Description of Men’s Events
FLOOR EXERCISE:
The area of the floor exercise mot is 40 feet by 40 feet.
The entire floor area must be used during the exercise, which consists primarily of three to four tumbling passes performed indifferent directions. Acrobatic (tumbling) series must be performed including at least one forward and one backward. There must also be a balance element on one leg or one arm. Transitional skills, gymnastics movements performed in between tumbling and acrobatic passes, should be executed with proper rhythm and harmony. The exercise must last 50 to 70 seconds.
Today’s floor exercise routines consist of dynamic tumbling skills that only a few years ago were performed solely on the trampoline. The best gymnasts will incorporate three or four tumbling passes of substantial difficulty, performing twisting double saltos on the second or third passes.
POMMEL HORSE:
The pommel horse stands 115cm tall, and the horse itself is 35cm wide by 160cm long. The pommels must be between 40 to 45cm. Port. The mat around the pommel horse is 10cm thick.
The gymnast must cover all three areas of the horse, the middle and both ends, while performing continuous circular movements interrupted only by the required scissors elements. The only part of the body which should touch the apparatus is the hands. The entire exercise should flow with a steady, controlled rhythm. Considered by many to be the most difficult of all men’s gymnastics events, the pommel horse is also the most subtle. Each move is defined by complex hand placements and body positions.
The difficulty stems from two factors. First, the gymnast is performing moves that differ from the swinging or tumbling skills of the other five events. Second, he spends most of each routine on only one arm, as the free hand reaches for another part of the horse to begin the next skill.
Look for a long series of moves with the hands reaching behind the back. The hand placements should be quick, quiet and rhythmic.
STILL RINGS:
The ring tower on which the rings are supported stands 575cm tall. The table and straps to which the rings are attached are 300cm long and 50cm apart. The mats around the still rings, vault, parallel bars and horizontal bar are 18 to 20cm thick.
The still rings routine must include at least two handstands--one arrived through strength, the other through swing. At least one element of strength must be held for two seconds.
Examples of strength elements include a cross, an inverted cross or a planche. A cross is performed in a straight body position with the body perpendicular to the floor and arms stretched perpendicular to the body while an inverted cross is an inverted handstand position with arms stretched perpendicular to the body. A planche is a straight body position parallel to the floor above the rings. The rings must remain still throughout the routine. Deductions will be taken for unnecessary swings and movement.
The rings are the least stable of the men’s apparatus. Stillness is paramount, and those with the best command of the event will display extraordinary skill in arriving at all holds with absolute precision. The rings shouldn’t wobble or swing, the body shouldn’t sag or twist, and the arms shouldn’t waver or shake.
Look for confidence in the strength elements. The gymnast should move into his cross or planche quickly, stop securely for a clear two seconds, and then move easily into the next part. During the swinging elements, watch for stretched body positions and straight handstands.
VAULT:
The men’s vault stands 135cm tall. It is 35 cm wide by 160 cm long. The run way is 1m wide and o maximum of 25m long.
Each individual vault is categorized in the Code of Points, the official text giving the relevant value of each skill performed, and the gymnast is required to pass through certain minimum height and distance requirements on every vault. During the preflight from the springboard to the horse, the body must rise quickly to the proper angle of contact by the time the hands reach the horse. During the second flight, from the horse to the landing, the gymnast’s body must rise at least one meter above the height of the horse and travel at least two and one half meters from the end of the horse before contacting the mat. The landing should be firm, without extra steps, and in line with the horse, springboard and runway.
A good vault is sometimes described as a “big” vault. The height, the distance of travel, the overall acceleration into the vault, and the sudden impact of a no-step, “stuck” landing all create a good impression for the judges.
PARALLEL BARS:
The parallel bars stand 195 cm high. Each bar is 350 am long, and the two bars can be adjusted to between 42 and 52 cm apart.
A parallel bars routine consists of swinging, flight and hold elements, but swinging and flight elements are most common. Strength parts may be used, although they are not required. The gymnast is required to execute two swinging elements, one in support and one from a hang. The gymnast is also required to perform a skill in which both hands release and regrasp the bars, commonly referred to as a release move.
Although not a requirement, some of the better gymnasts move outside the two rails, performing handstands and kips on only one bar. When well executed, these movements mark a good performance. The most difficult skills require the gymnast to lose sight of the bars for a moment, as in front and back saltos. The more of these skills performed in succession, the more challenging the routine.
HORIZONTAL BAR:
Standing 275 cm tall, the horizontal bar is 240 cm long and 2.8cm in diameter. The horizontal bar is commonly referred to as the high bar.
The routine on horizontal bar consists exclusively of swinging parts without stops. The parts are generally called giant swings, with more specific terms applying to changes in grip, direction and body position. The gymnast is required to execute at least one move in which he releases and regrasps the bar (release move), and to perform at least one giant with either his back to the bar (a dorsal hang position used in inverted and German giant swings) or with an “eagle” grip in which the wrists are rolled outward until the thumbs are on the outside of the grip, pointing away from each other.
The gymnast is also required to perform an “inbar” skill like a stalder circle. The higher level routine will have multiple release moves. Gymnasts receive bonus points for connecting higher level difficulty skills. Look for high flying dismounts with mutliple somersaults and twists.
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