The World of Gymnastics

Posts Tagged ‘gymnastics floor’

One gymnastics skill that every gymnast will have to learn at one point or another is a backwards roll. Many people wouldn’t think of a backwards roll as an important skill but believe me, it is! A backward roll is the foundation of many different skills such as: backward roll to pike, backward roll to pushup, back extension roll, back tuck, double backs, etc. Make sure you learn and practice your backward roll the correct way. Correct technique in a backward roll is very vital because it is the base of so many important and required gymnastics skills. Here is the step by step instructions on doing a correct backwards roll, hope this helps!

1. Squat down with your legs and feet together.
2. Bend your arms and place your hands right next to your ears with your palms facing the ceiling and your fingers facing backwards.
3. Tuck your chin to your chest
4. Round your back like a cat
5. Lean backwards and roll
6. Once your hands meet the ground make your arms straight and push off the floor.
7. Land on your feet in either a pike or a squat (do not land on your knees)

Many times gymnastics coaches use an incline gymnastics mat or wedge mat to teach a backward roll. It gives the gymnasts a little more momentum.

When spotting a gymnast on backward rolls you want to lift their hips so they don’t hurt their neck.

Before you introduce the backward roll to your gymnast you should try starting them out with a gymnastics drill. For this backward roll drill you should start just like normal but once you roll you should squash your hands against the floor and then re-roll forward. This is kinda like a candle stick but with bent knees and arms. Each time your gymnast tries this drill encourage them to push off their hands more and more.

Mistakes in a Backward Roll

The most common mistakes gymnasts make is arching and throwing their head and shoulders backward. When doing a backward roll you must round your back like a cat.

The second most common mistake I see kids make is not pushing off their hands. If they don’t push off their hands they usually hurt their neck and never make it over. Usually they go back and fall over to the side.

Here is a video to help you understand the gymnastics backward roll even more!

USA Gymnastics has specific required routines for compulsory levels (gymnastics level 1 through level 6). USAG has precise guidelines, rules, time limits, and a code of points for each event. USA gymnastics level 4 floor routine has specific gymnastics skills that have required guidelines one must meet. If these guidelines are not met, the gymnast will receive deductions from their overall score.

LEVEL 4 GYMNASTICS FLOOR ROUTINE- MAIN GYMNASTICS FLOOR SKILLS, REQUIREMENTS, AND DEDUCTIONS!

*Split Jump- Leg separation in the split jump must have a minimum of 90 degrees.

*Handstand Straight Arm Forward Roll- when performing a handstand forward roll the gymnast must hit vertical with legs together and hold for a minimum of 1 second.

*Handstand Bridge Kick-Over- While doing a handstand bridge kick over, arms must remain straight and up at ears the entire time. When the gymnast hits the top of the handstand legs must me together before continuing into the bridge. When in the bridge you must shift shoulders over hands before kicking over. Make sure a minimum leg split of 120 degrees is achieved when kicking over. Show a levering action and obtain control throughout this gymnastics skill.

*Leap Step Hop- Push off with front leg when taking off for leap. Leap must have a minimum of a 90 degree split. Make sure legs swings forward to a minimum of horizontal on the hop.

*Split- Must be all the way down with straight legs.

*Straight Arm Backward Roll into Pushup- Hands must touch the ground before rolling backwards. While rolling, maintain straight arms and land in a push-up position.

*Coupe Half Turn- When turning one must complete 180 degrees turn while in releve (on toe) and coupe (your foot at your ankle). Show control throughout the entire turn.

*Round-off Back Handspring Rebound- When performing a round-off back handspring rebound the gymnast must show acceleration. Be sure the round-off passes through vertical and both feet land at the same time. Legs must stay together throughout the back handspring and it must be landed with two feet. As soon as the back handspring is landed, immediately rebound , stick and control the landing.

Make sure you keep good fluidity and rhythm throughout the entire level 4 gymnastics floor routine.

In womens artistic gymnastics there are four apparatuses: gymnastics floor exercise, uneven bars, vault table, and balance beam.

Gymnastics floor exercise is one out of two events that are competed by both men and women. Out of all the events, floor exercise is favored by most. Floor takes a vast amount of strength, power, endurance, flexibility, grace, and gymnastics dance.

The floor exercise has springs underneath, for this reason many people refer to them as spring floors. The standard size for a spring floor is 12 meters by 12 meters. This size makes it a perfect square.

A spring floor is made out of tons of small springs that are covered by plywood, the plywood is covered by thick foam padding, and the foam padding is covered by carpet. The carpet has four taped lined along the outside, these are called the boundary lines. A gymnast must stay inside these lines when performing his/her routine. If a gymnast steps outside these lines they will receive a deduction.

Levels one through six all have the exact same choreographed gymnastics floor routine. Once a gymnast becomes a level seven they get to pick their very own floor music and have a gymnastics floor routine choreographed to fit her skills and style.

Floor Exercise is where the gymnasts get to express who they are as a gymnast. A gymnast expresses her character and ability through the tumbling, leaps, jumps, skill, turns, etc. she puts into her routine. Her personality also gets expressed though the music she chooses, and the type of gymnastics dance she selects and puts in her routine.

Have you listened to an endless amount of gymnastics floor music demos just trying to find the perfect piece for you floor exercise routine? Are you looking for the perfect song that will display your personality, tumbling, gymnastics dance, and character to its fullest potential? If you have listened to song after song and have not found one you can connect with emotionally and physically or have not found gymnastics floor music that will accentuate your routine and make it stand out from others, don’t give up hope! If you have a great idea for a one of a kind gymnastics floor routine, then you should have your gymnastics music customized. Customized floor music is choreographed and designed just for you and is intended to fit your floor routine perfectly!

Customized gymnastics floor routine music can consist of any type of music as long as there are no words or lyrics. Gymnastics floor music consists of all genres, such as: hip-hop, techno, folk, classical, rap, country, India rock, R and B, etc. that come from from around the world from great places like England, Europe, Germany, Italy, china, Greece, etc. You can also pick your favorite songs, have them strip of all their lyrics, and add extra instrumental parts making it into a remix. They can also cut and splice many different songs and combine them together to make one exclusive gymnastics floor routine music piece!

You don’t have to be an Olympic gymnast to get customized music for gymnastics. Customized gymnastics floor music is available to gymnasts of all ages and levels. All you need is a great idea to start with! One of the great things about customized music is you can have it designed just for your likes, needs, and wants. Plus you will be the only gymnast in the whole world to have this unique, one of a kind piece.

Choosing the right gymnastics floor music is a critical component for a great routine. For this reason, picking out gymnastics floor music is not something that should be done in a hurry or overnight. It should take a lot of thought and consideration. This is the music you will be practicing and performing to for quite awhile. It is essential that you as a gymnast personally enjoys and connects to the music you are going to perform to. The routine needs to stand out from all others; uniqueness and quality are key when it comes to picking gymnastics floor music.

When choosing gymnastics floor music, make sure you select something you really enjoy. You also want to make certain the music you choose displays your personality and talents. If you pick gymnastics music that is inspiring to you, you will have an emotional connection to it, giving you everything you need to get the judges and crowd involved.

Okay, so pick gymnastics music you like, not too hard, right? Well there is more; not only do you have to like it but you also have to be able to perform to it. What I mean by this is don’t pick a hip hop song if you can pop, lock, and drop it. Don’t pick a classical song if you aren’t graceful or don’t have elegant and fluid gymnastics dance with flawless leaps and turns. Make sure your gymnastics floor music matches your style of skills and gymnastics dance. If you are energetic and a powerful tumbler make sure your music accentuates that by having a good beat and fast tempo that sets the tone of your routine.