of Gymnastics on Balance Beam This apparatus is rather lately
used in competitive gymnastics. However, as apparatus for
balancing it is actually as old as later body exercises. It
might started with a "horizontal laying, totally round pine tree
trunk..." to balance on. Jahn called it later "Schweben" (engl.:
floating) which is the origin of the present name still used in
Germany. The lower part of the long "Schwedenbank" (Swedish
bench) still integrates the balance beam. 1934 the balance beam
was part of the world championships in Budapest for the first
time. That was also the first time actual women's international
championships took The beam was only 8 cm wide. Nowadays, this
discipline is not only a demonstration of feeling for balance
but also of acrobatic of highest difficulty in the artistic
area. This apparatus is rather lately used in competitive
gymnastics. As apparatus for balancing, however, it is actually
as old as later body exercises. Already Johan Christoph
GutsMuths (1759 - 1839) dedicated one