EXAMINE THE PERCEIVED CAUSES OF POOR PERFORMANCE IN GYMNASTIC ACTIVITIES IN SOME RANDOMLY SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOL S IN OKRIKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF RIVERS STATE

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

One of the characteristics of man is movement or locomotion. For example, you can move from your house to the school by walking or running. But that is not the only type of locomotion, which you or any other person is capable of. It is equally possible for you and I to move from one place to another by leaping, hopping, jumping, swinging, crawling, rolling or tumbling. There is a sport, which combines all these skills and it is called Gymnastics. As an ingredient of physical education, gymnastics has undergone many changes these in turn have reflected attitudes towards the education of children, from the instrumental model to the child-centered idea. The very change in terminology “physical training” has become “physical education” or even “movement education” and “Gymnastics” has become “Educational gymnastics” signifies not only growth and development of ideas about “what” Gymnastic is about but also “How” it should be taught. The movement system of gymnastics reflects an era when the emphasis was place in instructing children, with an imposed discipline and consequently a formal relationship between the teacher and what is to be taught. While this undoubtedly aided the less competent teacher, it implied a way of teaching and type of lesson, which suited every class and every child. The basis of this work was anatomical with a certain remedial emphasis concerned with the systematic training of the muscles and joints in addition to the development of strength, endurance and a quick response to command being given.                       

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF GYMNASTICS

It is not possible to establish the exact origin of gymnastics, as the systematic practice of physical exercise. There are however references dating back to 3,000 B.C. In India and China, as being the first to develop a few activities that resembled gymnastics although such activities were used for medical purpose. Much later the Greek developed gymnastics far beyond the realm of physical discipline and competitive sports. The Greek also regarded gymnastics as Arts and Music as the most important forms of education to give to the child. All Greek boys and girls participated in rigorous gymnastic exercise such as movements. It was discovered to be a weakling was executed. (Ochu, 1990). It might interest you that “GYMNASTIC” means naked arts since the ancient Greeks usually performed exercises without any clothes on. The Greeks recognized the importance of activities to the good health and all round development of the young and they therefore associated this practice with education. Greek boys performed in the Gymnasium which means a place for performing exercise in Greek word. However, a Gymnasium could be used for other sports, apart from gymnastics. The Greeks also used the gymnasium as centers where they went for intellectual discussion just as Romans used the bath famous philosophers such as Plato Aristotle used the Academy, the Lyceum and cynosures which were the three great gymnasia of Athens as their teaching establishment. As the peak of Hellenic culture, the practice of gymnastic exercise in the preparation of their armies where as the Greek used gymnastics to develop a beautiful and healthy body. During the Renaissance, interest in systematic physical exercise was revived and the French philosopher Rousseau was an advocate of gymnastic for the promotion of good health. In 1770’s, a German called Johann Basedow added gymnastic to the programme of instruction in his private school and that was the first time that gymnastics made part of the school curriculum. According to Johann (1770), his idea is that gymnastic has a significant contribution to make towards the general education of the child was further promoted by John Guts Muths who wrote the first book of Gymnastics “Gymnastics for youth”. He also introduced gymnastics into all school in his country, Russia. Gut Muths who lived between 1759 -1839 was regarded as the “great-grand father of gymnastics” while the actual “father of gymnastics” was a German called Fredrick John. During the period from 1810 to 1852, John used gymnastics training to make the German youth proud of their country as well as to build up material strength of Germany. He was the founder of Gymnastic Society called the Turnverein was held at John’s center in St. John’s church, Berlin. Today, Gymnastics is an essential part of training the armed forces especially with recruits and are included in the activities of voluntary organization such as Boys Brigade, Boys Scout and Man ‘O’ War, e.t.c.

Gymnastic featured in the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896 but women’s events were introduced in the 1928 Olympics. The international body is called Federation is the governing body for the amateur gymnastic competitions in the United States founded in 1964. it performed a remarkable service to the sport of Gymnastics by fostering international recognition for the United States role in the sports by developing a training programme of national magnitude and by serving as a communications and resources center for distributing materials, registering athletes, providing insurance coverage, conducting national championships and selecting members for international competitions.

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