Gymnastics Have Changed for the Better | Rio Olympics | MTV News

Check out how much Simone Biles & co. can do compared to their counterparts from the 50s and 60s.

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[data]

my grandma: why won't the kids get jobs nowadays
job requirements back then to now:

[urbanlegendsandtrivia]

For everyone who doesn't know, in the older days the floors and equipment weren't nearly as "springy", so the gymnasts had to create their own power. They were better than you think.

[MadPotty]

Keeping in mind that we use the experience gained in the past to study how to improve, but also many athletes back then also had day jobs.

[bEtHaRoO]

I did like the cool elements they could do when the bars were closer together

[jaysarno]

It would be quite risky and difficult to tumble back then because the floors didn’t have springs, just wooden floor or carpet. It’s good that springs were implemented for safety reasons.

[rgreenberg]

Compare MTV of the 80s/90s to the MTV now. It's not pretty.

[commercialcommunication]

Just watch the old ice skating, that was pretty simplistic too. But the athletes keep pushing the envelope. Imagine what they will be doing in 50 years! Quints?

[chaleethao]

I tell my dam coworkers not to do more than the standard or else we're screwed with more and more expectations

[EmilySmith-mhtr]

Still can't do anything in the 1950's side :)

[patem]

It would be amazing see one about rhythmic gymnastics especially because the sport has gone through a lotnof changes since 2000 and each cycle the Code of Points has have different emphasis

[ballermilw]

They were a lot more graceful and smooth back in the days. I miss that aspect of it. Now days you see all the gymnasts anxiously rushing through their graceful movements and putting more focus on their flips..

[DumbFabric]

Old olympics: Elegance, style, balance
New olympics: FLIP FLIP FLIP FLIP FLIP AS FAST AS YOU CAN

[MarcusDrall]

I see old gymnastics as more about form than speed and show.

[hootax]

The current routines are more impressive from a technical standpoint, but the older styles are slower and prettier to watch imo

[Nonob]

i dont know whats the point of this video comparing 50s gymnastic to now is just dump they should have make a comparaison with 80s gymnast that manage to pull off difficult skill with artisty while the material was way worse than now

[Digmer]

They all run so the newer can fly. Props to the one that paved the way.

[NarutoUzumakiofficial]

yes. love but it's a a lot safer. i mean the padding gives you more of peace of mind

[classicbird]

Gymnastics haven't "changed for the better", but for the worse. There has never been so little art and elegance in artistic gymnastics. I miss the times when there was less of a jumpin festival with all those pumped up stumps but more of the beauty, grace and expression of the earlier days. I love to watch the Caslavskas, Korbuts and Tourishchevas, and I turn the TV off when I see these Biles', Lees and Andrades of today's gymnastics.

[joegordon]

you cant compare the two eras because the equipment was different. the point is, modern gymnasts couldnt for instance do all those flips on an old hard floor. the past gymnasts could do more with todays bouncy floors. no one should be saying one is better than the other. its just a matter of who was best in their era.

[MagCynic]

The key here is comparing it to the 50s and 60s. Had they gone to the 70s and 80s, they'd be making comparisons to LEGENDARY gymnasts like Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton. And call me crazy, but if Simon Biles wasn't on this year's team, I don't think the racists at MTV News would even have this video.