Level  1 gymnastics vault in nutshell

Run 7 to 9 steps, hurdle, punch spring board, rebound from spring board, straight jump on to an 8in gymnastics mat , stick landing.

VAULT

GYMNASTICS SKILLS, REQUIREMENTS, FAULTS, and DEDUCTIONS

• APPROACH-

1.       Incorrect arm swing (arms should swing backwards at the same time and end up by ears) (up to – 0.20)

2.       Arms must be in a forward-low position when you contact the spring board (up to – 0.02)

3.       Do not lean TOO forward when punching the spring board (up to – 0.30)

4.       Must punch spring board with both feet together at the same time (up to – 0.20)

5.       Can only punch board one time (cannot bounce more than once) (- 0.30 for each additional bounce)

• JUMP FROM BOARD TO MAT-

1.       Must show height (up to – 0.30)

2.       Maintain a straight-hollow body throughout jump (no arch, pike, or tuck) (up to -0.50)

3.       Arms and head must be aligned (up to – 0.30)

4.       Bent legs (up to – 0.30)

5.       Legs not together (up to -0.20)

6.       Point toes (up to – 0.1)

7.       Land in demi-plie, show control and stick landing (up to – 0.50)

• EXTRAS

1.       Run in a straight line (up to – 0.30)

2.       If you touch the spring board but doesn’t vault (VOID)

3.       Does the wrong vault (VOID)

4.       Lack of power and speed (up to – 0.30)

5.       Help of coach on landing ( – 0.50)

*Make sure to put the spring board in front of an 8 inch gymnastics mat to perform this gymnastics level 1 vault.

USAG allows all gymnasts to perform two vaults. The highest score of the two gymnastics vault will be the score that is counted. Each gymnast has up to 3 running approaches as long as they do not touch the springboard and/or vault table. If the gymnast touches the board or gymnastics vault and does not go over this will count as one of their vaults (this vault will receive a score of zero).

What the judges look for in a gymnastics level 5/6 front handspring vault…

RUN…The first thing a judge will look at is the gymnasts run. they want the run to be even, strong and accelerated (the gymnast MUST not slow up before they hurdle ad punch the spring board)

PREFLIGHT…the preflight is aka the first flight. During the preflight the gymnasts arms must swing forward until the gymnast has complete shoulder extension (shoulders are opened). During this time the head must remain neutral while only the eyes focus on the hand placement. Throughout the preflight the gymnast must maintain a straight, tight, hollow body positions with legs squeezed together and hips opened (no pike). In the preflight the gymnast must attain near vertical (but no more than vertical). This is attained by driving the heals up and backwards.

CONTACT…as soon as the gymnasts hands contact the gymnastics vault table the gymnast MUST quickly and forcefully extend their shoulders (this is known as blocking) against the vault without bending their arms. This will cause the gymnast to leave the vault table very quick and near vertical.

POSTFLIGHT…the gymnast must maintain the same position as the preflight…head neutral while in a straight and tight hollow body position. The gymnast must continue rotating until they land in demi-plie.

FINISH… once the gymnast’s feet contact the mat the gymnast should slightly bend knees to absorb the landing (this will help the gymnast stick it) while their arms drop down to their side. As soon as the gymnast has full control of the landing they need to extend their legs to a straight stand and raise their arms to finish in a V position.

Here is a list of additional penalties a gymnast can receive on a front handspring vault.

• Body position
- Piked
- Arched
• Legs
- Bent
- Separated
• Feet
- Not pointed

RUN AND PREFLIGHT
• Run
- Lacks speed
- Lacks power
- No acceleration
- Not straight
• Wrong vault performed
• Aid of Coach

CONTACT

• Arms
- Bent
- Shoulders not open (showing a shoulder angle)
• Head contacts vault
• Failure to leave the vault before the gymnast goes past vertical
• Hands
- Additional hand placement (moving hands once they contact the vault table)
- Keeping hands on the vault table for too long
- Touching with only one hand
- Not touching the vault at all

POSTFLIGHT
• Not enough height
• Not enough distance
• Any contact with body at the end of the vault table (Other than when the gymnast hands first have contact)

LANDING
• Feet
- Hop
- Move
- Step
- Jump

• Extra arm swing
• Additional body movement to maintain balance
• Incorrect body position
• Deep squat
• Touching the landing mat with any part or body other than feet
• Touching the vault table with any part of body
• Not landing feet first.

The level 4 gymnastics vault is a handstand flat back. This gymnastics vault is competed on a gymnastics skills cushion that must be a minimum of 32 inches high, 5 feet wide, and 10 foot long. The gymnastics skills cushion may be a resi mat or a stack of landing mats, or an inflatable mat. You can add gymnastics skills cushions to make it higher based on your gymnast’s vault capabilities. Every vaulting mat must have a tape line that is 32 inches from the front of the vault mat (this is the landing zone). This tape line must go across and down the sides of the mat. The gymnast must have her hands contact within this landing zone. If her hands go past the tape line, she will receive a deduction from her overall gymnastics vault score.

LEVEL 4 GYMNASTICS VAULT- MAIN GYMNASTICS VAULT SKILLS, REQUIREMENTS, AND DEDUCTIONS!

*Run must show accelerate

*Must not slow down when contacting the spring board

*When punching  the board, feet should be in front of body

*In the pre-flight, shoulders need to me open, head in a neutral position, with a straight extended body (no arch or pike)

*Keep straight legs and pointed toes throughout

*Contact mat with both hands, straight arms, in an inverted vertical position.

*Hands must be within the landing zones

*Do not take steps or hops with hands

*Be sure to land in a straight, stretched out lying position on the mat. Do not arch or bent legs. Keep toes pointed the entire time.

Each gymnast gets two chances to perform a gymnastics vault. The judge will award the gymnast the best score out of the two. A gymnast may have three running approaches without any penalty if they do not touch the springboard or vaulting mat. A level 4 gymnastics vault will be voided if the gymnast does the wrong vault, does a handstand and returns back to the springboard, is assisted by a coach between the time of leaving the board to touching the mat stack, or touches the mat stack or springboard without doing the vault.