Chapter III

GYMNASTICS
Source: Gymnastics Book by Dinoso, C.P.

Gymnastics is a self-motivating activity where one can manipulate the different parts of the
body into varied positions or movement. One can do a pike, a tuck, a layout, an arch, a split, and can
roll, twist, rotate, etc. The attainment of skills in gymnastics can only be done through proper body
preparations specially on strength and flexibility.

The changes in today’s gymnastics are the emphasis on flowing movements and the inclusions
of dance and locomotor skills in the creation of routines. Grace, poise, and dignity of movements are
emphasized. The masculine and rigid movements are now changed to more relaxed and easy
movements.

POSITIONS:

Arch: In an arch a gymnasts hips are pushed forward, chest is open. Lie on your stomach with your
arms by your ears. Lift your heels while keeping your legs straight, and lift your arms while keeping
your arms straight.

Bridge: A bridge is attained by lying on your back. Place your hands on the floor by your ears and
bend your legs. Push your hips towards the ceiling and arch back. Ideally a bridge should have straight
legs and shoulders pushed out over the hands.

Candlestick: A candle stick is a position where the gymnast is essentially standing on the back of their
shoulders with their feet pointed towards the ceiling. The gymnasts arms can either be by their head,
or back pushing on the floor to assist with support and balance.

Handstand: A proper handstand is extended towards the ceiling, shoulders are open, body is hollow.

Head In/Out: A gymnasts head is "in" when their chin is tucked on their chest, or close to. A gymnasts
head is out when their head is tilted back.

Held or Static Position: These are positions held for 2 seconds.

Hollow: In a hollow a gymnasts hips are turned under, legs are tight chest rounded inward. Lie
on your back on the floor with your arms by your ears. Lift your legs slightly off the ground.
Lift your head slightly off the floor. Your lower back should maintain contact with the floor.

Layout: In a layout a gymnast is not bent at the hips nor the legs. A layout is the term used for a
rotating skill in which the gymnasts body is essentially straight. A layout can be performed either
hollow or arched.

Lunge: To do a lunge start standing feet together. Take a large step forward. Bend your front leg. Both
feet should be turned out somewhat. Arms should be extended upwards so that the line from
the rear foot to the hands is straight. Open/Closed Hips: Opening the hips
is proceeding towards an arched position. Completely closed hips is a fully piked position where the
gymnasts chest is flat against their legs.

Open/Closed Shoulders: Completely closed shoulders is defined as your arms being down so that your
fingers are touching your legs. To "open" your shoulders lift your arms straight out in front and
continue upwards until your hands are pointed straight at the ceiling.

Overgrip/Undergrip: Overgrip is gripping a bar so that your palms are facing the same direction as
your face. Undergrip is gripping a bar so that your palms are facing the opposite direction as your face.

Pike: In a pike a gymnast is bent only at the hips. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of
you. Pikes of varying degrees including where a gymnast is esentially folded in half at their hips are
used in gymnastics.

Planch: This is a handstand in which the body is parallel with the ground.

Puck: A puck is a cross between a pike and a tuck. It's pretty much a somewhat open tuck position, or a
pike with moderately bent knees.

Routine: This is a planned series of dance skills, locomotor skills, gymnastics skills and tumbling skills
performed with or without music.

Scale: Scale is support on one leg with the other leg raised at the back ad the body arch.

Split, Side or Front: In a side split one leg is forward, the other leg back. Hips are kept as square as
possible. To get the splits or other flexibility it is more important to stretch often than to stretch for a
long time in one sitting. Stretch every day.

Spotter: This is a person who helps a performer go about a skill for the first time.

Straddle: In a straddle a gymnasts legs are separated with neither leg being forward or backward of the
other. A straddled pike is a straddle in which the hips are closed or "piked" to some degree.

Tuck: In a tuck a gymnast is bend at the hips and the knees. Sit on the floor with your legs in front of
you. Bend your knees so that your knees are touching your chest and your feet are "tucked" in close to
your body. A variation on the tuck is called a "cowboy" tuck in which the gymnast pulls their knees
out to the side somewhat in order to compress the tuck further. This enables faster rotation.
BODY MOVEMENTS:

1. Axial Movements – are movements done by a part or several parts of the body in
stationary place.

a. bend or flex - to move the body part around a wide axis

b. lift, raise - to elevate a part of the body to a desired level
c. stretch, extend, straighten - to lengthen a part of the body
d. twist - to move a body around a long axis
e. spin - to move a body around a point

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 f. swing - to move continuously from one point to the other
g. turn - to change direction/to move around an axis

2. Locomotor Movements – are movements that brings the performer from one place to
the other.

a. walk - is a series of steps in any direction

b. run - is a walk with longer strides and there is a push-off by
the foot to suspend the body momentarily in air.
c. hop - is a spring on one foot and landing on the same foot
d. skip - is a step and hop with the same foot in one count
e. leap - is a step with one foot and a spring with the other foot
f. jump - is to spring on both feet and land on one or both feet

Directions of Movements

FUNDAMENTAL DANCE POSITIONS

(Ballet Class by the Royal Academy of Dancing)

In all the ballet positions each leg is turned sideways from the hip. This give the toes extension out to
each side and the feet form straight or parallel lines on the floor. The body weight should be evenly
distributed over both feet, which can either remain flat on the floor, rest on the balls of the feet (demi-
pointe) or rest on the toes (pointe is for women only).

First Ballet Position

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The heels are placed together with toes pointed outwards and away from each other. Arms are
lowered while the hands are little in front of the thighs. Relax your shoulders. Support your
elbows. Keep the palms of your hands facing you.

This is the ballet dancer’s equivalent of “stand at ease.” Arms forward (held curved and apart as
though embracing a large object). This position is known as the gateway position since it is the
mid point of transition between other positions.

Second Ballet Position

The feet are in a parallel line, separated by a distance of

approximately one-and-a-half times
the length of your foot and both turned
outward with the weight
equally divided between
them. Keep your shoulders
relaxed. In this position there should
be a slight slope downwards from
your shoulders to your wrists – just
enough to allow a small drop of water
to trickle slowly down your arms.
Keep your arms gently curved with
the center of your palms facing the
front. Support your elbows.

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Third Ballet Position

The heel of one foot is placed against

the instep of the other. Both are firmly
turned out and the weight is divided
between them. One arm is placed in 1st
position and the other in 2 nd position.
Do not over-cross the arm in front.
Execute all points made regarding 1 st
and 2nd positions.

Fourth Ballet Position

One leg is taken forward with the heel of the

front foot placed opposite the toes of the back
foot. The weight is placed evenly between the
feet and the dis tance between them is about
the length of one of your feet. One arm is
placed in 2 nd position and the other is raised
high, slightly in front of the head.

Fifth Ballet
Position

The heel of one

foot is placed
beside the toe of
the other. Your
amount of
turnout will depend, as always, with what you can manage.
Both arms are raised high with the hands a little in front of the
body. Keep your shoulders relaxed - they will be tempt ed to
lift with your arms. Keep your palms towards you, not the
audience.

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Positio n Description SE PE TE

1st Heels together

Toes turned out and away from each other
Shoulders are relaxed.
Arms are lowered and curved
Elbows are supported
Palms of hands facing the body

2nd Distance between feet and shoulder approximately 1.5 times

the length of the foot.
A slight slope downwards form the shoulder to the wrist

Shoulders are relaxed

Elbows are supported
Arms gently curved
The center of the palms facing front

3rd One heel is placed against the instep of the other foot.
One arm is placed in the 1st position.
The other arm in the 2nd position.
The arm in front is not over-crossed.

4th One leg forward with the heel of the front foot placed
opposite the toes of the back foot
Weight is placed evenly
Distance between feet is the length of one of the feet.
One arm is placed in the 2nd position
Other arm is raised high slightly in front of head

5th Heel of one foot is placed beside the toe of the other.
Both arms raised high
Hands a little in front of the body
Over-all Rating

EXERCISE NO. 3
FUNDAMENTAL BALLET POSITIONS
Objective: After sufficient practice exercises done with musical accompaniment, the student should be able to correctly
execute the fundamental gymnastic positions of the arms and leg.

Task: Using the checklist below, perform the five (5) fundamental positions of the arms and leg in gymastics.

4 – Perfectly executed 2 – Satisfactorily executed

3 – Well executed 1 – Poorly or not executed

Rated by:
BASIC GYMNASTIC POSITIONS

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