AIBU to find women's gymnastics ungainly?

Much as I love the gymnastics, I think I have to agree. The movement is spiky and awkward, especially on the beam.

I think this started when gymnastics became more acrobatic....these days it's more about tumbling and less about elegance.

I think, overall, the Russians are more elegant. They are more "classical" in their approach, apparently.

Certainly, the last time I tried a cartwheel I landed in an ungainly heap.
The DGD thought it was very funny.

sorry, I do realise it was a sensible and serious question.

I think I agree.
False, and just a means to get from A to B.

The posturing on the beam is ridiculous and ungainly. Why bother?

I suppose it is showing total control of the body during and in between moves (unless they fall off the beam).

Don't watch it?

I haven't watched any olympics yet, but have read about the sparkly costumes and a discussion of Tom Daley's swimming trunks. Not much about the competitor's sporting prowess. Can't say I am tempted to watch, may watch some athletics next week.

I can't watch the beam, as a man the thought of a slip is just too scary. The floor is great to watch, but what are some of those young girls doing to their bodies.

Well that's " me tellt" dj as Paw Broon might say. You have such an encouraging way of responding to am opinion.
However, it is not unreasonable surely to express an opinion especially when the scoring for women's "artistic" gymnastics includes a score for "artistry"as follows.

Are there marks for artistry (dance/choreography)?
Women receive marks for artistry on the floor and on the beam. Routines need to be well thought out to suit the style of the gymnast. The judges are looking for an overall performance, which includes expression, confidence and personal style, with a varied tempo throughout the routine. The floor exercise has deductions for artistry of performance (0.50), composition/choreography and music (1.1) and musicality (0.9). The beam exercise has deductions for Artistic performance (0.40), composition and choreography (0.50) and tempo and rhythm in connections (0.10)

Of course you can express an opinion,you don't have to like everything about Everything ,we can like it,BUT.

They seem unable to decide whether it is ballet or gymnastics, and I have never really understood the marking, since few seem to do the same things. The beam is frightening, thinking of all the injuries it might cause, but then I am a watcher rather than a doer of these things, and after all, it is no good being good at performing things unless there is someone like me who can watch and appreciate, is there?

The style of woman's gymnastics has changed over the decades. Gone are the days of Nellie Kim and Nadia Comaneči where grace was combined with the tumbling moves and it was pure pleasure to watch.

Nowadays it's all about packing the high scoring moves into your routine.

While I still enjoy watching it, I can't help but feel something has been lost and I speak as an ex BAGA coach.

I think something has been lost, too, anya, but I'm not sure quite what it is.....some of the grace and elegance certainly.

If we remember Korbut, Kim, Comaneci and co, we're bound to feel a little bit nostalgic, to be fair...

Those Chinese gymnasts last night were so seriously tiny I thought they must surely be about 5 years old.

It seems to be all about power these days, so the time of the elegant, graceful gymnast is probably over.

In the days of Korbut, Comaneci et al there were no British gymnasts at all that we heard of. As a competitive sport it has really come on in recent decades. Elissa Downie has just had her 17th birthday and she's been going to her big sister's gym since she was 3. Both sisters were there last night - we hoped to see a lot more of them and less of the Chinese standing around wide-eyed. But only because the 'Double Downies' are part of our extended family. We know the efforts their Mum has put in over the years, all that driving them to gym then to school, then back after school...Some of those Chinese look 6 rather than 16. The difficulty is to combine the strength and power with gracefulness. At that level they all try so, so hard. It's as someone once said, it's not a matter of life and death, it's more serious than that. And just one slip can put them out, as happened to Louis Smith the night before.

margrete the first British gymnast I can remember is Suzanne Dando. We've come on so much since then! It's incredible to think we are competing on the world stage.

Beth Tweddle seems to have had an influence too.

Absolutely Daphne I have thought this for a long time, but been shot down in flames by my sportier friends, who accuse me of applying balletic standards to a sport. I agree about the actions on the beam - all flailing arms and robotic gestures- all seems a bit pointless. I have found myself saying "Why"? When watching many of the gymnastic antics.

Isn't the beam about balance more than anything else though?

Felt soooo sorry for Louis Smith the other night. We've made such progress in the gymnastics perhaps we should be acknowledging and celebrating it rather than picking holes?

In theatrical terms, the routines need "cleaning". Take out the unnecessary padding. If a pause is required between set pieces, don't be afraid of stillness.

I think it's the contemporary style to make the hold positions appear "ugly."

I thought they had to "fill in the gaps" though?

I think it may be easier (for us watching) if all gymnasts did the same routine. We could compare and contrast then!

Wish I could do the moves they do don't think I would have the dedication good luck to team gb ????????

I haven't watched any of the Olympics, sorry I find it quite boring, you'll find me gardening or knitting and reading a book.

The men just don't look right doing the floor routine.