LONG HORSE, ROPE CLIMB,and FREE EXERCISE

Long Horse

The long horse is utilized exclusively for vaulting and is included as one of the events in the all-around competition.

Beginners can learn the easier vaults quickly by standing on the end of the horse and vault­ing off the far end. In this way, mastery of the vault itself can be assured before attempting to leap the length of the horse.

ILLUSTRATION:

After the straddle vault and squat vault are mastered, the remaining vaults can be attempted when the performer can attain sufficient height. The ability to attain height is essential.

It will be noted in the rules that scores will suffer if a change of step is necessary in the execution of a vault. This being the case, conscientious vaulters should set up stride check points like those used in broad jumping in order to be sure that no alteration of stride is neces­sary to permit an adequate approach to the take-off board.

Illustrations of other frequently encountered vaults appear below:

Safety Precautions: Spotters should stand near the far end of the horse in the event the vaulter's feet contact the horse. The eyes should be on the vaulter's shoulders and in the event a catch is necessary, the upper arm should be caught.
Rope Climb

Object: The object of the rope climb is to progress, in the shortest time possible, hand­over-hand from a sitting position on the floor up a 20-foot rope and touch the tambourine with the hand. The feet are not permitted to contact the rope for assistance.

General Technique: The climber is permitted to begin his climb when ready, but he must remain with his buttocks in contact with the floor for two seconds prior to commencing the climb. Good climbers use about nine strokes to reach the tambourine.

This, of course, indicates that the novice must strive to reach as far as possible each time. The long reach tends to make most efficient use of the larger muscle groups in the upper back; and the fewer regrasps one makes, the less time is used in changing grips.

The entire body must be involved in the climb if any degree of efficiency is to be realized. Most climbers are able to best coordinate the legs with the arm action if they lift the knee and arm on the same side at the same time. That is, when reaching with the right hand, raise the right knee high and fast. When the proper coordination is achieved, the knee will actually lead the hand. This cue is suggested as a means of learning, but is not the finished product. Beyond this cue, practice alone seems to bring rewards. The coordination is very intricate, because when properly coordinated, use of the legs is of utmost help. One additional point -– stay back away from the rope as much as possible.

The Start: Although the rules stipulate that the heels and the rump must leave the floor at the same time, most good climbers are able to use the heels against the floor to help establish the initial lift. This lift is possible to attain within the rules governing the climb.

One of the most difficult problems in climbing is to avoid a dead spot just after the initial lift. This is usually the result of inability to use the legs without fouling, but it may also be caused by too long an initial stroke.

The Final Reach: When preparing for competition, the number of strokes to be used in the climb should be determined and the final reach should be practiced with the reaching hand pre­ferred by the climber. The hand used for the final reach can be determined by the hand utilized for the initial stroke. The final reach should ideally be slightly beyond the distance of the average stroke, so that it actually saves one stroke.

The Work-Out: Never climb the rope slowly; always be in a hurry. Two to three climbs against time should be made during each work-out. Five three to four stroke starts should be practiced daily, and three to five climbs attempted, with emphasis on the final reach. Five work­outs each week can be too much in a speed activity such as climbing, so if times begin to level off or decline, reduce the work-out schedule to three times weekly. Supplementary shoulder exer­cises are helpful and weight control essential.

Free Exercise

Free exercise can best be described as an individually-created combination of tumbling, hand balancing, and modern dance. As in any gymnastics routine, the stunts must be combined so as to create a free, smooth-flowing, continuous movement artistically appealing to the eye. The tempo of movement may be varied, but such variance must be made with the utmost evidence of control. Most free exercise routines are highly individualized because each performer will have developed unique stunts which he wishes to exhibit.

The tumbling stunts most often utilized in free exercise include the front handspring, back handspring, front flip, back flip, back flip with twists, round off back handspring back somersault series, dives, rolls, cartwheels, splits, butterflies, back bends, walk-overs, kick-overs, and so on.

Inverted balance moves are of course of considerable prominence in free exercise. The hand balance, tiger balance, or headstand are in themselves not difficult; however, the difficulty comes by varying the means by which the handstand or inverted balance is attained. One might kick into a headstand, press into a headstand with bent legs, press into a headstand with straight legs, or do a backward roll into a headstand. Varying degrees of difficulty in attaining the hand­stand may be similarly described -– kicking into a handstand, pressing into a handstand with bent legs, pressing into a handstand with straight legs, a straight arm-straight leg press, a full body press to a handstand (or hollowback), a backbend to a handstand, and perhaps a back handspring to a handstand.

The one hand and two arm planches are also utilized with both bent and straight arms.
The modern dance movements mentioned above are used for two primary purposes. First, they are considered as transition moves inserted to enable the individual to smoothly and grace­fully move into a position where he can attain the desired approach to his handstand, let us say; or to negotiate into or out of a tumbling sequence. The second use of the modern dance move­ments is to exhibit graceful, free flowing movements. Some commonly used transition moves are single leg circles around the hands, the so-called bird or horizontal scale, the side scale, simu­lated fencer, most demonstrations of flexibility, and many forms of arm rotation coordinated with leg movement.

Oddly enough, most gymnasts have a tendency to neglect the transition moves. This is primarily because these require grace, flexibility, and balance which are often culturally as­sociated with feminine activity, and the average free exercise man seems to place greater value on strength activities. On the other hand, if the gymnast is an excellent tumbler, transition moves tend to be less prominent. Thus the routine, becomes primarily a combination of tumbling and hand balancing feats with transition moves being somewhat less conspicuous. Current national and international competition tend to favor an emphasis on tumbling in the free exercise event be­cause this is the only opportunity the all-around gymnast has to exhibit his tumbling ability. The following routine is similar to those presented in the Amateur Athletic Union rule book each year and is of junior competition calibre.

Begin at the edge of the Free Calisthenics area facing the center.

1. With a short running start, execute a round off, back handspring, back flip series; land steady
   and then bring the legs together and hold the arms over the head.
2. Straight leg back roll to momentary handstand.
3. Bring the feet to the floor spread wide; then rise to the erect position with arms overhead.
4. Place the hands on the floor and execute a stiff leg press to handstand; bring the feet together.
   Hold.
5. Now lower the head to the floor and headspring to the feet.
6. Rise to the erect position, arms overhead; then bend forward to a horizontal scale.
7. Cartwheel from scale to a momentary handstand. Lower and shoulder kip to feet; take one
   step, hop, and execute a front handspring.
8. Fall forward to a momentary front support. Cut the legs around the hands and stop in a rear
   support.
9. One-half turn right or left to a front support. Lift the right knee to the chest and rise to the
   erect position, arms overhead.
10. Take a hop step; execute a round off back handspring. From the back handspring, simply leap high, land with dismount form, snap to attention three steps forward, parade rest.
    The illustrations below are intended simply to clarify some of the terms which are often used to describe free exercise moves.

1. ONE HAND PLANCH BENT ARM. 2. TWO HAND PLANCH STRAIGHT ARM.

3. TWO HAND PLANCH BENT ARM. 4. LEG CIRCLES.

5. SCALE - SIDE. 6. HORIZONTAL SCALE OR BIRD.

7. SHOULDER STAND 8. STRADDLE LEAP. 9. STRAIGHT LEG ROLL

10. CRADDLE.

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