Artistry of Women's Olympic Gymnastics (Part C) - by Anne Shier (a.k.a. "Annie")

(From the book “Olympic Gymnastics for Men and Women”, written by Bryce Taylor, Boris Bajin, and Tom Zivic, 1972)

Uneven Parallel Bars:

Introduction:

Exercises on the uneven parallel bars play a very important role in the total gymnastics competition program for women.  In the other three events – floor exercise, vaulting and balance beam – leg strength is essential.  However, on the uneven parallel bars, the main area of strength requirement is the arms and shoulders, thus providing for all round development.

 The majority of women do not develop upper body strength through daily activities, so it is, therefore, essential for the coach or instructor to place a strong emphasis on the physical condition of this area of the body.  Without proper development of the arm, shoulder and stomach muscles, the gymnast will find it very difficult to learn new movements, especially those that are more advance than the beginner level.

The design of the bars provides the opportunity for a wide range of movements.  Technically, many of these movements differ little from those performed by men on the horizontal (high) bar.  The new routines introduced on the women’s uneven parallel bars owe this origin to those coaches, who, with horizontal bar knowledge, applied it to the uneven parallel bars.

A routine should not include movements of a static nature, thus, eliminating held positions and resulting in connected free flowing movements.

Careful spotting is a prerequisite for this apparatus since many of the movements can be dangerous.  The base of the bars should be well-padded with mats and an even landing surface is essential.

The following is a list of elements that need to be considered in every movement on the uneven parallel bars.  Each of these elements is accompanied (in the book) by the following:  a) Typical faults, b) Method of teaching, and c) Spotting technique:

1)      Grips (including mixed grip, monkey grip and reverse grip / eagle grip)

2)      Basic positions (including hangs such as, front hang, bent inverted hip hang, single leg hang, and supports such as, front support, rear support, stride support)

The following is a list of movements that are required on the uneven parallel bars.  Each of these movements is accompanied (in the book) by the following:  a) Typical faults, b) Method of teaching, and c) Spotting technique:

1)      Mounts on the low bar (including single leg flank mount, double leg flank mount, squat mount, and hip pullover mount)

2)      Swings (including beat swing, single knee swing, long swing from front hang, glide swing, front support swing to front hang (cast), swing: bent inverted hang position, underswing with half turn, beat swing to sit, stoop or straddle, single leg flank vault, single leg squat vault, squat vault: both legs)

3)      Uprises (including hip pullover: low to high bar, single leg swing-back uprise to stride support, double leg stem uprise, single leg stem uprise,

4)      Kips (including split leg glide kip, kip: low to high bar, glide kip: front support, glide kip: regrasp high bar, kip: rear support)

5)      Circles (including back knee circle, back hip circle, cast away hip circle, cast from high bar-back hip circle on low bar-eagle regrasp, front circle: stride support, back seat circle, front seat circle)

6)      Dismounts (including cast from front support dismount, single leg flank dismount, squat dismount: front support, straddle dismount: front support on low bar, underswing dismount: sitting on low bar facing high bar, dismount forward: handstand on low bar, cartwheel from high bar through handstand on low bar)

NOTE:  As stated previously, a routine on the uneven parallel bars should not include movements of a static nature, thus, eliminating held positions and resulting in connected free flowing movements.  In addition, the movements should use both bars and should change direction in a dynamic fashion.

This, then, concludes my discussion of the uneven parallel bars in women’s gymnastics.

copyright 2014, Anne Shier.  All rights reserved.