Balance Beam

Requirements:

70-90 seconds
one acrobatic series including at least two flight elements
a turn on one leg of at least 360 degrees
one gymnastics/acrobatic series
one gymnastics series

one element done close to the beam

Beam:

120 cm high, 10 cm wide, 500 cm long

The Balance Beam is one of the most notorious of all of the Women's Apparatus'. Many a team have problems with this event and once problems start, it is hard to regain concentration. Routines on the Balance Beam require grace, skill, balance, and a lot of concentration. The gymnast performs dance skills as well as the acrobatic and gymnastic skills. This is one of the more difficult and exciting women's events. Can you imagine doing a back handspring on a 4 inch wide piece of wood?

Kim Zmeskal

Photo by Matthew Barber

• Floor Exercise

Requirements:

70-90 seconds
performed with music of their choice
two acrobatic series, one with at least 2 saltos in different directions
an acrobatic-gymnastics series
a gymnastics series

Floor:

40 feet by 40 feet

The Floor Exercise can be one of the most enjoyable events to watch. The gymnast is able to perform to her own choice of music(except in compulsaries). Light and upbeat music always brings the crowd into a routine, and a good gymnast is able to entertain the audience with dance and dramatics as well as the wonderful tumbling passes. Some of my favorite floor routines are Kim Zmeskal's 1992 routine to "In The Mood", and Dominique Moceanu's 1996 routine to "Devil Came Down to Georgia". Both routines really got the crowd into them. Also, one of the greatest gymnasts to perform on floor is Liliya Podkopayeva. With her beautiful ballet moves mixed in with awesome gymnastics, her routines are always fun to watch.

Liliya Podkopayeva

• Uneven Bars

Requirements:

must use both low and high bar
must have grip changes, releases, and regrasps
must have flight elements and changes in direction
must have saltos and circle swings through handstand
at least two release elements

Low Bar:

148 cm +/- 3 cm tall

High Bar:

228 cm +/- 3 cm tall

Bars:

Maximum of 150 cm apart

The Uneven Bars can be easy for some gymnasts and difficult for others. This event requires strength and concentration(not to mention the ability to deal with all of those rips on their hands, ouch).

Amy Chow

• Vault

Requirements:

Must meeet requirements in the Code of Points

Horse:

120 cm tall, 35 cm wide, 60 cm long

Runway:

1 m wide, Maximum of 25 m long

The Vault requires the most explosive power of any of the apparatus'. The gymnast runs fast down the runway, hits the spring board just right, springs off of the horse and literally flies in the air. The judges look at the gymnasts form and position while in the air and the landing. If the landing is stuck, the score will definitely reflect it.

Kerri Strug