Gymnastics Glossary & Elements
Named for U.S. Gymnasts
(from USA Gymnastics)
Aerial
A stunt in which the gymnast turns completely over
in the air without touching the apparatus with his
or her hands.
All-Around
A category of gymnastics that includes all of the
events. The all-around champion of an event earns
the highest total score from all events combined.
Amplitude
The height or degree of execution of a movement. In
general, the higher the salto or the more breathtaking
the movement, the better the amplitude and the score.
Apparatus
One of the various pieces of equipment used in
gymnastics competitions.
Arch Position
The body is curved backwards.
Back-in, Full-out
A double salto with a full twist (the complete
twist performed during the second salto).
Code of Points
The official FIG rulebook for judging gymnastics skills.
Compulsories
Pre-designed routines designating specific movements
required of all gymnasts.
Composition
The structure of a gymnastics routine. Each individual
movement or skill is a building block; the arrangement
of the moves in the exercise is called the composition
of the routine.
Deduction
Points taken off a gymnast's score for 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.
Dismount
To leave an apparatus at the end of a routine; usually
done with a difficult twist or salto.
Execution
The performance of a routine. Form, style, and technique
used to complete the skills constitute the level of
execution of an exercise. Bent knees, poor toe point
and an arched or loosely-held body position are all
examples of poor execution.
FIG
The International Federation of Gymnastics is recognized
by the International Olympic Committee and is responsible
for the governance of the sport of gymnastics on the
international level.
Flexibility
The range of motion through which a body part can
move without feeling pain.
Flic-Flac
Also known as a flip-flop or back handspring. Take
off on one or two feet, jump backwards onto hands
and land on feet. This element is used in a majority
of tumbling passes on the floor exercise. It's also
used a great deal on the balance beam.
Full-in, Back-out
A double salto with a full twist (the complete twist
performed during the first salto).
Gaylord
On high bar, a front giant into a one-and-one-half
front salto over the bar to regrasp. First done by
U.S. gymnast Mitch Gaylord.
Giant
A swing in which the body is fully extended and moving
through a 360 degree rotation around the bar.
Half-in, Half-out
A double salto with a half twist on the first salto
and a half twist on the second salto.
Handspring
Springing off the hands by putting the weight on the
arms and using a strong push from the shoulders; can
be done either forward or backward; usually a linking
movement.
Kip
Movement from a position below the equipment to a
position above, usually on the uneven bars, parallel
bars or high bar.
Layout position
A stretched body position, straight or slightly arched.
Olympic order
The international competition order that is decided
by the FIG. Olympic order for women is vault, uneven
bars, balance beam and floor exercise.
Men compete in the following order: floor exercise,
pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars and
horizontal bar. Olympic order for rhythmic gymnasts
is rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon.
Optionals
Personally-designed routines which show the gymnast
to the best advantage.
Pike Position
Body bent forward more than 90 degrees at the hips
while the legs are kept straight.
Pirouettes
Changing direction or moving in a circular motion
by twisting in the handstand position.
Release
Leaving the bar to perform a move before re-grasping
it.
Round-off
A dynamic turning movement, with a push-off on one
leg, while swinging the legs upward in a fast cartwheel
motion into a 90 degree turn. The lead-off to a number
of skills.
Routine
A combination of stunts displaying a full range of
skills on one apparatus.
Salto
Flip or somersault, with the feet coming up over the
head and the body rotating around the axis of the
waist.
Scissors
A combination requirement in a competitive routine
on the pommel horse which combines cuts and undercuts.
It begins in a stride support and ends in an opposite
stride support.
Sequence
Two or more positions or skills which are performed
together creating a different skill or activity.
"Stick" landing
Slang term used for when a gymnast executes a landing
with correct technique and no movement of the feet.
Tuck
A position in which the knees and hips are bent and
drawn into the chest; the body is folded at the waist.
Twist
Not to be confused with a salto, a twist occurs when
the gymnast rotates around the body's longitudinal
axis, defined by the spine.
Virtuosity
The artistry, or the degree of rhythm and harmony,
displayed while a movement is executed. In general,
the more flowing and seamless a series of skills appears
to be, the greater the virtuosity and the higher the
score.
Yurchenko Vault
Round-off entry onto the board, flic-flac onto the
horse and one of the following off the horse: layout,
full twist, one-and-a-half twist or double twist.
(return to top)
Elements Named For U.S.
Gymnasts
For an element 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.
Women's
Bhardwaj Salto (D) 4.506
Named after Mohini Bhardwaj. First performed in 2004.
From a hang on HB, facing LB - swing forward, salto
backward stretched and flight with 1/1 turn (360o)
between bars to clear support on LB.
Borden (C) 2.302
Named after Amanda Borden
BB - Straddle pike jump from side position with ½
or ¾ turn
Brause (C)
Named after Doris Fuchs Brause
UB - On LB facing away from HB, cast to salto roll
forward to hang on HB
Chow (E) 6.504
Named after Amy Chow
UB - Stalder backward to handstand on HB with 1 ½
turn in handstand to mixed-L grip
Dawes (D) 4.403
Named after Dominique Dawes
UB - Giant with 1 ½ turn in handstand
Fontaine (D) 8.406
Named after Larissa Fontaine. First performed in 1994
Worlds.
UB - Back tuck with ½ twist into double front.
Garrison (Super E) 1.616
Named after Kelly Garrison
BB - Roundoff, tucked full mount
Garrison (C) 6.302
Named after Kelly Garrison
BB - Free shoulder roll forward to stand or tuck stand
without hand support
Garrison (C) 7.306
Named after Kelly Garrison
BB - From extended tuck sit, Valdez swing over backward
through horizontal plane with support on one arm.
Garrison (C) 1.314
Named after Kelly Garrison
FX - Cat leap forward with bent legs and 1 ½
turn
Henrich (C) 2.301
Named after Christy Henrich
BB - Split or stag-split leap or jump forward with
½ turn, landing alternately or on both legs;
also cross split jump in side position with bending
of rear leg backward upward.
Humphrey (D) 3.406
Named after Terin Humphrey. First performed in 2004.
FX - Split leap forward with leg change and ¼
turn to side split leap or straddle pike position.
Watch the performance
Johnson (A) 1.205
Named after Brandy Johnson
Maloney (D) 7.409
Named after Kristin Maloney. First performed in 1997
Worlds.
UB - Pike sole circle backward to handstand with 1/1
(360°) after handstand phase to mixed-L or L grip
Maloney (D) 7.410
Named after Kristin Maloney. First performed in 1997
Worlds.
UB - Inner front support on LB - pike sole circle
backward through handstand with flight to hang on
HB
McCool (D) 1.409
Named after Courtney McCool. First performed in 2004.
BB mount: Flyspring forward with flight before and
after hand support on Beam, landing on both feet -
approach at end of beam.
McNamara (D) 1.415
Named after Julianne McNamara. First performed in
1981.
UB - Mount by a jump to hang on HB, clear hip circle
to handstand with 1/2 turn in handstand
Miller (D) 2.401
Named after Shannon Miller
UB - Cast, 1 1/2 turn after handstand to mixed-L grip
Okino (D) 8.402
Named after Betty Okino
UB - Clear hip underswing with 1/2 twist to layout
back salto
Okino (E) 3.501
Named after Betty Okino. First performed on 1991 Worlds.
BB - Triple pirouette
Phelps (D) 3.407
Named after Jayce Phelps
V - Half-on, Half-off front layout
Phillips (D) 7.404
Named after Kristie Phillips. First performed in 1987
Worlds.
BB - Press to side handstand, front walkover to side
stand on both legs
Ray (C) 6.305
Named after Elise Ray
UB - Facing inward, a stalder backward with release
and counter movement forward in flight to hang on
Ray (D) 7.411
Named after Elise Ray
UB - Handstand on HB, pike sole circle backward backward
counter straddle-reverse hecht over HB to hang.
Ray (Super E) 8.605
Named after Elise Ray
UB - Double layout dismount with two full twists.
Strug (C) 1.309
Named after Kerri Strug
FX - Tour jete with additional ½ turn to land
on both legs
Talavera (C) 3.308
Named after Tracee Talavera
BB - One leg circle with flair
White (D) 6.403
Named after Morgan White.
UB - Stalder forward in L-grip to handstand with ½
turn in handstand.
White (C) 2.311
Named after Morgan White.
BB - Wolf jump from side position with ½ turn,
take-off from both legs
Men's
Bhavsar (E)
Named after Raj Bhavsar
SR - Pull through momentary, front lever press to
Maltese (Super E if straight body)
Bryan (C) I-28
Named after Casey Bryan
PH - Scissor ½ turn to handstand, ½
pirouette and straddle down
Daggett (C) I-23
Named after Tim Daggett
PH - Scissor backward with ½ counterturn
Gatson (D) I-59
Named after Jason Gatson.
PB - Swing backward with full turn hop to handstand
Gaylord (D) II-44
Named after Mitch Gaylord.
HB - Salto forward, tuck, pike or straddled over the
bar
Gaylord (D) II-64
Named after Mitch Gaylord
HB - Gienger stretched over the bar
Hayden (D) V-49
Named after Daniel Hayden
HB - Double salto backward, stretched, with full twist
over the bar
O'Neill (E) I-25
Named after Paul O-Neill
SR - Stretched double feige backward to hang
Roethlisberger (D) IV-40
Named after John Roethlisberger
PH - Russian underswing with 1 ½ turn and three
travels. (Also named after Wu Guonian in the Code.)
Roethlisberger (D) V-19
Named after John Roethlisberger
PB - High wende and salto backward tucked or piked
Roth (C) IV-23
Named after Bill Roth.
PH - From cross support, rearways, reverse Stockli,
wendeswing forward to reverse Stockli to cross support
forward on other end, without touching pommels
Thomas (D) V-14
Named after Kurt Thomas.
FX - Jump backward with 1 ½ salto, tucked or
piked, and 1 ½ twist
Thomas (E) V-15
Named after Kurt Thomas
FX - Thomas stretched
Thomas (B)
Named after Kurt Thomas.
PH - All flairs
Wells (D) III-4
Named after Trent Wells
PB - Giant swing backward with in-location forward
