Aerial: any gymnastic skill that is performed without the hands touching the floor, such as an aerial cartwheel or aerial walkover.
Amplitude: the height, or degree of execution of a movement. In general, the higher the salto or the more breathtaking the movement, the better the amplitude and the score.
Apparatus: one of the various pieces of equipment used in gymnastics competitions.
Arch Position: the body is curved backwards.
Back-in, Full-out :a double salto with a full twist (the complete twist performed during the second salto).
Arabian: a one-half twist into a front flip.
Back handspring: a back flip onto both hands, with both legs following as a pair. The gymnast begins and ends in a standing position.
Back somersault: a backward roll on the floor or beam, with knees in a tucked position. (The aerial version of this move is called a salto.)
Back walkover: a move made from a back-arch (or bridge) position, bringing one foot, then the other, down toward the front. Similar to a back handspring but using smoother, more controlled movements, with arms and legs moving one at a time rather than in pairs.
Cartwheel: a move in which the hands are placed on the ground sideways, one after the other, with each leg following. Arms and legs should be straight.
Compulsories: predesigned routines which contain specific movements required of all gymnasts.
Composition: the structure of a gymnastics routine. Each individual movement or skill is a building block; how they are arranged into an exercise is called the composition of the routine.
Dismount: to leave an apparatus at the end of a routine; usually done with a difficult twist or salto.
Double back: two consecutive back flips; can be done in tuck, pike, or layout position.
Double twist: a single layout flip with two twists. Likewise, a triple twist is a single layout flip with three twists.
Execution: the performance of a routine. Form, style and the technique used to complete the skills constitute the level of execution of an exercise. Bent knees, poor toe point and an arched or loosely-held body position are all examples of poor execution.
Flic-Flac: also known as a flip-flop or back handspring. Take off on one or two feet, jump backwards onto hands and land on feet. This element is used in a majority of tumbling passes on the floor exercise. It's also used a great deal on the balance beam.
Flyaway: a bar dismount in which the gymnast swings down from the high bar and lets go to do a flip backwards before landing. (see this move)
Front handspring: a forward flip onto both hands, with both legs following as a pair. The gymnast begins and ends in a standing position.
Front hip pullover: a mount used on the uneven parallel bars. The body is supported on the hands, the hips resting on either bar. Usually combined with a hip circle.
Front pike somersault: a forward somersault in which the knees are kept straight.
Front or forward somersault: a forward body roll on the floor or beam, with knees in a tucked position. (The aerial form of this move is called a salto.)
Front split: a split in which one leg is forward, one back.
Front walkover: a move made from a front split handstand position, bringing one foot, then the other, down toward the back. Similar to a front handspring but using smoother, more controlled movements, with arms and legs moving one at a time rather than in pairs.
Full-in, Back-out: a double salto with a full twist (the complete twist performed during the first salto).
Full twisting double back: a double back with a full twist on either the first (full-in) or the second (full-out) flip.
Gaylord (on horizontal bar): front giant into a one-and-one-half front salto over the bar to regrasp. Invented by Mitch Gaylord(United States).
Giant: a move in which the gymnast swings all the way around the high bar with a completely outstretched body. (see this move)
Gienger: a bar release move in which the gymnast does a flyaway with a one-half twist and re-grasps the bar. Invented by Eberhard Gienger(Germany). (see this move)
Half-in, Half-out: a double salto with a half twist on the first salto and a half twist on the second salto.
Handstand: a move performed by supporting the body on both hands, with the arms straight and the body vertical.
Hip circle: a move made by circling either bar of the uneven parallel bars with the hips touching the bar. If the hips do not touch the bar, the move is called a clear hip circle.
Layout: extension of the body to its full length, usually during an aerial move.
Maloney: on low bar, a piked sole circle through a handstand with flight to hang on high bar. Invented by Kristen Maloney(United States).
Miller: a beam manuever in which the gymnast does a back dive with a quarter twist to handstand followed by a half pirouette. Invented by Shannon Miller(United States).
Pak salto: a move in which the gymnast releases the high bar, flips backward, and catches the low bar. Invented by Gyong Sil Pak(North Korea).
Pike: any move in which the body is bent and the knees are kept straight.
Roundoff: similar to the cartwheel, but with a half twist, and the legs standing together in a pair. The gymnast ends facing the direction she started from.
Rudi: a one-and-a-half twisting front flip.
Salto: a somersault.
Shaposhnikova: a free hip circle after which the gymnast lets go of the low bar and grabs the high bar. Invented by Natalia Shaposhnikova(USSR).
Somi-and-a-half: another way of saying one and a half somersault.
Sticking: refers to a dismount or final move that is performed without taking additional steps.
Straddle: a position in which the gymnast’s legs are far apart at each side.
Straddle split: a split with legs out at each side. This move is used in all four women’s events.
Straddle swing: a swing movement on the uneven parallel bars in which the legs are extended at each side.
Swedish fall: a move in which a gymnast does a free fall drop straight onto the ground, with hands shooting out at the last second.
Thomas: an uneven bar release move in which the gymnast swings around the bar, lets go on top in the handstand, performs a full twist, and re-grasps the bar. Invented by Kurt Thomas(United States).
Tkatchev (or reverse hecht): a bar release move in which the gymnast swings around the bar, lets go just before reaching a handstand, straddles or pikes his legs while flying over the bar, then leans forward to re-grasp the bar. Invented by Alexander Tkatchev(USSR).
Tsukahara: a vault in which the gymnast does a half turn onto the vault followed by a back flip. Invented by Mitsuo Tsukahara(Japan). (see this move)
Tuck: a move in which the knees are brought to the chest.
Whip back: a back handspring without the hands touching the floor.
Yurchenko: a mount for the vault, in which the gymnast does a roundoff onto the springboard, followed by a back handspring onto the vault into a back flip. Invented by Natalia Yurchenko(USSR).
