Gymnastics Vaut Table

Who in their right mind would sprint at the speed of lighting down an eighty-two foot runway toward a big stationary object? A gymnast! And this stationary object that she is running towards is a gymnastics vault table.

The vault table is an apparatus that both men and women artistic gymnasts use. Vault is very different than all the other apparatuses, this is the only event where there is no routine performed.  If you turn your head or blink your eyes you could miss the vault; within seconds it’s over. Luckily, a gymnast gets two chances in a row to perform vault; the judge will judge both vaults and take the higher of the two scores. Another very unique thing about vault is, if a gymnast baulks they get no deductions and have thirty seconds to start over and attempt a new vault. If a gymnast baulks this means the gymnast runs down the runway and stops before he/she reaches the spring board. If a gymnast touches the spring board then stops and doesn’t go over the vault then this is considered their vault and they will receive a zero from the judges.

Vault is probably the hardest event to judge because it is so quick. The slightest mistakes can drop your score a whole lot. When vaulting a judge looks at many different things depending on the vault the gymnast will perform (there are many different types of vaults). There are five steps in a vault no matter what vault you attempt; there is the run, pre-flight, hand contact, post-flight, and the landing. Here are a few things the judge always judges when dealing with these five vaulting steps: how fast a gymnast runs, if their run accelerates as they get closer to the vault, the angle the gymnasts punches the spring board, the angle of their shoulders as they hit and leave the vault table, head position (must be neutral), the block off the vault (no bent arms), the height and distance when leaving the vault table, and a stuck landing. These are only some things a judge looks for no mater what vault the gymnast performs. A judge will look for much more with each specific vault.

Vault may take a split second to perform but is worth the same as any other event. There is so much energy, power, speed, and technique that go into a proper vault. If you follow and succeed at the five vaulting steps you will have a great, high scoring vault.

springboard

First, what does the gymnastics academy have to offer inside its facility? What I mean by this is, do they have all the equipment and extra training equipment for the gymnasts to use?  Do they training tools things other than the balance beam, uneven bars, vault table, and floor exercise? Does the gymnastics center have a pit, tumble track, trampoline, strap bar, harness, etc.? Is this gymnastics facility set up where you can use these training tools to the fullest? These are all important things to look for when selecting a gymnastics academy.

Training tools are very important for gymnasts. Not only do training tools allow the gymnasts to get the correct feel for the skill they are working on but training tools also make it much safer for the gymnast; they allow gymnasts to take fewer falls without getting hurt. Once they get the hang of a new skill with training equipment, they will be ready to perfect it without these tools.

Make sure all the equipment in the gymnastics center is USAG regulation. This will allow gymnasts to practice on what one day they will compete on. Plus, regulation equipment is much safer, durable and the right size.

Look around and observe the setup of the gymnastics academy; make sure it is set up safely. Meaning the vault doesn’t have a concrete wall in front of it. Or the floor exercise doesn’t have glass mirrors against it. The beam must also have gymnastics mats not only under it but also all around it. If there are more then one set of uneven bars they must be spaced away from each other so the gymnast doesn’t dismount and hit the other set. Leaving gymnastics mats lying around can also be very unsafe. There are countless ways a gymnastics facility can keep their gym safer. When it comes to safety make sure the gym you choose goes the extra mile because the safety and well being of your gymnast should be their top priority.

Gymnastics can be a very safe sport as long as the gymnastics academy practices safety by offering the proper apparatuses, set up, and training equipment. The gymnastics center is responsible for providing a safe environment for your little gymnastics no matter what age or skill level he or she may be. Safety is the most important quality a gym should possess, so make sure they strive for the safety of your child twenty four seven.