2015 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships - Rings - Courtney Tulloch 08

The rings, also known as still rings (in contrast to flying rings), is an

artistic gymnastics Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics in which athletes perform short routines on different apparatuses. The sport is governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), which designs the Code of Points and regulates ...

apparatus and the event that uses it. It is traditionally used only by

male Male (symbol: ♂) is the sex of an organism that produces the gamete (sex cell) known as sperm, which fuses with the larger female gamete, or ovum, in the process of fertilization. A male organism cannot reproduce sexually without access to ...

gymnast Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, sh ...

s, due to its extreme upper body strength requirements. Gymnasts often wear ring grips while performing.

The apparatus

The apparatus consists of two rings that hang freely from a rigid metal frame. Each ring is supported by a strap, which in turn connects to a steel cable that is suspended from the metal frame. The gymnast, who grips one ring with each hand, must control the movement of the rings and his or her body movements at all times.

Dimensions

The measurements of the standard apparatus are specified by

Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique The International Gymnastics Federation (French: Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique, FIG) is the body governing all disciplines of competitive gymnastics. Its headquarters is in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was founded on July 23, 1881, in ...

(FIG) in its ''Apparatus Norms'' document: * Inner diameter: ± * Diameter of profile: ± * Distance from point of attachment to lower inner side of the rings: ± * Distance between two points of attachment: ±

Routines

An exercise on rings consists of swing, strength and hold elements. Generally, gymnasts are required to fulfill various requirements including a swing to held handstand, a static strength hold, and an aerial dismount. More experienced gymnasts will often perform more than one strength element, sometimes swinging into hold positions or consecutively performing different holds. One of the most widely recognized skills performed on the rings is the ''Iron Cross'', which is executed by extending both arms straight out from the sides of the body while suspended mid air for at least two seconds. Other common strength moves include the inverted cross (i.e., vertically inverted Iron Cross) and the Maltese cross, in which the gymnast holds his or her body parallel to the ground at ring height with arms extended laterally. Swing elements include giant swings from handstand to handstand, in both front and back directions, similar to giants performed on the

horizontal bar The horizontal bar, also known as the high bar, is an apparatus used by male gymnasts in artistic gymnastics. It traditionally consists of a cylindrical metal (typically steel) bar that is rigidly held above and parallel to the floor by a syste ...

. Elements on the rings are regulated by the Code of Points.

International level routines

A rings routine should contain at least one element from all element groups: * I. Kip and swing elements & swings through or to handstand * II. Strength elements and hold elements * III. Swings to strength hold elements * IV. Dismounts

Scoring and rules

Gymnasts will take deductions for form similar to other apparatus. On rings gymnasts will also take deductions for having bent arms while performing nearly all elements, or using the straps/cables to support or balance themselves. Additional deductions are applied to gymnasts unable to maintain a neutral head position during holds, a neutral face (not grimacing), or grunting. There are also deductions for each extraneous swinging of the cables during the routine. Bonus points on the still rings are earned by performing consecutive distinct static hold elements, based upon the letter value of both moves, listed in the code of points.

References