Floor exercise is one of two events that both men and women compete in. Women’s floor exercise is comprised of rhythmic dance steps along with complicated tumbling passes and flips. Men’s floor exercise trades the dance elements for non-acrobatic strength or break-dance moves. Regardless of gender, floor exercise is a complex event consisting of all elements of gymnastics.

This men’s only event is as much mental prowess as it is physical. The athlete must stay on top of the leather pommel horse and is almost always in constant circular motion over the apparatus. Even slight form breaks in a routine may result in a loss of balance and heavy deductions for the athlete. When performed by an experienced athlete, horse is as beautiful as it is difficult.

Rings is another men’s only event and is famous for its gravity-defying static positions. Rings athletes must often train years to be able to hold a single strength position in a full routine. The true quality of the gymnast is revealed only when they are capable of accomplishing clean swing combinations that result in steady strength holds.

The second of two events shared by both men and women, vault tests an athlete’s tumbling and twisting abilities. Lasting only a few moments, the gymnast runs along the runway and jumps off of the vault table into a series of difficult twists and flips. Scoring comes from how clean the athlete is in the air along with how well the athlete is able to stick their landing.

Parallel bars is only performed by men. This swing based event consists the gymnast traveling both above and below the bars in a series of swings and strength presses. Some of the crowd favorite elements include the gymnast flipping one or more times between the bars and catching themselves in a support position.

One of the most iconic events in the world of gymnastics, high bar is a crowd favorite due to its high flying release moves that often put gymnasts in dangerous positions. Lead mostly by the taller, leaner athletes, high bar is a test of air knowledge and pure determination. On high bar, athletes are given extra connection points for stringing together series of difficult release and catch tricks.

Uneven bars is the only women’s bar related event. The event is set up with one high bar and one low bar separated by approximately 6 feet. Gymnasts must seamlessly tie together a routine that consists use of both bars and even high flying exchanges between the high and low bar.

The idea of confidence is not prevalent in any event more than balance beam. Balancing oneself on a tiny 4 inch wide piece of leather while performing jumps, twists, and even flips takes more than just practice. Athletes on this women’s only event have to train over and over again to reassure themselves and achieve true perfection on the balance beam.