Licensed from Columbia University Press
Event in gymnastics competition consisting of various ballet and tumbling movements (including jumps, somersaults, and handstands) performed without apparatus. Women's routines are performed with musical accompaniment, men's routines without it. The whole routine must be performed with rhythm and harmony and must be designed to use a major portion of an area 12 m (39 ft 4 in.) square. It was included as an Olympic medal event for men in 1936 and for women in 1952.
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Training of the body to improve health and fitness. Different types have different purposes, including aerobics for heart and respiratory function and weight loss, weight-bearing exercise for bone strength, weight training for muscle strength, and stretching for flexibility. Specific exercises are used in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Benefits include lower blood pressure, higher HDL cholesterol, improved disease resistance, and better general well-being.
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