CIRCLING

CAST, BACK HIP CIRCLE

Advanced From a front support, cast away from the bar. As the hips return to
the bar, lean the shoulders backward, creating enough momentum to pull the
bar toward the waist and rotate backward around the bar. Maintain a hollow
body position with straight arms and legs throughout. Head is neutral. Look for
continuous motion around the bar to finish in a front support position. Coachs
note: Spotting is recommended. Stand slightly to the side of the gymnast with
arms positioned under the bar. After the gymnast casts, catch the gymnasts legs
or hips as she rotates around the bar.

a b

c d

COACHING TIP Progressions for a back hip circle include a flexed back
hip circle (with arms and knees slightly bent, making the body smaller
to rotate around the bar) and a piked back hip circle (with flexion at the
waist to get the legs around the bar and the hands and chest rotating to
the finish position).

Circling Forward
Forward circles help gymnasts gain additional rotational awareness and, most
important, learn to shift their hands around the bar. Some forward circles also use
undergrip and mixed-grip hand positions to give gymnasts more experience. Gym-
nasts begin acquiring these skills at the intermediate level and continue to improve
them at the advanced level once they have mastered specific body and leg positions.

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 CIRCLING

FORWARD ROLLOVER
Intermediate B From a controlled front support, with overgrip, undergrip, or mixed grip,
roll over the bar forward and slowly lower the body to the mat. Shift the hands forward
around the bar, and maintain the grip on the bar until full support on the legs is achieved.
Legs can be together or split but should be slightly flexed (do not land with straight legs)
when contacting the mat.

a b c

COACHING TIP For added difficulty in the forward rollover, have the gymnast
start by jumping from the mat to front support position and then going imme-
diately into the rollover.

SINGLE-KNEE UPRISE
Intermediate B From a single-knee hang, extend the nonhanging leg out, down, and
back, generating force (pendular body swing) to rotate around the bar forward to finish in
a stride support. Arms pull at the peak of the backward swing, and wrists shift to achieve
support position. Coachs note: Spotting is recommended. Reaching under the bar, hold
one wrist and support the gymnasts back as she rotates to the finish position on top of
the bar.

a b c

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 CIRCLING

ROCK BACK TO SINGLE-KNEE UPRISE

Intermediate B From a front support, perform a single-leg cut to support, rock back
to a single-knee hang, and extend the nonhanging leg out, down, and back, generating
force to rotate around the bar to finish in a stride support.

a b c d

SINGLE-KNEE FORWARD ROLLOVER

Advanced From a front
support, do a single-leg cut
to support, and change to
an undergrip to roll over the
bar forward to a single-knee
hang. Coachs note: Spot-
ting is recommended. Hold
onto one wrist and support
the gymnasts back and hips a b
throughout the move.

c d e

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 CIRCLING

HALF CIRCLE FORWARD

Advanced Perform the single-knee forward rollover with both legs extended, finishing in
an inverted stride hang. Coachs note: Spotting is recommended. Support the gymnasts
back and hips throughout the move.

a b c d

STRIDE CIRCLE
Advanced From a front support, do a single-leg cut to stride support, and change
hands to an undergrip. Lift the body upward off the bar, and lift the cut leg forward, plac-
ing the thigh of the back leg against the bar. Lean forward and circle the bar in a stride
position to finish in stride support. Arms and legs should remain straight. Extend the
upper body, and shift hands to the top of the bar near completion of the circle. Coachs
note: Spotting is recommended. Stand on the side of the bar next to the gymnast; hold
onto one wrist and support the gymnasts back and hips throughout the move.

a b

c d e

169
170 Coaching Youth Gymnastics

Dismounts
A dismount is the last skill performed by the gymnast in order to leave the bar
and land on the ground safely in a standing position. A dismount may be initi-
ated from the high bar or the low bar. All dismounts finish in the safe landing
position: knees slightly bent, torso in a slightly hollow shape, and arms at for-
ward middle position. While dismounts are practiced at all levels, gymnasts must
master the basics prior to performing a proper and safe dismount.

DISMOUNTS
FLOOR BAR SQUAT-ON
Intermediate A From a
push-up position (front sup-
port) with hands on a floor
bar, jump from the feet,
bending the knees and plac-
ing the balls of the feet on
the bar in a balanced squat a b
position. Immediately jump
forward to a controlled land-
ing on the floor.

FLOOR BAR RECOVERY ROLL

Intermediate A Perform a squat on the floor bar, and jump off the bar to land
on a mat. Immediately do a shoulder roll forward to stand. Emphasize pulling the
arms in toward the body, as with all safety rolls. Coachs note: An 8-inch [20 cm]
skill cushion is recommended.

a b
 DISMOUNTS
TAB

JUMP UNDERSWING, SHOOT TO STAND

Intermediate A From a stand with extended arms and hands in an overgrip position,
jump and flex at the waist, bringing the ankles close to the bar (in a pike or straddle
position). Hold this position and swing under the bar, extending the body upward
and outward. Release the hands, and land on the mat in a controlled landing position.

a b

c d

CLIMB TO STRADDLE UNDERSWING

Intermediate B From a stand with extended arms and hands in an overgrip position, lift one
leg, placing that foot on the bar directly outside the hand position. Jump off the other leg,
raising the hips and lifting the leg to place it outside the other hand. Arms remain straight.
Continue with the underswing, holding this position the entire time. At the end of the under-
swing, the feet come off the bar first. Then release the hands to land on the mat in a controlled
landing position. Feet should remain in contact with the bar until the peak of the upswing.

a b c

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 DISMOUNTS

JUMP TO STRADDLE SOLE CIRCLE DISMOUNT

Intermediate B From a stand with extended arms and hands in an overgrip
position, jump to a straddle position, flexing at the waist and placing the feet on
the bar outside the hands. Next, initiate the underswing. At the end of the under-
swing, release the bar (feet and then hands) to land on the mat in a controlled
landing position. Coach's note: Spotting is recommended.

a b

c d

COACHING TIP To gain height on the jump and raise the hips at the
start of the underswing, have the athlete jump from stacked mats.

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 DISMOUNTS

JUMP OFF FORWARD

Intermediate B From a front support position, bring one foot up on the bar,
slide the foot close to the hands, and then move the hands so the foot is between
them. Push to stand on both feet, and then jump forward off the bar to land on
the mat in a controlled position. Coachs note: Spotting is recommended. Assist by
holding the hips (while the gymnast is climbing), and then the shoulder and wrist.

a b

c d

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 DISMOUNTS
TAB VERSO

CASTS IN TUCK, PIKE, AND STRADDLE

Advanced From a front support, cast hips at shoulder height and tuck; return to bar.
Recast showing pike; return to bar. Recast showing straddle; return to bar.

a b c

d e f

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 DISMOUNTS
TAB

CLIMB TO STRADDLE SOLE CIRCLE DISMOUNT

Advanced From a front support, climb to a straddle stand on the bar, lean
backward, underswing, and release the bar (feet and then hands) to land on the
mat in a controlled landing position. Coachs note: Spotting is recommended.

a b

c d

175
 TAB VERSO
DISMOUNTS

CAST, SQUAT ON TO PIKE SOLE CIRCLE DISMOUNT

Advanced From a front support, cast with straight legs. Bend the legs to bring the balls
of the feet to the bar in a tucked position between the hands. Immediately straighten
the arms and legs, and pull the bar against the bottom of the feet. Lean backward to
initiate the underswing dismount. Release the bar (feet and then hands), and land in a
controlled position on the mat. Coach's note: Spotting is recommended.

a b

c d e

176