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TERMS:
10.0: The highest possible and most desired routine score for gymnasts to achieve on a single routine. In the past and perhaps in the future, at least for men's gymnastics, scores may exceed 10.0 if they have a high degree of difficulty.
Abduction: In general, refers to movements moving outward from the center of the body. Hip abduction is moving the legs, knees and feet outward. Shoulder abduction is moving the arms and hands out to the side.
Acro: Term referring to tumbling skill on beam or floor exercise, used most commonly when describing combination dance-acro requirements.
Acrobatics: A gymnastics term for control skills requiring balance, strength, and/or flexibility. Sometimes called corner skills in men's gymnastics. For women, it includes some of the slower, more controlled elements, like a front walkover. See also - Sports Acrobatics.
Active Stretching: The practice of having a relaxed limb moved beyond its normal range of motion with the assistance of a partner. Another method of active flexibility is using high kicks of the leg. This is the type of flexibility exercise has more potential for muscle tears than passive stretching.
Adagio: means slow, in dance it means a slow, sustained movement.
Adduction: Hip adduction is bringing the knees together. Shoulder adduction is pressing the arms downward while out to the side.
Adductor Muscles: The pair of adductor muscles on the inside of the thighs pull the legs toward each other. These are the muscles that must be stretched in order to perform a straddle split.
Adolph: A front somersault (usually layout) with 3½ twists done on trampoline.
Aerial: A skill performed without the hands touching the floor or the apparatus. Most commonly used to refer to an aerial cartwheel or aerial (front) walkover.
Airplane: A trampoline skill done by jumping with a 1/2 longitudinal axis (LA) twist to a front drop.
All Around: Describes a gymnast who competes in all their gymnastics events. For men, this is six events, and for women it is four events. Also refers to the event competition won by scoring the highest score sum total in all of the events.
Allegro: means fast, in dance it refers to jumps performed to a sharp, quick tempo. There are two types of allegro jumps - grand allegro are large jumps and petite allegro are small jumps.
Allongé: To to stretch or elongate.
Alternates: Any tumbling pass that directly connects two saltos (somersaults or flips) by the use of any handspring skill. For example: Round-off whip back handspring whip. It is more common to see alternates done with backward tumbling rather than front tumbling.
Amanar: a vault named after Simona Amanar of Romania. The vault is a 2 1/2 twisting lay-out Yurchenko done by her at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Amplitude: In gymnastics, this term refers to height, distance and full extension in the execution of a particular skill. In general, the higher the or bigger a skill is performed, the better the amplitude and the resulting score. Historically at times, the FIG code has given bonus for amplitude.
Apparatus: Any one of the pieces of equipment used in gymnastics competition, including the vaulting table, uneven bars, balance beam, the horizontal bar, parallel bars, the pommel horse and still rings.
Arabesque: In gymnastics and ballet, a pose on one leg with the other leg extended behind the body. The supporting leg either bent or straight. Stand on one foot and raise the other leg to the back in a split (preferably a 180 degree split) with a straight leg and turned out from the hip; while keeping the trunk fully upright.
Also see Turnout and Scale
Arabesque Penche: An arabesque scale in which the back is allowed to drop so that the rear leg may be raised higher.
Arabian Front: A tumbling somersaulting skill, which usually begins from a back tumbling skill like a round-off or back handspring, and consists of a ½ turn into front salto. Can be done in tuck, pike or layout and can also be stepped -out. Also now done from a stand on beam.
Arabian Double Front: An Arabian front done with two somersaults. Done in either tuck or pike or even in layout.
Arch: A position, in which the back is curved backwards, the chest is open and. the body takes on a convex shape. Used in dance movements. Is not usually desirable in tumbling or bars.
Arrière, en: Dance term meaning to the back.
Artistic Gymnastics: The Olympic sport for men and women performed on apparatus and judged individually, by event, in the All-Around and by team. Men's events are floor exercise, horizontal bar, parallel bars, pommel horse, still rings and vault. Women's events are vault, uneven parallel bars balance beam and floor exercise.
A Skills: The lowest level of difficulty rating for gymnastics skills other than moves of no value. For example, front and back handsprings are rated as "A" level skills by the F.I.G. (International Gymnastics Federation).
Assemblé: To assemble, a jump from one foot landing on two feet. A common ballet and gymnastics movement where the legs are brought together in the air. It begins with a step and ends on both feet. The gymnast lifts one leg up and springs off the other On landing, both feet have closed together. An assemblé is usually a preparatory movement to another skill, usually a jump. An assemblé can travel in the direction in which the leg was raised and can be performed while turning or with a beat in the air.
Attitude: A pose on one leg with the other extended with the knee slightly bent either to the front, side, or back. A position of the body, similar to the arabesque, where the extended leg is bent at the knee. See Arabesque.
Also what gymnasts and some coaches have too much of.
Avant, en: Dance term meaning to the front.
Back Flip: One of a number of terms for a back somersault move that begins usually taking off two feet, rotates then lands again on the feet. Also called Back Somersault, Back Salto, Back Tuck, Back Pike, Back Layout.
Back Giant: A circling skill done on high bar, parallel bars and uneven bars that begins and finishes in a handstand and circles around the bar in a fully extended position, often using an arch/hollow tap swing action.
Back Handspring: A tumbling move where a gymnast takes off from one or two feet, jumps backward onto the hands and lands on the feet. This skill can be as a step-out skill (usual method on beam) or landed on two feet. Round-off back handsprings are the basis for almost all back tumbling skills. Back handsprings are also called a Flip-Flop or Flic-Flac.
Back Somersault: One of the number of terms for a back salto move that begins usually taking off two feet, rotates then lands again on the feet. Also called Back Flip, Back Salto, Back Tuck, Back Pike, Back Layout.
Back Somie/Back Salto Dismount: A somersaulting dismount off beam, parallel bars, rings, bars or even pommel horse using an back aerial somersault.
Back Walkover: A control skill gymnastics move starting and finishing on the feet and made by lifting one leg, arching back into and passing through a handstand position by bringing one foot, then the other over the top and stepping down from the handstand into a lunge. Done on floor and beam and often used on beam in combination with a back handspring to fulfill the flight series combination requirement.
Back: A backward somersault. See Back Somersault.
Backbend: A body position with an high degree of bending with an arched back and stretched shoulders where the hands and feet are on the floor. To do correctly with the shoulders over the hands and straight legs, requires above average back and shoulder flexibility.
Backgrab: A term used in gymnastics to describe when a gymnast kicks one leg to the rear while standing, grabs the leg from overhead, and ends up in a needle scale position See: Needle Scale
Back-In, Full-Out: A double back salto with a full twist. The twist is initiated and completed during the second salto. Also called a Full-Out
Balance Beam: 1) A piece of women's gymnastics apparatus 120 centimeters (4 feet) high, 10 centimeters (4 inches) wide, and 500 centimeters (16 feet) long.
2) A women's gymnastics event performed on the balance beam apparatus. The balance beam routine should last between 70 to 90 seconds and includes a variety of acrobatic, gymnastic, and dance moves, ending with a dismount.
Balance: 1) A static gymnastics or dance position, which holds the body in a distinct shape and is usually used on beam.
2) A state of equilibrium or be in equilibrium
3) A routine that has its elements evenly spread and distributed throughout the whole routine is said to be balanced.
Balancé: A dance move meaning to swing or rock, usually done as a swinging 3-step movement.
Balançoire: A dance term that means see-saw.
A see-saw movement that as the leg moves forward and backwards, the body bends in the opposite direction.
Ball Out: On trampoline this term refers to a front somersault done from a bounce on the back.
Ballistic Stretching: The use of momentum or "bouncing" to force a limb beyond its range of motion in order to warm up or increase flexibility. Examples of ballistic stretching would be leg swings or bouncing in splits. Such stretches may lead to injury if the body is not thoroughly warmed up, but if done carefully (with light force and controlled amplitude), experienced gymnasts may benefit from these flexibility exercises.
Bar: A horizontal rod that serves as a part of a gymnastics apparatus for gymnasts as they perform exercises. They are found on uneven bars, high bars and parallel bars. A bar can also be called a Rail.
Barani: A forward somersault with a half-twist. The skill is most often done in the layout position and the twist is done with a ¼ in, ¼ out twist timing. In TnT (Tumbling and Trampoline) competitions, a barani is any front somersault skill with a 1/2 twist (the twisting can be done as a 1/2 in, 1/4-1/4 or 1/2 out). A barani usually refers to a two-foot punch take-off, two-foot landing aerial skill. A hurdle step, one-foot aerial take-off, two foot landing skill would be more accurately called an "aerial barani" .
Battement: A dance term meaning movement of the leg.
Bhardwaj: A salto on uneven bars named after Mohini Bhardwaj. She first performed the skill in International competition in 2004. It is done from a hang on the high bar, facing the low bar with a swing forward, and a layout salto backward with a full turn (360 degrees) between bars to a handstand on the low bar. It has been rated as D level skill with the FIG and its FIG number is 4.506
Bhavsar: A rings skill named after Raj Bhavsar. It is a pull through momentary, front lever press to Maltese It has been rated by the FIG as an E level skill (Super E if done with straight body).
Blind Change: A high bar or uneven bar skill done from a back giant, with a ½ turn over the top of the bar to end in a front giant.
Block: The term block in gymnastics is usually used to describe a rapid bounce, repulsion or rebounding off the floor or vault with the arms. The block comes from the shoulders exploding towards full extension and usually is used in reference to handsprings on floor and all vaults off the vault horse..
Body Wave: A wave-like contraction movement of the entire body passing through the hips, shoulders, arms and head.
Bonus Points: Each skill has a Level of difficulty rated by the FIG as an A, B, C, D E or Super E level skill. Bonus points in a routine are created by the combination of difficult C or D level skills or by performing the very difficult E or Super E skills.
Borden: A balance beam skill named after Amanda Borden. It is a straddle pike jump done from a sideways position on the beam with a ½ or ¾ turn. It has been rated as a C level skill by the FIG and its FIG number is 2.302
Brause: An uneven bar skill named after Doris Fuchs Brause. It is done from the low bar facing away from the high bar, with a cast to front salto forward and catching the high bar. It has been rated as a C skill by the FIG.
Bridge: Another term for a backbend in which the body forms an arch, supported by the hands and feet. Ideally, the arms and legs should be straight and close together. It is often done starting by lying on the floor, bending the knees up with the feet on the floor and then pushing up with the arms and legs. See Backbend
Bryan: A pommel horse skill named after Casey Bryan. It is a scissors with ½ turn to handstand, ½ pirouette and straddle back down. It has been rated by the Fig as a C level skill.
Buck: A short gymnastic horse without pommels and with one end elongated. It used to be used lengthwise for vaulting and sideways for learning pommel horse skills. It is not commonly used for vaulting training any longer, but still is sometimes used as a training tool for pommel horse. Also called a pommel buck.
Cabriole: A gymnastics and ballet leap in which one leg is extended in midair and the other beat against it before the gymnast lands on the foot used for take-off.. Cabrioles can be done to the front, side and back. The kick-the-habit kick on TV commercials was a cabriole.
Candlestick: A candle stick is a shoulder stand position where the gymnast is essentially resting on the back of their shoulders with their feet pointed towards the ceiling. The gymnast's arms can be in a variety of original artistic positions or on the floor to assist with support and balance.
Cartwheel: A gymnastics movement where the gymnast moves sideways (in the motion the wheel of a cart would follow) in a straight line alternately placing the hands and feet on the ground and finishing with the body coming up to a lunge landing position. The name cartwheel is so named because when a gymnast performs this, their arms and legs move like the spokes of a turning wheel.
Cat Leap: A gymnastics and ballet leap where a gymnast takes off from one foot, raising one knee and then the other in a turned out position and the toes pointed. Also called a Pas de Chat.
Chainé Turn: A turn on the balls of the feet, usually done in a series of half turns. Turns that are linked together; that is chained together. To do this turn correctly, it is especially important to spot the turn correctly. Keep your eyes focused on one spot in the direction you are turning. As you execute the turn leave the head there until the last moment when you have to whip it around to complete the turn. Whip it into exactly the same spot you started the head in to keep you in a straight line. You should be in a high relevé throughout the turns., pulled up through the hips and thighs with your hips always as your guide for placement.
Chassé: A dance movement of the feet which gives the impression of one foot chasing the other, often used as a lead-up to a leap.
Chest Stand: A front prone arched balance pose in which the performer's chest is resting on the floor for support and the legs are up in the air over the head stretching forward.
Choreography: (1) A compilation of movements which make up a dance or gymnastics beam or floor routine. (2) The artistic creation of original movements which make up a dance or gymnastics routine with all the necessary requirements: acrobatic and choreographic elements, pirouettes, jumps, etc.
Chow: An uneven bar skill named after Amy Chow. It is a Stalder backwards to a handstand on the high bar with 1 and ½ turns in the handstand to a mixed-L grip. It has been rated by the FIG as an E level skill and its FIG number is 6.504.
Circumduction: The act of moving the body, with or without apparatus, in a full circle with forward and backward flexion of the trunk and one hand leading the other to make a small circle in front of the body or a large circle around the body and overhead.
Clear Hip Circle: A back hip circle in which the body hips do not touch the bar. At the optional level, the skill should start and finish in a handstand. Also called a Free Hip Handstand.
Code of Points: The official FIG rulebook for judging gymnastics skills from the International Gymnastics Federation with the rules in which the scoring system and the composition of a program are based. The code of points specifies the difficulty value of all skills, as well as outlines requirements that must be fulfilled for each event. It is a necessary and valuable tool for coaches and judges. See FIG
Cody: Back somersault from a front drop on the stomach done on the trampoline. This can be a difficult skill to rotate when first learning it.
Composition: The structure of a gymnastics routine and how each individual element, movement or skill is arranged into a routine is called the composition of the routine. The overall arrangement of individual movements and skills into a gymnastics routine.
Compulsories: A routine in which the elements are pre-determined by an organization such as USA Gymnastics (or other national federation) or by the FIG. Routines that are specified and designated by the gymnastics federation for certain levels of gymnasts and which all gymnasts at that level must perform. Compulsory routines are no longer a part of international competitions. They are used in the U.S. at the beginning levels of gymnastics competition (Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6) and as a part of Elite testing. Also called mandatory routines.
Compulsory: All gymnasts competing compulsory routines must perform specified skills in a specified order. Compulsory routines have been eliminated from higher level optional gymnastics competitions. Compulsory is an adjective used to describe routines, levels and gymnasts.
Concentric Muscle Contraction: A concentric contraction is when a muscle shortens while contracting. Doing a pull-up by contractng the biceps is an example.
Coupé: A ballet term whose literal meaning is to cut. It is a ballet dance movement that calls for the non-support foot to be pulled sharply off the floor and placed with a pointed toe either in the back or the front of the ankle.
Counter Turn: A counter turn is most often used to describe the turning of the hips in the opposite direction of a double leg circle. When a gymnast has their legs straight in front of them, their hips should be turning in the opposite direction of their circle. For a clockwise circle the gymnast's right hip will be higher than their left. This enables the gymnast to extend and drive their heels for the completion of the circle. It enables a much stronger circle, and allows for spindles to be performed dynamically.
Crash dive: A trampoline skill where ¾ of a front somersault is performed landing in the back. Also called a suicide, but that term is not too popular with gym owners..
Cross: A strength move performed on the still rings, in a straight body or " L" position, with the body perpendicular to the floor and the arms stretched straight out perpendicular to the body. Also called an Iron Cross.
Daggett: A pommel horse skill named after Tim Daggett. It consists of a scissor backward with ½ counterturn. It has been rated as a C level skill by the FIG.
Dawes: An uneven bar skill named after Dominique Dawes. It is a back giant with 1 ½ turn in the handstand. It has been rated by the FIG as a D level skill. Its FIG number is 4.403.
Deduction: Points that each judge deducts for each incorrect execution and/or composition. Points are taken off a gymnast's score for any errors. Most deductions are pre-determined, such as a 0.5 deduction for a fall from an apparatus or a 0.1 deduction for stepping out of bounds on the floor exercise. Small deductions are .1 and judges now often take off a half a tenth. Medium deductions are .2 and large deductions are .3. At the end of the routine the deductions are added up together and are deducted from 10.0 (or the starting value of the routine) in order to give the final gymnast's score.
Degree Of Difficulty: A rating that measures the difficulty of the specific moves in a gymnast's routine. It is factored into the total score after judges have scored the execution of the moves. Each skill has a Level of difficulty rated by the FIG as an A, B, C, D E or Super E level skill. Difficulty in a routine is created by the combination of difficult skills or by performing the very difficult E or Super E skills. See Bonus Points.
Demi-plié:Literally translated to a small bend. This is a fundamental ballet movement that calls for the knees, to bend in perfect alignment over the toes with the feet flat on the floor and making sure that the heels of the feett do not lift off the floor.
Développé: This is a ballet and gymnastics dance movement. A développé is done by drawing the toe of the gesture leg (which bends at the knee and hip) up the front, side, or back of the supporting leg, until it reaches knee height. It is then developed (unfolded) to its full extension, either to the front, side or back of the gymnast's body.
Dislocate: This is a skill in gymnastics, that involves a rotating of the shoulders when performing a backwards turn or movement. Dislocates require a degree of shoulder flexibility to perform. On bars, dislocates are often done out of a glide jam.
Dismount: The term used for the last skill in a gymnastics routine. For most events the method used to get off of the event apparatus. In high level competition, this skill should be at most one skill value below the hardest skill in the routine, e.g. if there is a E value skill in the routine, the dismount should be of at least D value.
Double Back: A tumbling skill with two consecutive backwards somersaults done in the same skill movement. Double backs can be done in any body position - tuck, pike, open, or layout.
Double, Double: A double twisting, double back somersault tumbling skill. This is perhaps the most difficult tumbling skill currently done on a regulation gymnastics floor. It is done in either the open tuck position or in layout. It is also used as a dismount on high bar, rings, and uneven bars.
Double Full: A gymnastics tumbling skill consisting of a single layout salto with two twists. It can also be done as a dismount from beam or bars, although it is rarely used off bars because of the difficulty of landing upright. Also called aDouble Twist.
Double Lay/Double Layout: A double back salto performed in the layout position.
Double Twist: A single layout somersault with two twists. See Double Full.
Dynamic Stretching: The use of a controlled swinging movements through the range of motion of a limb, in order to warm up or increase flexibility. See Active Stretching.
Eagle Grip: In an eagle grip, a gymnasts hands are turned 180 degrees outward from a regular over grip. The hands and thumbs are turned out in the grip. This position requires a high degree of shoulder flexibility to swing comfortably and maintain a firm grip during the swing. Also called an L Grip.
Eccentric Muscle Contraction: An eccentric contraction is when a contracting muscle lengthens. An example is lowering down by straightening the arms from a chin-up.
Elbow Stand: An inverted pose in which the performer balances on the forearms on the floor. Kind of like a handstand on the forearms.
Element: A single move that has a recognized way of performance and technical value. To be named after a gymnast, he or she must first submit the element to the FIG and then successfully perform the element in a FIG sanctioned international competition, such as the World Championships or Olympic Games.
Endo: A bar and uneven bar skill done by performing a forward straddle circle, usually to a handstand, named after Frank Endo. Also called an Endo Shoot.
Entrechat: A gymnastics and ballet movement which is a a jump from two feet, tapping/beating the legs together and landing on either one or two feet.
Events: The 4 women's events in gymnastics are Floor, Uneven Bars, Beam and Vault. The 6 men's events are Floor, Pommel Horse, Rings, Vault, Parallel Bars and High Bar.
Execution: The amplitude, form, style and technique used to complete the skills in in the performance of a routine. Bent knees and flexed toes are examples of poor execution.
Extension: A term commonly used by gymnasts and coaches to refer to the height of the leg when it is raised into the air during a dance skill.
Extension/Flexion: The act of stretching or straightening out a flexed limb. Extension of a joint is moving toward its most straight position. Flexion is the bending of a joint. Opposing muscles move each joint in the body toward extension or flexion.
Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG): The international and Olympic governing body of competitive gymnastics. The FIG is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and is responsible for the governance of the sport of gymnastics on the international level. They draw up the rules, known as the Code of Points, which dictate how judges assess gymnasts and the manner in which all international competitions are run..
Flexibility: The ability to move a body joint through its full range of motion, the range of motion through which a joint can move without feeling pain. To have a wide range of motion in a joint. An example of the types of flexibility required of gymnasts is to be able to do all three splits.
Flexion: Movement about a joint in which bones on either side of the joint are brought closer together, decreasing the angle of the joint. Any movement of a joint, which brings connected body parts closer together. Opposite of Extension.
Flic-Flac: Also known as a Flip-Flop or Back Handspring. This tumbling element is used in a majority of back tumbling passes on the floor exercise. It's also used a great deal on the balance beam.
Fliffis: Any double somersault with a twist including double front with a ½ twist, full-in, ½ in-1/2 out and full-out.
Flip: Tumbling element that rotates about the transverse (horizontal) axis. Also called somersault, a salto or somie.
Flip-Flop: Also known as a Flic-Flac or Back Handspring.
Floor Exercise: A gymnastics event which is competed by both men and women, where the gymnast performs tumbling and acrobatic passes on a 40 foot square spring floor. Women's floor exercise is done to music.
Flyaway: A back salto dismount from either the unevens or high bar. Can be done in tuck pike or layout.
Fontaine: An uneven bar dismount named after Larissa Fontaine. She first performed the skill in the 1994 World Championships. The double somersaulting dismount is a back tuck with ½ twist into a front. The skill is rated by the FIG as a D level skill and its FIG number is 8.406.
Forward Somersault: A front salto tumbling skill on the floor exercise or balance beam, done in the tuck, pike or layout positions.
Fouetté: A term applied to a whipping gymnastics and ballet dance movement. The movement may be a short whipped movement of the raised foot as it passes rapidly in front of or behind the supporting foot or the sharp whipping around of the body from one direction to another. There are a great number and variety of fouettés.
Free Hip Handstand: Same as a Clear Hip Handstand.
Front Giant: A front circling skill done on high bar or uneven bars that begins and finishes in a handstand and circles around the bar in a fully extended position with the hands holding onto the bar with a reverse grip.
Front Handspring: A front tumbling skill that begins with a hurdle step and rotates 360 degrees from feet to hands to feet again. Correct execution includes a strong shoulder block and straight arms and legs. Front handsprings can be stepped out or landed on two feet.
Front Hip Circle: A mount for the uneven bars in which the body is supported by the hands and the hips rest on the bar. The body falls forward, pikes, the hands rotate around the bar and the gymnast ends up in a front support again.
Front Somersault: Same as Forward Somersault.
Front Split: A split in which one leg is extended frontward and the other leg is extended backward, both at right angles to the trunk. Ideally, the legs are split at least 180 degrees and are flat on the floor (or beam), the hips are square facing to the front and both legs are turned out from the hips. Also called Side Splitor stride split. See also Turnout.
Front Walkover: A control skill floor and beam move where a gymnast lunges into a split handstand and continues to walk over and step out onto the feet. This move requires both shoulder and back flexibility.
Front: A Forward Somersault
Full Twisting Double Back: A double back with a full twist on either of the saltos.
Full: A back somersault with one full twist in the longitudinal axis, usually done in the layout position.
Full-in, Back-out: A double salto with a full twist with the full twist being performed during the first salto. Also called a Full-in.
Full-in, Full-out: A double twisting double somersault with a full twist on the first salto and a full twist on the second salto. Also called a full-out.
Full Turn: A 360 degree turn gymnastics or dance skill required on both floor and beam. The turn is traditionally done on one foot and the arms and legs are held and used in a variety of optional positions.
Garrison: A floor exercise skill named after U. S. gymnast Kelly Garrison. It consists of a cat leap forward with bent legs and 1 ½ turn. It has been rated by the FIG as C level skill and its FIG number is 1.314.
Garrison: A balance beam skill named after U. S. gymnast Kelly Garrison. It consists of a free shoulder roll forward to stand or tuck stand without hand support. It has been rated by the FIG as C level skill and its FIG number is 6.302.
Garrison: A balance beam skill named after U. S. gymnast Kelly Garrison. It starts from an extended tuck sit, Valdez swing over backward through horizontal plane with support on one arm.. It has been rated by the FIG as C level skill and its FIG number is 7.306.
Garrison: A balance beam mount named after U. S. gymnast Kelly Garrison. It is round-off, tucked full mount. It has been rated by the FIG as Super E level skill and its FIG number is 1.616.
Gatson: A P-bar skill named after Jason Gatson. It consists of a swing backward with full turn hop to handstand. It has been rated as D level skill by the FIG.
Gaylord: A high bar skill named after U. S. gymnast Mitch Gaylord. It is a front giant into a one-and-one-half front salto over the bar to regrasp - a front somersault in tuck, pike or straddled position over the bar. It is sometimes called the Gayord I and has been rated by the FIG as a D level skill.
Gaylord: Another high bar skill named after U. S. gymnast Mitch Gaylord. It is a back giant into a layout Gienger (back salto, ½ ) over the bar to regrasp - a front somersault in tuck, pike or straddled position over the bar. It is sometimes called the Gayord II and has been rated by the FIG as a D level skill.
Giant: A 360 degrees circling swing through around the bar from handstand to handstand, with the body fully extended. It can be performed on uneven bars, high bar, rings and parallel bars, and can be done either backwards or forwards.
Gienger: A flyaway back salto with a one-half twist, followed by a re-grasp of the bar. Named for German gymnast Eberhard Gienger, who created and first performed the skill.
Grande Jeté: A ballet term used to describe a split leap, a large jump that is done from one foot to the other. It can be done either fermé (closed) or ouverte (open); there are many forms of grand jeté such as: grand jeté attitude croisé en arriére (large jump on the diagonal with one leg extended forward and the other leg extended to the back, slightly bent at the knees). See also Split Leap.
Grand Plié: A gymnastics and ballet movement where the gymnast stands with legs fully bent. A large bend; a movement that requires both knees to fully bend at the same time, and the body is lowered very close to the floor.
Grips: Grips are the leather straps that gymnasts wear to help keep a better grip on the uneven bars, high bar, parallel bars or rings. The purpose of grips is to help maintain a firm grip on the equipment and to help minimize the occurrence of rips. Uneven bar grips have 2 finger holes and a medium size dowel that is smaller than on grips for rings, but larger than the dowel for high bar. High bar grips are typically 3 finger with a small dowel. Ring grips are 2 finger, long and have a large dowel. Parallel bar grips exist, but are rarely used.
Gym Suit: The clothes prescribed for wear while participating in a gymnastic competition or worn during a gymnastics practice. For women, this is most commonly called a leotard.
Gymnastics: Physical exercises designed to develop and display strength, balance, and agility, especially those performed on or with specialized apparatus. Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of sequences of movements requiring physical strength, flexibility, and kinesthetic awareness, such as handsprings and handstands. It developed from fitness exercises used by ancient Greek soldiers, including skills for mounting and dismounting a horse, and circus performance skills. There are numerous uses of the term gymnastics for other gymnastics/dance-like activities. On our site the term gymnastics is generally refers to artistic gymnastics, the Olympic competitive version of gymnastics consisting of four events for women (Vault, bars, beam, floor) and six events for men (Floor, parallel bars, pommel horse, rings, vault and high bar). Tumbling and trampoline, especially as they are used as training for artistic gymnastics are also extensively covered. There is room on this site for the discussion of rhythmic gymnastics, general gymnastics, sports acrobatics, etc. but the main focus is artistic gymnastics.
Half-in, Half-out: A tumbling skill and bar dismount that consists of a double salto with a half twist on the first salto and a half twist on the second salto, usually done like an Arabian double front with a half.
Hamstring: The muscle at the back of thigh which is stretched when bending forward in a pike position with the leg straight.
Hand Guards: Also called Grips Designed to help gymnasts on the bars, P-bars and rings. They are usually made up of a strip of leather and a wrist strap and held on with either a Velcro strap or a buckle. The strip of leather has finger holes up the top. The gymnast's fingers should go down to the first knuckle and the number of these holes in the grips depends on the apparatus. On women's uneven parallel bars and men's high bar, the grips only go over the third and fourth fingers, but men's rings grips go over the index finger as well. Wrist guards are normally worn under grips and are cotton or foam padded bands. Some coaches and gymnasts make simple grips out of athletic tape. Gymnasts use varying amounts of water, spit and chalk to prepare their grips just he way they want them. In general, with dowels produce a better grip on the bar and grips are used to help reduce friction between the bar and as the less friction that is generated, the less likely that rips (torn open blisters) will occur.
Handspring: A front or back tumbling skill that takes off the feet onto the hands and back onto the feet. It is commonly a set-up for a front or back salto. See also Flip-Flop, Front Handspring, Back Handspring
Handspring Front: A term used to indicate either a tumbling pass or vault involving a handspring and front salto. The handspring front vault is a double front vault with a handspring on the front side and a front salto on the back side. The tumbling pass is two skill performed in sequence a front handspring directly connected into a front salto.
Handstand: An inverted gymnastics control skill performed by supporting the body on both hands, with the arms straight and the body vertical. It is a core gymnastics skill and used or passed through on every gymnastics event. Performing a solid handstand requires above-average upper body strength. In a proper handstand, the legs are together, but there are a large variety of optional leg positions used on floor and beam.
Hayden: This is a high bar skill named after U.S. gymnast Daniel Hayden. It consists of a double salto backward in layout, with full twist over the bar. It has been rated by the FIG as a D level skill.
Head In: This is a body position in gymnastics, usually in a handstand, during tumbling or during a giant, where the gymnast's head is down, with their chin tucked in on their chest or close to it. This is the correct head position on handstands and many tumbling, bars and beam skills. It is a commonly heard coaching correction.
Head Out: A gymnast's head is up and their chin is tilted back. This automatically causes an arch in the back, which is a weak body position. There are very few skills in gymnastics and virtually none on bars where having the head out is desirable.
Healy: A common maneuver on the parallel bars and now on uneven bars, high bar, beam and floor where a gymnast starts in a handstand and then falls forward, lifts one arm and executing a full-turn. On the P-bars, a gymnast re-catches the bar in a support position and usually continues swinging to a handstand. On high bar and unevens, the gymnast re-catches the bar in a L-grip and continues swinging. On floor and beam, the gymnast lands out of a healy in a seated position
Heel Drive: Coaches use this term or correction to inform their gymnasts that they want them to drive their heels harder up and over on the front side of a handspring vault or front handspring on floor. Increasing heel drive creates more rotation and potential for block and power to be utilized on vault or tumbling.
Henrich: A balance beam skill named after U.S. gymnast Christy Henrich. The skill consists of a stag-split,r split leap or jump forward with ½ turn, landing on both feet or in a one-two step-out. It can also refer to a split jump in side position with bending of rear leg backward upward that starts from a cross stand. The skill has been rated by the FIG as a C level skill and its FIG number is 2.301.
High Bar: This term denotes either the men's horizontal bar apparatus or event. It can also refer to the top bar on the women's uneven bars.
Hip Circle: A very basic bar circling skill done on the uneven bars or high bar in which the body circles around the bar with the body touching the bar at the hips and the hands and arms supporting the body. There are both front hip circles (usually done out of a kip) and back hip circles (done out of a cast). Neither of these skills are used in optional competition any more. Back hip circles are a progression of free hips. Both hip circles are currently used as USA Gymnastics Compulsory skills.
Hip Flexors: The set of leg muscles and ligaments including the iliopsoas muscle and the iliofemoral ligament which helps control the turnout of the legs from the hip and are primarily responsible for lifting the leg upward. While raising the leg to the front, the hip flexors contract. When the leg is raised to the rear, the hip flexors are stretched and extended.
Hollow: A term referring to a gymnastics body position, where hips are turned under, the butt is tucked in and the chest is rounded forward. This is a very important body position in the sport of gymnastics and must be memorized and strengthened. It is often subtly used in connection with a slight arch position to initiate or control gymnastics movements on every event.
Horizontal Bar: A men's gymnastics competitive apparatus consisting of uprights holding a metal bar 240 centimeters (8 & ½ feet) long and 2.8 centimeters (1.1 inches) in diameters, and set at a height of 275 centimeters (9 feet off the floor. The bar is designed to deal with a force of around 200,000 pounds per square inch of force and is bolted to the floor and held down with four cables to deal with the tremendous G-forces generated during circling skill and tap swings.
Horse: Formerly, the official gymnastics apparatus for vaulting for both men and women. It was long and narrow and women vaulted over it sideways and men vaulted over it the long way. It is no longer used for vaulting and has been replaced by the new vaulting apparatus - the vault table.
Humphrey: A floor skill named after U.S. gymnast Terin Humphrey. She first performed it in international competition in 2004. It consists of switch split leap forward with a ¼ turn to side split leap or straddle pike position. It has been rated by the FIG as a D level skill and its FIG number is 3.406.
Hurdle: This term refers to a gymnastics transition from a run to a tumbling skill, most commonly a round-off or a front handspring. A hurdle resembles a skip. In actual gymnastics competition, the hurdle is done from a full-speed run. For training purposes, a power hurdle is often done where the hurdle is done from a two-foot stand. This term also refers to the transition skill from the vault run to the two-foot landing on the vault springboard or into the round-off in Yurchenko vaults. Hurdle steps onto the vault springboard should be long and low to best transfer running momentum to vault momentum. This is a very critical skill to master for both tumbling and vaulting as it will determine the upper limit of power that can be created.
Inverted Cross: A gymnastics skill performed on the still rings. It is an inverted handstand position, with the arms stretched straight out from the shoulders perpendicular to the body. Essentially it is an upside-down iron cross.
Inward turn: A gymnastics or ballet turn on the feet (foot) in the opposite direction of the supporting leg. In other words, if a gymnast does a traditional full turn on the left leg turning it to the left, an inward turn is done on the same leg and turns to the right. Inward turns are also known as reverse turns. See also Full Turn.
Isometric Muscle Contraction: An isometric muscle contraction when your muscle contracts, but does not change in length. A common example of an isometric muscle contraction is hanging from a chin-up bar with your arms bent at 90 degrees. In this case the bicep muscle contracts, but does not change in length because you're not moving up or down. Examples in gymnastics would include and iron cross An example is any static hold (L sit, iron cross, etc)
Iron Cross: A strength move performed on the still rings, in a straight body or " L" position, with the body perpendicular to the floor and the arms stretched straight out perpendicular to the body.
Isometric Stretching: Isometric stretching is a type of static stretching (meaning it does not involve motion) which involves the resistance of muscle groups through isometric contraction of the stretched muscles.. The use of isometric stretching is one of the fastest ways to develop increased static-passive flexibility and is much more effective than either passive stretching or active stretching alone. Isometric stretches also help to develop strength in the tensed muscles (which helps to develop static-active flexibility), and seems to decrease the amount of pain usually associated with stretching. The most common ways to provide the needed resistance for an isometric stretch are to apply resistance manually to one's own limbs, to have a partner apply the resistance, or to use an apparatus such as a wall (or the floor) to provide resistance.
Jaeger: A high bar and uneven bar gymnastics skill consisting of a front salto release to a re-catch of the bar. It can be done in the tuck, pike, straddle and layout positions and also with twisting. An alternate spelling is Yaeger.
Jeté: A gymnastics and ballet movement where a gymnast throws their leg and takes off from one foot and lands one foot. It also means to throw or to toss or a sharp movement that either describes a throw of the leg or a jump with a throw of the leg. There are many forms of this movement including jeté fermé, jeté ouverte, grand jeté, grand battement jeté, jeté entrelacé.
Johnson: A gymnastics floor skill named after U.S. gymnast Brandy Johnson. It consists of a switch-split leap forward with leg change and ¼ turn to side split leap or straddle pike position. The skill has been rated by the FIG as an A level skill and the FIG number is 1.205. This is a good example of how a relatively easy skill still can be original.
Kip: A gymnastics bar skill move designed to move from a glide or hang on the bars to a support position. It is done on high bar, unevens and the parallel bars. The skill is uses transfer of momentum and is done by swinging or gliding (to a fully extended position), bringing the toes to the bar, jamming up the leg and pulling with straight arms up to a front support position. This is a basic bar skill and is first used in the USA Gymnastics compulsory at Level 5.
Korbut: This is an uneven bar skill created by Russian gymnast Olga Korbut. It consists of a backwards flip from a stand on the high bar to a re-catch of the high bar. The rules no longer permit gymnasts to do either release moves or dismounts from a stand on the bars.
Layout: This term refers to a straight body position in which salto skills are performed. Almost all twisting skills are done in this position, since it facilitates the twisting process. Twisting double somersaults, however, are often done in the open position. There is usually a very subtle arch hollow action used in layout somersaults, which facilitates rotation. Also called the stretched position.
Layout Step-Out: A tumbling skill used on beam and sometimes on floor. During a back layout salto the legs are split and the landing is on one foot and then the other. Most often used now as part of a back tumbling series on beam.
Leg Circle: A basic and standard pommel-horse move where a gymnast keeps the legs together and swings them in a full circle around the horse, with each hand alternately lifted in turn from the pommel to let the legs pass. It is also performed on some of the other gymnastics apparatuses including floor, parallel bars and balance beam.
Leotard: A one piece, fitted garment, usually made of a light stretch fabric that fits closely to the skin to cover a gymnast's body. It allows for complete freedom of movement in order to be able to perform any gymnastics skill. Leotards are worn for classes, practice and competitions. Long sleeve leotards are required for high-level gymnastics competitions.
Limber: A frontward or backward gymnastics flexibility skill that is similar to a walkover except the legs remain together at all times. The skill begins on the feet, passes through a handstand and finishes on the feet again in a stand. A front limber requires more shoulder and lower back flexibility than a walkover.
Long Horse: Formerly, the men's gymnastics apparatus for vaulting. Basically the old vaulting horse was a pommel horse without the pommels and men vaulted over it the long way. The horse is no longer used for vaulting and has been replaced with the vault table for both men and women.
Lunge: A position often used to initiate and/or land a tumbling or control skill like a cartwheel. The lunge position is recognizable because the front leg is bent and the back leg is straight. In general, the arms are by the ears and the body position is in a straight bodyline from the tips of the fingers to the foot on the floor.
Maloney: An uneven bar skill named after Kristen Maloney. She first performed it in international competition in the 1997 World Championships. It consists of a pike sole circle backward to handstand with a 360° turn after the handstand phase to mixed-L or L grip. The skill has been rated by the FIG as a D level skill and the FIG number is 7.409.
Maloney: Another uneven bar skill named after Kristin Maloney. She first performed the skill internationally in the 1997 World Championships. The skill begins from an inner front support on the low bar and consists of a pike sole circle backward through a handstand with flight to a hang on the high bar The skill has been rated by the FIG as a D level skill and the FIG number is 7.410.
Mat: A term that refers to the various types of covered soft polyurethane foam landing equipment. Mats are used for safety, dismount landings and for performing on.
McCool: A balance beam mount named after Courtney McCool, who first performed the skill in international competition in 2004. The beam mount approaches toward the end of the beam and is a flyspring forward with flight before and after the hand support on the beam and lands on both feet - approach at end of beam. The skill has been rated by the FIG as a D level skill and the FIG number is 1.409.
McNamara: An uneven bar mount named after Julianne McNamara. She first performed the skill internationally in 1981. The mount is performed with a jump to hang on the high bar into a free hip circle to handstand with 1/2 turn in the handstand. The skill has been rated by the FIG as a D level skill and the FIG number is 1.415.
Melissanidis: A vaulting skill in which the gymnast performs a round-off entry onto the vault table and after blocking off the vault table, rotates a 2 ½ back somersault. It is named after the Greek gymnast, Melissanidis, who performed it first in international competition.
Miller: An uneven bar skill named after Shannon Miller. It consists of a cast to handstand, with a 1 ½ turn after the handstand to a mixed-L grip. The skill has been rated by the FIG as a D level skill and the FIG number is 2.401.
Miller: Another skill named for U. S. gymnast Shannon Miller, this one on the balance beam. It consists of a back dive with a quarter twist to a handstand, followed by a half pirouette.
Mixed Grip: On the bars, this term refers to a grip with one hand in regular grip and the other in reverse grip, which means on one hand the fingers are facing away and are facing in on the other hand finger.
Mount: This term is used both to identify the first skill with which the gymnast starts a gymnastics routine and also means to get up onto a gymnastics apparatus.
Needle Scale: A gymnast balance arabesque type element usually done on beam (but also possibly on floor) balanced on one foot, with the other leg lifted high (preferably showing a 180 degree split) to the back. The body is typically dropped forward with the chest down and the hands either flat on the floor, gripping the ankle or grasping the beam.
Okino: An uneven bar dismount named after Betty Okino, who first performed the skill in international competition. It consists of a free hip underswing with ½ twist to layout back salto. The skill has been rated by the FIG as a D level skill and the FIG number is 8.402.
Okino: An balance beam skill named after Betty Okino, which she first performed in the 1991 World Championships. It is a triple pirouette (triple turn). The skill has been rated by the FIG as a E level skill and the FIG number is 3.501.
Olympic Order: This refers to the order in which gymnastics events proceed in international competition. Unless there are other valid meet planning reasons not to do so, it is the order at every other gymnastics competition, also. The Olympic order for women is vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise. The Olympic order for men's competition is floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars and horizontal bar. Olympic order for rhythmic gymnasts is rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon.
Omelianchik: A balance beam skill named after Romanian gymnast Oksana Omelianchik. It is a back dive with ¼ (or ¾) twist to land in a handstand.
O'Neill: An still rings skill named after U.S. gymnast Paul O-Neill. It consists ofa stretched double feige backward to a hang. The skill has been rated by the FIG as a E level skill.
Optionals: A category of competition in which gymnasts and coaches individually create routines in which the gymnast may perform skills of their choosing which meet the rules as specified in the FIG code of points and under the constraints of listed special requirements. Optional gymnasts present their best skills in their routines. Optional gymnasts are higher level gymnasts than Compulsory gymnasts are.
Overgrip: An overgrip is hanging (swinging) on the bar with the palm of the hand and fingers facing away from the gymnast.
Overshoot: A release move from the high bar to the low bar. It starts on the on high bar facing low bar. The gymnast swings up and over the low bar with a half turn to a catch of the low bar. Also called an Under swing.
Pas: In gymnastics and ballet, means step or dance, as in Pas De Chat, which means "step of the cat."
Pak Salto: An uneven bar move in which the gymnast releases the high bar, does a backward flip, and catches the low bar. Named for North Korean gymnast Gyong Sil Pak, who created it.
Parallel Bars: A men's event performed on a gymnastics apparatus consisting of two bars, each 195 centimeters high and 350 centimeters long, and positioned 42 to 52 centimeters apart. A parallel bar routine is made up mostly of swing and flight elements and should include at least one release move. Also commonly called p-bars.
Passé: A basic gymnastics and dance balance position where one leg is turned outward with the thigh at horizontal, knee bent and toes touching the inner knee of the other leg. Commonly used in hops, jumps and turns.
Passive Stretching: A general term used to describe a static stretch in which an external force (such as the floor or another person) holds the performer in the static position.
Peel: Peeling off of a gymnastics apparatus refers to a situation where a gymnast involuntarily lets go of the apparatus with their hands causing their body to fly away from the apparatus and often resulting in an almost immediate impact with the ground. Peeling off occurs primarily on bars, but can also occur on p-bars and rings.
Phelps: A vault named after American Jayce Phelps. The vault consists of a half twist on, half twist off into a front layout. It has been rated by the FIG as a D level difficulty skill. Its FIG number is 3.407.
Phillips: A balance bean skill done by American gymnast Kristie Phillips. It was first performed in 1987 World Championships A handstand straddle split, with a 90 degree backbend, originally performed on the balance beam and press to side handstand, front walkover to side stand on both legs. The Phillips has been rated as a D level skill and its FIG number is 7.404.
Pig: A gymnastics slang term for the pommel horse, not necessarily an affectionate term.
Pike: A gymnastics body position used in jumps and saltos with the body bent forward at the waist with the legs kept straight. Judges look for more than a 90 degree bend at the hips for correct execution. Somersaulting skills done in pike position are more difficult than the ones in tuck position and easier than saltos done in layout position..
Pipe: A term commonly used to refer to a men's high bar.
Pirouette: A term used in both gymnastics and dance to refer to a turn around the body's longitudinal axis. It is used to refer to both handstand turning moves on bars and p-bars and also to refer to a dancing element, e.g. to turn on one foot. Turns for both are measured in degrees or increments of ½ turns. The dance term liiterally means "whirligig," which is an old fashioned name for a child's top. Pirouette is now used to describe the many kinds of turns that gymnasts and dancers do on toe.
Pit: A gymnastics safety training constructions in which a large quantity of soft foam is used to cushion landings or any falls off another gymnastics apparatus. Pits are used to train for almost every gymnastics event (not used for pommel horse). Three are a number of different types of gymnastics pits, including in-ground, above ground, loose foam, 32" thick mats and bungee pits where the loose foam or mat is suspended on a trampoline like structure. Though injury is still possible in a pit, the extra margin of safety greatly reduces the risk. Pits are used in virtually every high level gymnastics training program.
Pivot: A dance or gymnastics turn on the ball of the foot.
Planche: A gymnastics skill performed on the still rings, beam and floor in which the body is held supported by the hands and arms only in a straight position parallel to the floor.
Plié: A gymnastics and dance movement. Most movements in ballet technique begin and end with a plié, which is a bend and stretch of the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Demi- and grand-pliés are done as an exercise at the beginning of the barre work and are done as half-bends and full-bends of the knee.
Plyometrics: Plyometric exercise is defined as a special type of strength training where the muscles are trained to rapidly contract. In gymnastics it is most commonly used to increase the "punch" power of a gymnast for tumbling and vaulting.
PNF Stretching: PNF is an abbreviation for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation A technique for increasing flexibility which combines muscle tension with passive stretching. Also sometimes called isometric stretching.
Pointe: In classical ballet, when a dancer uses special shoes (called pointe shoes or toe shoes) to dance en pointe (on their toes). The arch of the top of the foot is at its maximum when the dancer "pushes over", causing the heel of the foot to be almost directly over the toes. Children do not begin to study pointe until they have years of experience and sufficient ankle strength, as well as being old enough to ensure that their bones are strong enough.
Pointed Toes: Toe point is an important factor in gymnastics. When the toes and foot are pulled downward so that the line from the knee to the tip of the toes is essentially straight and there is no angle in the ankle. This emphasizes a long straight leg and body line.
Pommel Horse: A men's gymnastics event performed on an apparatus 115 centimeters high, 35 centimeters wide, and 160 centimeters long, with two pommels on the top, adjusted between 40 and 45 centimeters apart. A pommel horse routine consists of a series of circular movements and required scissors elements performed with one or both hands on the pommels. No other part of the body may touch the apparatus.
Port de Bras: This term literally means carriage of the arms. It refers to the set positions of the arms as well as the manner in which the arms are moved from position to position during gymnastics dance and ballet.
Puck: A puck is a slang gymnastics term used to refer to a gymnastics salto body position that is a cross between a pike and a tuck. It can range from a very open tuck position to a pike with bent knees. It is not an acceptable competition salto position.
Punch: A gymnastics term that refers to bouncing off of the floor, vault board or beam as opposed to jumping. "Punching" refers to an almost perfectly straight leg quick plyometric movement. Punching movements allow gymnasts to more fully utilize the inherent spring in the gymnastics equipment. Jumping involves bending the legs and pushing.
Quadriceps or Quads: the major four-part large muscles of the front thighs primarily engaged in extending the leg at the knee. The quadriceps femoris flexes the leg at the hip and extends the knee.
Quadriffis: Any quadruple somersault with a twist.
Quad Twist: A single layout somersault with four twists. First performed in U.S. women's competition by Nastia Liukin.
Rail: A horizontal rod that serves as a part of a gymnastics apparatus for gymnasts as they perform exercises. They are found on uneven bars, high bars and parallel bars. A rail can also be called a Bar.
Ray: An uneven bar skill named after U.S. gymnast Elise Ray. The skill is performed facing inward and is a stalder backward with release and counter movement forward to catch the high bar. The skill has been rated as a "C" level skill by the F.I.G. and its F.I.G. number is 6.305.
Ray: An uneven bar skill named after U.S. gymnast Elise Ray. The skill is performed from a handstand on the high bar to a pike sole circle backward into a backward counter straddle-reverse hecht over over the high bar and a recatch. The skill has been rated as a "D" level skill by the F.I.G. and its F.I.G. number is 7.411.
Ray: An double twisting double layout uneven bar dismount named after U.S. gymnast Elise Ray. The skill is performed facing inward and is a stalder backward with release and counter movement forward to catch the high bar. The skill has been rated as a "Super E" level skill by the F.I.G. and its F.I.G. number is 8.605.
Re-grasp: On uneven bars and high bar, the act of grabbing the bar again after releasing from it.
Release: On uneven bars and high bar, to let go of the bar in order to perform another gymnastics move before grasping it again. There are many bar release moves, including somersault and twisting moves. In general, they belong to the very difficult elements.
Relevé: In ballet and gymnastics to rise or lift onto the ball of the foot.
Rep: Rep is shortened version of repetition. When doing an Weightlifting or gymnastics exercise, a rep is one cycle of the action or motion.
Reverse Turn: In ballet and gymnastics, a turn in the direction of the supporting leg; also known as an "inward turn".
Rhythmic Gymnastics: Officially called Rhythmic Sportive Gymnastics (RSG). An Olympic sport for either one woman or 5 women in group competition consisting of a floor exercise dance with leaps, turns, balance elements and flexibility moves while moving and tossing handheld apparatus: a ball, a rope, a hoop, two clubs, or a ribbon. Significant tumbling is not allowed. Rhythmic gymnasts are known for their extreme flexibility.
Rip: In gymnastics, a rip occurs is when a gymnast works so hard on the bars or rings that they tear off a flap of skin from their hand. The injury is like a blister that breaks open.
Rotation: This is the name for the circular motion around an axis of the body. In gymnastics there are salto rotations and twisting rotations.
Roth: A pommel horse skill named after U.S. gymnast Bill Roth. The skill is performed from a cross support, rearways, reverse Stockli, wendeswing forward to reverse Stockli to cross support forward on other end, without touching pommels. The skill has been rated as a "C" level skill by the F.I.G.
Round-off: A floor or beam skill similar to a cartwheel, but with both feet landing at the same time. It is almost always the beginning skill for all back tumbling passes.
Routine: In gymnastics, a routine is combination of skill elements on one apparatus or event. The number and difficulty of skills depends on the competition format, and skill level of the competitors.
Rudolph / Rudy: A front layout somersault with 1½ twists.
Randolph: A front somersault (usually done in layout) with 2½ twists. Done in tumbling p-asses on floor exercies or as a beam dismount. Also known as a Randy.
Scale: In ballet or gymnastics, when the leg is raised high (ideally to a 180 degree split) while balancing on the other leg. Typically done on beam and may be done to the front, back or side and with the upper body lowered slightly.
Scissor Kick: A jump from one foot to the other alternately kicking one leg up and then the other with legs straight, simulating the motion of scissors.
Scissors: A combination requirement in a competitive routine on the pommel horse, which combines single leg, cuts and undercuts. It begins in a stride support and ends up in the opposite stride support.
Scissors Leap: (also called switch leap or a switch split leap) A leap in which the legs exchange positions while in the air, showing a split with both legs in one jump.
Sequence: Two or more skills which are performed together creating a different combination skill.
Set: A set is the lift action for aerial and somersaulting skills. The arms move quickly in an upward direction, then are stopped quickly and locked tightly in relation to the body, transferring the momentum to the salt or aerial skill. For example, the set for a back tuck occurs when the gymnast leaves the floor stretching their arms towards the ceiling, lifting their chest, and spotting the wall in front of them.
Set: A set is a number of reps done without stopping. Usually referring to strength training, weightlifting or conditioning exercises.
Somersault/Salto: An acrobatic movement where the body makes a complete aerial turn (360 degrees) in the transversal axis. Can be done forward, backward and sideward. It is performed as mount, dismount or during a routine. Also called a flip or a somie.
Specialist: A gymnast that competes selected events as opposed to competing all of the events in the All Around. A gymnast that competes only rings would be referred to as a ring specialist. This is currently most common in men's gymnastics. Specialists often, (but not always) do more difficult skills and routines with a higher degree of competency than all-around gymnasts can do.
Split: Any front or sideward body position in which the legs are extended apart as far as possible in opposite directions with the ideal angle of the legs being 180 degrees or more apart. Splits are designated as side splits or straddle splits.
Split Leap: To perform a split in the air while jumping from one foot and landing on the opposite foot and assuming a split position in mid-air. Ideally done with a split of 180 degrees or slightly more. In a side split one leg is forward, the other leg back. Hips are kept as square as possible. To get the split flexibility required to do a aplit leap correctly it is important to stretch often.
Sports Acrobatics: An international sport featuring tumbling, balances, lifts and pyramids. Athletes may compete in Mixed Pair (male base / female top), Women's Pair, Men's Pair, Women's Trio or Men's Foursome. The athletes perform a floor routine to music consisting of balance and tempo elements, as well as individual acrobatics elements. The tumbling consists of three series of acrobatic elements performed on the run, including back handsprings and somersaults. This sport is now commonly administered by the same federation that manages artistic gymnastics.
Spotting Belt: A spotting belt is a belt that a gymnast wears to which is attached to ropes or cables that are attached to pulleys connected to the ceiling or a tower. This device allows a coach to support a gymnast when working multiple flipping or twisting skills in a situation when a hand spot would be difficult. The are often used over trampolines.
Spotting: Spotting or to "spot" someone in gymnastics means to physically assist them in safely completing a skill. The amount of spot can range from cueing the gymnast to completely carrying the gymnast through the motion. A spot can be used to reduce risk of injury, or to ensure proper technique or body positioning. Spotting can be done hands on, or with a spotting device such as a spotting belt.
Stall Bars: A gymnastic athletic apparatus used for strengthening or stretching exercises. It consists of uprights fastened to a wall and connected by horizontal rungs, which make it look lie a ladder attached to the wall.
Start Value: This is a term that refers to gymnastics scoring. The start value of a routine indicates the relative difficulty of the routine. Compulsory routines all start from a 10.0 start value and deductions are made from 10.0. Currently, in lower level optional competition in the United States, gymnasts must accumulate bonus points to have their routine start from a 10.0. New Elite and International rules allow unlimited difficulty, which means the start value of routines will be as high as a gymnast can make it.
Static Stretching: A type of stretching in which a relaxed position is held without moving for a significant period of time. As opposed to dynamic stretching in which the limb is moved vigorously to stretch.
Step Out: On tumbling skills, this means that a gymnast lands on one foot and then the other as opposed to landing on both feet simultaneously. The action is done is a straight line and resemble walking steps. Also called a walk-out.
Stick: A gymnastics term used when a gymnast executes a dismount or landing with such good technique that they take no steps on the landing. Also refers to the traditional position which gymnasts hold on landing dismounts. Sticking consistently takes regular practice.
Still Rings: A men's gymnastics apparatus and event. The equipment apparatus consists of a tower, 575 centimeters high, from which two wooden/fiberglass rings are suspended by a cable and straps. The cable and straps are 300 centimeters long and 50 centimeters apart. A ring routine commonly includes a series of swings, presses and strength holds, finishing with a somersaulting dismount. The rings must remain absolutely still and in the gymnast's control at the conclusion of each skill and throughout he whole routine.
Straddle: A body position in which the body faces forward and the legs are spread far apart to the side, ideally to a 180 degree split or more.
Straddle Back: An women's uneven bar release skill done from a swing backwards on the high bar backwards over low bar, ideally to a handstand to the low bar.
Straddle Glide: A swinging movement usually done into a kip in which the legs are spread wide apart to each side usually to make it easier to hold up the legs as oppose to a pike glide.
Straddle Split: A split in which the legs are extended to the left and right, until a 180 degree angle between the legs is reached.
Straight Position: A gymnastics body position, usually in tumbling or somersaulting dismounts in which the body is straight. The elements performed in this position are more difficult than ones done in tuck or pike. Also called the layout position.
Strug: A floor exercise skill named after U.S. gymnast Kerri Strug. It is done by performing a tour jete with additional ½ turn and a landing on both feet. It has been rated by the F.I.G. as a "C" level difficulty skill and its F.I.G. number is 1.309.
Stutz: A common swing used on the parallel bars where the gymnast starts from a handstand atop the bars and swings backward between the bars and returning to the handstand position executing a half-turn along the way to face the opposite way.
Swedish Fall: An athletic dance move done on floor exercise in which a gymnast falls from a stand to a push-up like position on the ground with their leg up in back in a scale like position.
Switch Leap: switch slit leap beginning with one leg in front, switching to other mid-flight.
Switch Spit Side Leap: A leap beginning like a switch-split leap, but with a ¼ twist in the air and a sideways landing.
Talavera: A balance beam skill named after Tracee Talavera, who was the first to do it in international competition. The skill consists of pommel horse like move with the circle done like a flair. The skill has been rated by the FIG as a C level skill and its FIG number is 3.308.
Tap: The term is most often used on high and uneven events to describe the kick used to generate the required speed and rotation for a circling skill, release skill or dismount. Typically a dynamic motion used to generate momentum.
Thomas: A floor exercise tumbling skill named after Kurt Thomas. It consists of a 1 ½ salto backward in a tucked or piked position with 1 ½ twists rated as a "D."
Thomas: A floor exercise tumbling skill named after Kurt Thomas. It consists of a 1 ½ salto backward in a layout (straight) position with 1 ½ twists rated as a "E."
Thomas Flairs: A pommel horse skill named after Kurt Thomas. It is a circling skill with alternating straddled lifted legs rated as a "B" level difficulty skill.
Timer: A drill that simulates the feel of a skill, or the set for a skill without the risk or danger of completing the skill. Timers are used on most events and are a progression for learning the harder skill. They are also often used as warm-up skills for meets. One example is that a 1 1/4 back salto landing on a stack of mats is a timer for a double back.
Tkatchev: A release move named after Russian gymnast Alexander Tkatchev performed on uneven or high bar from a handstand to a giant swing down releasing to a backward straddle release over the bar to regrasp.
Tour jeté: A ballet and gymnastics jump with a half-turn and switch split action of the legs taking off one foot and landing on the other the other.
Tsukahara: A men's or women's vault named after Japanese gymnast, Mitsuo Tzukahara. It consists of a ¼ or ½ on to a back salto off the vault table.
Tuck Position: A gymnastics body position where the knees and hips are bent and drawn into the chest with the hands holding the knees. This body position is used in somersaults to rotate faster. Variation on the tuck position include the open tuck and cowboy tuck positions.
Tumbling Pass: In floor exercise and tumbling, this term is used to indicate a series of connected tumbling elements.
Turn: A gymnastics and ballet movement where the rotation occurs upright on the body's axis on one or both feet. A minimum of a full turn is often a requirement on floor exercise and beam.
Turners: For more than 150 years, they have formed Turnvereinen, or "gymnastic unions", which are not only athletic, but also political, "nationalistic gymnastic" organizations in Europe. The German movement was started by Turnvater Jahn and was instrumental in German unification after 1848. The American Turners were instrumental in the popularization of gymnastics in America.
Turnout: In gymnastics and ballet, a rotation of the leg which comes from the hips, causing the knee and foot to turn outward, away from the center of the body. This allows for greater extension of the leg, especially when raising it to the side and rear and for better balance when performing dance skills and on beam. This characteristic most distinguishes ballet from other forms of dance. It refers to the outward rotation of the legs in the hip socket, so that if one were to look at the feet in first position (heel to heel), they would appear to make a straight line.
Twist: A movement in acrobatic skills where the rotation is about the longitudinal, or vertical, axis. This is the axis that runs from head to toes. Twisting is usually defined in terms of which shoulder moves backwards first. A right twist is defined as the right shoulder going backwards, the opposite is true for a left twist. Twisting usually refers to an action that occurs simultaneously with a somersault so the body is both twisting and flipping.
Twisting Degrees: Fractions and degrees are used in order to describe twisting movements. A ½ twist is a 180-degree twist, a full (1/1) twist is a 360 degree twist. A 1& ½ twist is 540 degrees of twist. A double twist (2/1) is 720 degrees of twist. A 2& ½ twist is 900 degrees. A triple twist is a 1080-degree twist. A 3& ½ twist is 1260 degrees. A quad twist is a 1440-degree twist.
Undergrip: A term referring to the type of drip which gymnasts use on uneven bars or high bar. Hanging on a bar with your fingers facing you. Also called a reverse grip.
Underswing: A release move from the high bar to the low bar. It starts on the on high bar facing low bar. The gymnast swings up and over the low bar with a half turn to a catch of the low bar. Also called a Shoot Over or Overshoot.
Uneven Bars: A women's gymnastics apparatus consisting of two fiberglass composite bars - a low bar 148 centimeters high and a high bar 228 centimeters high and set a maximum of 150 centimeters apart.
Uneven Bars: A women's event performed on the uneven bar apparatus, featuring circling skills, pirouettes, releases and re-catches and moves from one bar to the other.
Vault: A gymnastics event performed over the vaulting table by both men and women. The gymnast runs down the padded vault runway, vaults off the vaulting springboard onto the horse, blocks off the hands, and finishes the vault to land in a standing position. At the lower level, each competitor performs two vaults and the scores are averaged. In Elite and international competition, only one vault is performed, except in Finals.
Vaulting Horse: The former men and women's vaulting apparatus was 35 centimeters wide by 160 centimeters long. It was placed long ways for men and width wise for women. It has been replaced internationally and in the united States by the vault table.
Vault Table: The vault table is the new vaulting apparatus for both men and women. The new vault table is designed to be safer by offering a wider and longer top surface to provide a better margin of error for hand placement, especially on round-off entry vaults. The men's vaulting horse was 135 centimeters high, the women's 120 centimeters high.
Virtuosity: A term that in relation to gymnastics refers to the artistry, or the degree of rhythm and harmony, displayed when a movement is executed to its maximum in terms of style and elegance. In general, the more gracefully flowing and seamless a series of skills appears to be, the greater the virtuosity and the higher the score. Virtuosity used to have a more definitive place n the scoring o gymnastics routines, which were traditionally specifically
Voluntary Routine: This is a term sometimes used to refer to an optional gymnastics routine. The term is not commonly used in the United States.
V-sit: A body position used in gymnastics where the legs are raised off the floor in a deep pike position and the entire body is supported by the hands form the general appearance of a "V" shape.
Walkover: A gymnastics floor and beam move where a gymnast moves from a standing position through a handstand position to a standing position while "walking" through the air with the feet. Starting from standing on one foot, go through inverted split and one footed bridge positions to return to stand. Can be done forward and backward.
Wells: A men's parallel bar named after Trent Wells. The skill is a giant swing backward with in-locate forward. The skill has been rated by the F.I.G. as a "D" level skill.
Whip Back: A backwards somersaulting tumbling movement similar to a back handspring, except that the hands don't touch the floor. Whips are used as both direct and indirect connections into other tumbling skills.
White: An uneven bar skill named after Morgan White. It consists of a front stalder into an L-grip to handstand with ½ turn in handstand. It has been rated by the FIG as a D level skill and its FIG number is 6.403.
Yurchenko: A gymnastics vault now performed by both men and women, consisting of a roundoff onto the springboard, then a back handspring like movement onto the vault, followed by some type of back somersaulting movement off of the vault table. Named for Soviet gymnast Natalia Yurchenko, who created it.
Zero: which is the score you get if you do not compete in a gymnastics event or do something which voids your score, like not touching the vault table with your hands when you vault.
FACES:
Womens: Vault, Floor, Uneven Bars, Balance Beam.
Boys have an extra three ,minus floor, balance beam, and uneven bars Pamel Hoarse, rings, and parellel bars...
Womens: Vault, Floor, Uneven Bars, Balance Beam. Boys have an extra three ,minus floor, balance beam, and uneven bars...: Pamel Hoarse, rings, and parellel bars...
The faces of the gymnastics program often is the gymnasts. How the gymnasts perform will reflect on the gymnastics facility.
Faces in the gym" is in the USA gymnastics magazine. It shows pictures of young gymnasts with captions about their accomplishments as a gymnast
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Are british gymnastics different to American gymnastics?
No. Gymnastics is the same everywhere.
What are the faces in gymnastic?
"Faces in the gym" is in the USA gymnastics magazine. It shows pictures of young gymnasts with captions about their accomplishments as a gymnast.
What is aesthetic gymnastics?
There is no such thing all the different types of gymnastics are tnt gymnastics, guys artistic gymnastics, girls artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics
What are the different programs of gymnastics?
there are many different types of gymnastic programs # Womens artistic gymnastics # Mens artistic gymnastics # Rhythmic gymnastics # sports acrobatics # sport aerobics # trampoline sports # generl gymnastics and sometimes cheerleading is considered a gymnastics sport
What are the eauipements and the uniform that you were in gymnastics?
What you wear in gymnastics is you have to wear a leotard which is a bathing suit but different fabric.
Who is the world record holder for gymnastics?
There are many different disciplines in gymnastics and consequently many different record holders. You need to specify which one you are referring to.
What is the different kinds of gymnastic with picture?
There are four different types of gymnastics that are used in international competition. These are Men's artistic, Women's artistic, Rhythmic gymnastics and Trampoline.
Are there different kinds of gymnastics?
Artistic, Rhythmic and Acrobatic
Should you capitalize the different types of gymnastics?
yes
What are the three gymnastics called?
There are only two different types of gymnastics, and those are called rhymic and artistic. I prefer rhythmic.
What are the terminologies of gymnastics?
There are many different terminologies in gymnastics. Depending on the club you practice at and the event you are on. There are also two kinds of gymnastics: Artistic Gymnastics and Rhythmic Gymnastics.For example, the place i go calls a backhandspring, a flipflop and walkovers, handstand bridges
How was gymnastics different back then from right now?
Well, the one thing I know is that way back when gymnastics was created - they competed naked.
