COMPETITIVE FORM and ROUTINES

General Suggestions

The knees should be kept straight throughout the routine with the legs together - - unless the stunt requires separation. The toes should be kept extended or pointed. When a position is held, as in the iron cross or the cross support in the piked position on the parallel bars, the head should be held high.

Form for Tumbling and Trampoline is somewhat different because many stunts are executed in the tuck position and the legs must be separated upon landing each time.

On the heavy apparatus, it is considered poor execution if the performer finds it necessary to "muscle" a stunt that should be executed with ease and grace. The kip is probably the best ex­ample of this fault among novice competitors.

Approaching and Retreating

Approaching the Apparatus Stand at ease about three paces from the apparatus awaiting the signal to begin from the head judge. At the judge's signal raise the arms to the side, then snap to attention and, with a slightly exaggerated arm swing, walk to the apparatus. Obtain the desired grip upon the apparatus and begin the exercise.

Occasionally a running mount is used on the parallel bars; and, of course, tumbling and long horse require a running start. For these events, come to attention and immediately begin the run. Trampoline routines, of course, begin and end on the tramp, so the position of attention is as­sumed and the bounce initiated there.

Retreat from the Apparatus

Retreats from all apparatus except the Rope Climb are the same. These retreats are ex­pected by the judges. Upon dismounting, flex the knees, place the hands overhead as high as pos­sible; then rise to the erect position with head high, bring the left leg to the right leg, snap the arms down, take three paces forward, halt, and come to a parade rest with the head still high. When the exercise is terminated, the performer may walk or jog from the exercise area.

On the trampoline, kill the bounce with the arms kept overhead, then return to attention and parade rest as illustrated by simply omitting the three paces.

Pre-season Routines

The following routines are short, pre-season workout routines reasonably well graded as to"difficulty. They are very useful as compulsory routines, and may be utilized in the conduct of intra-squad meets prior to a season's competition.
1. Recommended pre-season routines on PARALLEL BARS.
a. Basket kip -– swing to shoulder stand -– layout back roll -– kip -– swing back and dis­mount.
b. Front uprise -– swing to handstand -– lower to support -– swing back and dismount.
c. Shoulder kip -– swing to handstand -– lower to shoulder stand -– side roll dismount.
d. Double cut regrasp mount at end of bars -– shoulder stand -– layout front roll -– uprise at back swing -– swing forward and dismount.
e. Peach basket mount at center of bars -– drop to basket kip -– double bar dismount.
f. From center of bars, glide kip -– swing to handstand -– back over bar -– swing back to handstand -– pirouette dismount.
2. Recommended pre-season routines on HORIZONTAL BAR.
a. Cast to uprise -– hip circle -– drop kip -– to sole circle dismount.
b. Obtain moderate swing, then execute reverse kip -– back seat circle -– disengage legs and kip to support -– cast back for a fly away dismount.
c. Reverse grip kip -– cast to front giant -– without completing the giant pop change to regular grip and immediately uprise to hip circle -– cast back to fly away dismount.
d. Obtain regular grip -– kip -– flange to giants -– come in to bar -– hip circle -– drop kip -– side vault dismount.
e. With regular grip kip, immediately cast to giant swing -– change grips to front giant -– uprise and hip circle to change grip -– then cast back and immediately fly away dismount.
3. Recommended pre-season routines for TRAMPOLINE.
a. Three layout back flips.
b. Back flip -– brani -– back flip.
c. Back flip -– front flip -– back flip.
d. Back flip -– crash dive to back drop -– brani out to feet.
e. Back flip -– back flip -– back double.
f. Brani out fliffes -– brani -– back flip.
4. Recommended pre-season routines on STILL RINGS
a. Muscle up -– press to shoulder stand -– lower straight through rings to a straight in­ verted hang -– dislocate -– double cutoff dismount.
b. Pull body through front lever to straight inverted hang -– lower to back lever -– dislocate -– double cutoff dismount.
c. Flange to support -– roll back -– flange -– cast back and fly away from above.
d. Flange and immediately press to handstand. Lower to shoulder stand --to inverted
hang -– dislocate -– double cutoff dismount, arching so that head is elevated well above
rings.
e. Pull body straight up through front lever to inverted hang -– straight body inlocate -– dislocate -– and fly away dismount.
5. Recommended pre-season routines on SIDE HORSE
a. Simple corkscrew mount to straddle of the right hand -– left leg cut back -– right leg cut back and immediately swing left leg over horse and execute scissor-over right pommel - scissor-over left pommel -– undercut left leg over right pommel -– swing to a feint over left pommel and execute simple side vault from the feint for a dismount.
b. Execute Moore mount -– two double leg circles -– drop on near side of horse for the dismount.
c. Feint -– then swing into double leg circles -– single cut travel to the croup -– then exe­cute a loop for a dismount.
d. Optional mount to scissors-over pommels -– double leg circles -– drop to near side for dismount.
e. Feint and swing into double leg circles -– travel while doing double leg circles to croup -¯ execute loop on croup for dismount.
f. Feint and swing to single leg cut travel to croup - - swing into two double leg circles - - execute inside loop -– then outside loop dismount.
6. Recommended pre-season routines for FREE EXERCISE.
a. Front handspring -– fall forward to front support --on rebound cut legs around hands -– landing in a rear support.
b. Stiff leg press to handstand -– lower to headstand -– lower legs and headspring dismount.
c. Side scale -– cartwheel to handstand -– snap down to back roll with snap down dismount.
d. Round off back flip with dismount form.
e. Straddle leap touching hands to toes -– land and immediately execute back flip with dismount form.
f. From prone position on floor, hollow back to handstand -– lower to single leg cuts -– extend to front support and a graceful rise to feet, arms extended overhead.
7. Recommended pre-season routines for TUMBLING.
a. Round off -– three back handsprings in series.
b. Front handspring -– front flip.
c. Round off -– back flip layout.
d. Round off -– back handspring -– back flip with dismount form.
e. Round off -– back handspring -– back flip with full twist.
8. Recommended pre-season routines on SWINGING RINGS.
a. Dislocate at back swing -– flange at front -– cast at back -– fly away at front.
b. Dislocate at back -– dislocate at front -– flange at back -– roll down frontward to bent inverted hang -– and double cutoff (forward rotation) at end of back swing.
c. Kip roll at front, kip roll at back -– flange at front -– cast at back -– fly away at front.
d. Flange at front -– shoulder stand at back -– shoulder stand to front -– come to support position at the back and immediately roll back to bent inverted hang -– kip roll at front, double cutoff with forward rotation at end of back swing.
e. Kip at back -– roll back and immediately flange at the front -– roll down backward at the back -– dislocate at the front -– dislocate at back -– fly away at front.
9. Point scale recommended for ROPE CLIMB times for pre-season intra-squad competition purposes: (times from standing start).
Under 3 seconds -– 4 points Under 4 seconds -– 3 points Under 5 seconds -– 2 points Under 6 seconds - - 1 point

NOTE: When using the foregoing routines for intra-squad competition, each routine is valued at one point. Every member of either team who successfully executes with reasonable form the routines designated by the coach entitles his team to one point. This form of competition is dif­ferent from the regular meets; it runs much faster and is therefore invaluable for pre-season workout purposes. Usually only one routine on each apparatus is selected for each intra-squad workout.

Sample Routines

Routines -– Intermediate and Advanced Level

Still Rings Advanced

Jump to hang, high grasp; pull up to straight arm support; raise legs to "L" position -– hold -– press to shoulder stand -– hold -– lower arched body straight downward between rings to straight inverted hang; lower to back lever -– hold -– dislocate to bent inverted hang; swing forward and inlocate forward (bent body) to bent inverted hang; kip to straight arm support; fly away dismount from support.

Horizontal Bar -– Intermediate to advanced grade. (Only one giant and no grip change.)
Jump to hang with undergrip; obtain swing, on forward swing kip to handstand; one and three-quarter giant swings forward to back uprise; (changing from under to upper grip); free circle backward to momentary support; underswing to long hang; on forward swing kip to momentary stoop stand upon bar (legs straight, between hands); dismount with three-quarter backward stoop circle to stand rearways.

Side Horse -– Intermediate grade. (No double leg circles.)

Corkscrew mount to straddle of right hand; single leg cuts; scissors right and left; left leg circle to the right, fight leg circle right, single leg cut travel to croup and pommel; then back to pommels; single cut to a straddle of the right hand; initiate as a simple turn dis­mount, then go on to a loop, dismount to a side stand.

Tumbling Routine -– Advanced. 1st Pass
Three front layout handsprings -– short run diving roll to feet and immediate front flip. 2nd Pass
Round off -– three back handsprings into layout back flip. 3rd Pass Round off -– back handsprings series.
Trampoline Routine -¯ Advanced. (2 routines.)

1. Back Double 1. Brani out Fliffes
2. Back 2. Brani
3. Front Flip One and One-half Twist 3. Back with Full Twist
4. Brani 4. Back
5. Back 5. Front One and One-half Twister
6. Back with Full Twist 6. Brani
7. Brani 7. Back
8. Back 8. Back Flip with Full Twist
9. Back Three-quarter to Belly, from Belly 9. Back
10. Back Flip to Feet (Cody) 10. Back Double

Parallel Bars -– Upper intermediate. (No handstand.)

Double cut -– (mount); hold momentary L -– drop beneath the bars -– kip to shoulder stand -– forward roll to -– back uprise -– swing forward and at back swing -– double cut and catch -– drop legs and swing to handstand -– hold; then lower slowly to shoulder stand -– pike slowly, then kip to front over bar (flip) to upper arm hang -– uprise on front swing; then swing to shoulder stand -– execute two back rolls to kip -– swing freely to double bar vault (dismount).

Flying Rings Advanced

Front -– uprise front roll -– back -– dislocate -– front -– back one and one-half roll to bent inverted hang - - back - - kip to shoulder stand hold front and back - - front - - front roll - -beat and - - back - - flying dislocate - - front - - reverse kip - - back - - front roll down - -front -– dislocate -– back -– dislocate -– front -– fly away (layout).