The movements that make up gymnastics began as strength and combat training for Greek soldiers. Later, floor gymnastics became a part of the Olympic games where they remained as a competitive event until the games were abandoned in 393 A.D.
Though there were no formalized competitions, tumbling by actors and performers continued through the Middle Ages. At times, these routines were combined with music and continued to be incorporated in performance through the 19th century.
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Johann Christoph Friedrich Guts Muths formalized the movements that had been utilized by performers for entertainment purposes. He began to use floor gymnastics, as well as other apparatus-based events, as a physical education program for young Germans.
Around the same time that Muths was instructing German students in his methods of gymnastics, Per Henrik Ling of Sweden and Neils Bukh of Denmark developed an artistic version of floor gymnastics. Their techniques were meant to improve health and exemplify beauty.
In 1860, the first gymnastics festival was held in Coburg, Germany. It incorporated floor gymnastics as part of its routines, and this led to the start of competitive gymnastics in the late 19th century.
Floor gymnastics was added to the Olympics in 1932. Vladimir Marchenko, Nadia Comaneci, Li Ning, Shannon Miller and Alexei Nemov are all famous historical gymnasts who have won medals in floor gymnastics since its addition to the competition.