the past. I wish judges awarded more points for that so gymnasts would do it more often.

[@TiMo-ff3gi]

I love the 70s and 80s this was my time

[@leavinglaodicea5960]

WOW. This is an incredible video. Thanks for taking the time to put this together. Dare I ask if there is one in the making showing the evolution of the uneven bars? And the mount at 4:05... yowza.

[@solangesilvalange6508]

I do not understand why Olga never won the perfect grade, is doing wonderful things on the devices, even before Nadia, but congratulations to all, beautiful presentations

[@Linda-iw7bk]

Beautifully done.

[@UnAnonKnown]

Super interesting to see how far the sport has come - to see how women have pushed themselves and learned what they’re truly capable of. The modern beam routines do have some dance elements to them still (though not in this video), but I for one am happy it’s not dominating anymore - if I wanted to watching dancing, I’d just watch dancing.

[@arno557]

Old school is oozing elegance

[@susanne5803]

Basically this shows what the Olympics have become: from something everyone could aspire to to something needing years of specialized training, a team , a whole industry and huge amounts of money ...

[@MsFlamingFlamer]

That’s with every sport on the planet. You think the Olympics should be for basic people and everyone gets a trophy?

[@susanne5803]

@@MsFlamingFlamer. I attended the Special Olympics. That was a very lovely and exhilarating event. All participants were rated in a way that got them at least participant trophies, and everyone got to stand on the steps. It felt very honest, mostly fair and most people were behaving decently most of the time. They were celebrating the joy of moving in a good way.

[@MsFlamingFlamer]

@@susanne5803 that’s great for them and I am happy they have a place where they can do that. I’m also happy to see the Olympics evolving and people being able to do things no one else has done before.

[@susanne5803]

@@MsFlamingFlamer To each their own!🤗

[@gymnastlily6620]

70's ,80's and 90's are MUCH better than today

[@keegan6356]

lmao how...?

[@ciannaavril8254]

Keegan it was more elagant and smoother

[@ridicuanell7518]

I utterly agree

[@annapavfan4680]

Well I have to disagree .. So far... I have yet to be dissapointed with the past and current Olympic champions on this apparatus. This event in my opinion is still true to the sports name. All the Olympic beam champions have a different style to their routine with great rhythm, a variety of skills, and originality. Keeps the sport interesting and diverse.

[@itzzz1234]

I agree, lol, it is crazy how some gymnasts win gold medals with simple routines, when these girls back in the day, did a 3 series combination on the beam, like b-handspring, b-handspring, layout. You don't see that anymore. Especially the combinations of the various skills and the lack of balance checks. The exception is Nastia and Shawn, who were great beam workers, but I cannot say the same for any girl from 2010-till now.

[@annapavfan4680]

So far... I have yet to be dissapointed with the past and current Olympic champions on this apparatus. This event in my opinion is still true to the sports name. All the Olympic beam champions have a different style to their routine with great rhythm, a variety of skills, and originality.

[@ammcroft]

In all of these videos I prefer the moves they did up until like mid 90s and then I just don't see the creative interesting moves showing off flexibility and balance.

[@josephrocha142]

Nadia is the best IMO. Perfect body for gymnastics. Long and lean, which creates beautiful lines. Very feminine and balletic.

[@christopherschuman9872]

Petrik had a particularly beautiful Wolf turn - More elegant than any I see today.

[@thebodyillusionadileshem2984]

Thank you for this video. I loved the comparison which shows that it was really women's artistic gymnastics for many years, and I think it should've evolved but not beyond where Olga Korbit and Nadia Comeneci, took it to. It should be more about ballet, conrol, balance, combined with acro series, but not have extreme as a goal and I also loved that the leotards were cut to cover enough. ❤❤❤

[@sillynacannada6718]

Great choice of a very graceful overture.

[@nancysherburne7445]

I think this video showing how movements on the beam progressed over the years. There was one gymnast in white with the number 7 on her back who looked as though she were moving on the floor. As incredible as the movements we see now are, I miss the grace and artistry of movements from earlier years. Ir reminds me of how figure skating changed from routines that focused on dance-type elements to the triples and now quads they do these days. Whoever put these beam routines to Strauss' On the Beautiful Blue Danube was spot on. October 12, 2024, and I am very sad not one person over the last three years liked my comment and I have no idea why. I have never voted on every comment when there are tens of thousands, but there are only 567 three years after I posted this. It was funny how, before I was even reminded I had posted a comment, my thoughts went back to how figure skating had evolved from grace to power the same as beam has done. I know this was true as well for bars, vault, and floors. What these gymnasts were able to do in their decades were amazing. I can't help wondering how the continuing evolution will lead to in the future. My final thoughts are that as sad as I am my comment of three years ago was never voted on, I hope some of you at least had taken time to read it and this addition.

[@0Funker0]

The stuff these girls do is nothing less than amazing. Wow

[@nathancoleman7235]

Love this video chronology comaneci1!

[@laurenwallace8204]

The caption for “the 2010’s” was followed by footage from the 2004 and 2008 olympics. I don’t know if the showed anything from 2012 but there definitely wasn’t anything from 2016, so not really much from the 2010’s at all.

[@Krista2882]

my favorite is the 60s.

[@carolinem4920]

If the fifties beam was this easy imagine what like level 4 or 3 would be like

[@RosaCatz]

Women’s gymnastics just started (Atleast in this form). Tumbling was only done by men beforehand.

[@cathyg6811]

Lol I'd like to see YOU try these "easy" moves.

[@alissagonzales735]

Unless your a gymnast. I like to see you perform on the hardwood beam those easy moves. Because that is what they were back then.

[@CountryCowboy008]

Was Nadia's dismount a double twist? Wow.. That's so advanced, considering that it was the 70s. Add one more twist and it's an F dismount nowadays (correct me if I'm wrong) :-)

[@teevee5260]

You know, and I'm sure that I can speak for everyone, including Seth "I Don't Need a Doctor" Enslow, Evil "I Think I Need a Doctor" Knievel, and Roy "Here Kitty Kitty" Horn, as we all grow accustomed to these great athletic and acrobatic performances we no longer appreciate the Balance Beam in Gymnastics. I think that it is time to make this sport exciting once again. I recommend that the beam be raised to 15 feet off the ground and razer sharp knives be anchored in the floor. Let's add a little excitement and Adrenaline Thrill. Let's also require them to dismount into a pile of broken glass. And last, let's oil and wax the beam to really challenge these fine athletes.

[@erin9868]

@@teevee5260 while we are at it, baseball would be way more interesting with landmines. And track needs attack dogs. Really give them a reason to run, you know?

[@teevee5260]

@@erin9868 So True.

[@valeriebambha2930]

I prefer the earlier versions that were more dance like. I think having simpler, well executed movement looks better and is less dangerous than the modern elements.

[@ederlifortunato5681]

Besides the changes in the apparatus, that became covered in leather, the bean was an apparatus of balance and elegance. Now, as the resto of gymnastics, It is all about acrobatic jumps. The same ia happening with artistic Ice skating, that is becoming jumping skating or quad skating.

[@raquelo6384]

I would really love to know the average ages of the gymnasts in each decade!! This was a wonderfully made compilation video!

[@catwhisperer1253]

Those beams in the 70s and early 80s and before were very slippery. They were made of pure hard wood. The beams in the 80s and beyond were padded. It made doing stunts on them easier and safer.

[@SusieQ-mn3qf]

Weren't they narrower as well?

[@catwhisperer1253]

​@@SusieQ-mn3qfI don't think so. I think they have always been 4 inches wide.

[@15MonsterCookie]

It's super interesting (to me) to look at their body proportions too. Our bodies adapt to what we do so it it cool seeing their hips become more and more narrow and their shoulders more and more wide. It must've been a little more well-rounded back in the day.

[@GoddessNeith]

the gymnasts went from grown women to young teens and girls. some of those moves are simply astonishing and gravity-defying.

[@lulugtz837]

Al parecer, hace muchos años, solo las señoras practicaban este tipo de gimnasia .

[@elizanem1773]

70s were the best

[@SCARASLEFTARMPITlel]

I love how they used to have such graceful movements.

[@sam_tate]

3:34 I think is my favorite older move. I miss seeing things like this.

[@karaamundson3964]

I love beam and I love watching this. I'm pretty sure I'd be a big fail in any decade, but even the thirties and forties are a SOLID GAS! I still haven't nutured any more love for hip circles, though. I think they're inelegant and I've heard that they're dangerous, too (I'm not knowledgeable enough about the sport to know how). They also beg the unfortunate comparison that none of these elite athletes desire: Me as a child, at recess on the bars! Hip circles make me wonder if it's a fancy, if weird, safe move. I'm glad gymnasts have left this odd move in the past.

[@jorgetolozaramirez3401]

Bravo, simply. Это хороший работать!

[@gibsongirl6816]

It's kind of sad to see this. To see how far things have been pushed.

[@mykemech]

Seems like some of these moves were harder or more risky in the 80's and 90's. I suppose some are no longer allowed which is why we don't see them. AMAZING!

[@loveforeignaccents]

Always amazes me!!

[@AntonAdelson]

This and the floor are the only two where I feel the quality only steadily improves with time! Also this is the closest apparatus to freerunning! (Am a parkour coach)

[@MyDestinyDear]

Incredible to watch. As an athlete there is a never ending strive to do better. To reach the max. To push past the best and be the first to do something that pushes the boundaries forward. Love to watch the ascent.

[@kimwaddell4218]

What amazing balance these ladies have

[@Horsefeathers30]

Oh my gosh the lady in the '50s doing the splits, inching down. 😆( I can't really critique anybody since I was terrified just to walk on it.) They all deserve a metal👍

[@madeleinehenricsson226]

Going down into a split for example seems more difficult than a backflip. Long time to keep the balance instead of a eyeblink movement. I don't say backflip is easy though.

[@cc_celeste]

Nadia 😍😍😍 My all time favorite 💕💕💕

[@camryn8660]

So much changed from the 60’s to 70’s

[@dfadden62]

The only date I saw was at the start-1950s. It would have been nice to have seen the dates progress.

[@JessieCarty]

I didn't see the 60s are 2000s clearly denoted but saw the others.