With the popularity of the two-pass routine on floor, gymnasts are performing more difficult dance passes to earn their full 10.0 start value. Adding a ring position to a leap will usually increase its value by one letter (B to C, or C to D) on floor or two letters on beam. However, this change not only adds difficulty but also opens the athlete up to additional deductions specific to a ring position, and requires more flexibility and amplitude than a standard leap or split jump. The gymnasts have to get in and out of the ring position quickly, and they can often look worse in real time than in slow motion. In this article, I’ll give some examples of ring positions and the potential deductions that could be taken.
Here are the most common deductions judges could apply:
Up to one-tenth deduction:
- Rear foot below head height but above the hip
- Insufficient arch
- Incorrect body posture/alignment
- Precision—lack of a definite arm/leg position
- Failure to land with feet together on leaps/jumps to two feet
- Front leg below 45 degrees
Up to two-tenths deduction:
- Insufficient height
- Insufficient split
Up to three-tenths deduction:
- Bent legs: If there is more than a 45-degree bend of the front leg, the ring would be devalued to a stag ring jump.
The skill is devalued if the front leg is bent beyond 45 degrees, the head does not fully release backward, or the back leg is below the level of the hips.
The Ideal: The gymnast is in a 180-degree (or more) split position with a straight front leg and a back leg bent at 90 degrees. The heel of the back leg is at the height of the head, with the head back and the face parallel to the floor. The arms are in a definitive position that complements the aesthetic of the skill.
Ring Jumps and Leaps
Good Example 1
Here, the gymnast performs a switch ring half (D), and at 0.75 speed, it looks a little off. She shows great form and extension, but her head release is early and not timed with the peak of her leap.
Insufficient arch (0.05)
Low rear foot (0.1)
Good Example 2
In this example, the gymnast has great leg flexibility and better timing, but her back leg doesn’t quite get to a 90-degree bend at the peak of her jump and her heel is low due to a lack of arch and a straighter back leg.
Insufficient arch (0.05)
Low rear foot (0.05)
Precision of back leg (0 to 0.05)
Great Example
This is a beautiful ring position with good head release, but I’d like to see the back leg bent a bit more toward her head, as well as a bigger arch in her back.
Precision of back leg (0 to 0.05)
Excellent Example
This is an ideal ring position, with great extension of the legs, a clear head release, and beautiful arm and leg positioning.
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Article by Rhiannon Franck
Rhiannon Franck is a former national-rated NAWGJ women’s gymnastics judge with over 15 years of USAG judging experience and nine seasons judging NCAA gymnastics.
