All about Uneven Bars
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
Uneven Bars
Uneven bars are one of four gymnastics apparatuses. Gymnastics uneven bars are only used and competed in women’s gymnastics. Bars are by far the hardest event for the majority of all women gymnasts; bars take a great amount of upper body and core strength.
Uneven bars have a frame made out of steel or metal that provides immense strength, support and stability for gymnasts of all sizes and skill levels. The actual bars on a set of bars are made out of fiberglass with a wood covering. These materials combined give the bars vast flexibility; allowing the bars to move with the gymnasts body and not break. The outside wood covering is rough enough that the gymnast won’t slip off continuously, but not too rough were it will tare up their hands.
Each uneven bar is about one and a half inches wide and about eight feet long. The height of both bars on the top and bottom are adjustable. The width of gymnastics uneven bars is also adjustable. Meaning the top and bottom bar can be spread apart from one hundred and thirty to one hundred and eighty centimeters. Each gymnast may have a different bar setting depending on their power, strength, jump, and height.
All gymnasts up to level five will only use and compete on the low uneven bar. Gymnasts that are levels five and up are required to jump from the low bar to the high bar. Once you get to level eight you have to switch back and forth between the high and low uneven bars. Every gymnast in America has the same bar routine until they become a level seven. Once they are a level 7 they will have their very own unique bar routine to compete.
On score sheets at gymnastics competitions or gymnastics meets, the uneven bars are abbreviated as UB so you won’t get it confused with the balance beam (BB).
When practicing or competing on the uneven bars many gymnast wear grips. Grips are made out of heavy duty leather. Grips cover your palms to help stop you from getting rips or tares on you hands. They are also designed to help you grip the bar better which will lower the chances of pealing (slipping) off.
