The Value Implication and Pathway Transition of Gymnastics to Life-Oriented Development

The development of modern competitive gymnastics has become detached from its connection with everyday life.However, sports are increasingly being integrated into daily life, contributing to the realization of a better life. Therefore, it is essential to reevaluate the value and direction of life-oriented development in gymnastics. Gymnastics originated as a practical activity to enhance human survival skills in response to natural living. It has undergone a profound transformation from being a utilitarian existence to a cultural activity. Gymnastics practices the transition from developing physical abilities to expressing aesthetic emotions, from a generalized activity to a specific sport, and from enhancing individual life skills to shaping a meaningful world. The contemporary life-oriented development of gymnastics transcends the experiential perspective of health promotion.Instead, it shifts towards the transcendent dimensions of social production and cultural development, transitioning from being a specific means of life practice to constituting a world that shapes life. This transformation signifies a shift from the path of instrumentalism to the path of culture. To promote the development of gymnastics in China and ensure that gymnastics becomes an integral part of the people's pursuit of a fulfilling and meaningful life, specific pathways can be adopted. These include expanding service structures, upgrading service methods, innovating activity forms, enhancing aesthetic experiences, and strengthening the educational value of gymnastics. By introducing gymnastics into government institutions, schools, communities, families, and enterprises, the value of gymnastics can be extended from a mere fitness exercise to a cultural activity.