Weird Rules in Gymnastics

Gymnastics is a very strict sport with many rules that gymnasts have to follow. This is not just rules like "you can't fall off the beam" or "you can't go outside of the lines on the floor." The rules get insanely more strict than that. Some of the rules seem like a complete joke when you read it, but the judges take it very seriously. Believe it or not, here are some crazy rules that all competitive gymnasts must follow:

1. Gymnasts cannot touch their clothes during a routine

There are a lot of times in the middle of a routine where a gymnast's leotard can become uncomfortable. Whenever the gymnasts are not competing, they can adjust their leotard as much as they want as it cuts into their necks and hips. Once they salute to the judges and begin their routine, no matter what event it is, they are not allowed to touch their leotard at all to adjust it. Even if you have a wardrobe malfunction, you have to continue your routine or get a huge deduction for adjusting your wardrobe malfunction.

2. No clothing under the leotard is allowed to show

Most gymnasts have to buy special undergarments for their leotards because you can get a major deduction if any of them show from underneath your leotard. Leotards are very minimalistic that show of the entire leg and sometimes even have an open back. This makes it very difficult for girls to wear comfortable sports bras or underwear. There are special garments made just for leotards to make sure they never show through the leotard.

3. Their hair cannot touch the back of their neck

If you have ever watched gymnastics, you have probably noticed that all the gymnasts have their hair neatly tied back. This is not just to keep their hair out of their face, it is a requirement. A gymnast's ponytail cannot touch the back of their neck so most of the girls with longer hair have to but their hair in a bun sturdy enough to survive all the flipping. Their hair also cannot be put up sloppily. There is typically lots of hair gel and hair spray to slick the hair back to look perfect throughout the entire competition so they do not get a deduction for being sloppy with their hair.

6. Gymnasts can only wear nude braces when they are injured

When gymnasts are injured, they typically are told to wear a knee, ankle, or wrist brace. This helps stabilize their body parts to help reduce injury while they do gymnastics. Some braces come in black or white, but you will get a deduction for wearing these during competition because "they are too distracting," for the same reason that gymnasts cannot have nail polish on, sloppy hair, or showing undergarments. Their braces must be nude colored, to blend in with their skin.

As you can tell, these are many weird rules in the sport of gymnastics. There are many more little ones, but I just pointed out 6 of the main ones that are easiest to understand. Gymnast have to go through a lot more than you might think at first to get a perfect score.



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