Definition: Grips

Grips: Grips are the leather straps that gymnasts wear to help keep a better grip on the uneven bars, high bar, parallel bars or rings. The purpose of grips is to help maintain a firm grip on the equipment and … Continue reading →

Definition: Grand Plié

Grand Plié: A gymnastics and ballet movement where the gymnast stands with legs fully bent. A large bend; a movement that requires both knees to fully bend at the same time, and the body is lowered very close to the … Continue reading →

Definition: Grande Jeté

Grande Jeté: A ballet term used to describe a split leap, a large jump that is done from one foot to the other. It can be done either fermé (closed) or ouverte (open); there are many forms of grand jeté … Continue reading →

Definition: Gienger

Gienger: A flyaway back salto with a one-half twist, followed by a re-grasp of the bar. Named for German gymnast Eberhard Gienger, who created and first performed the skill.

Definition: Giant

Giant: A 360 degrees circling swing through around the bar from handstand to handstand, with the body fully extended. It can be performed on uneven bars, high bar, rings and parallel bars, and can be done either backwards or forwards.

Definition: Gaylord

Gaylord: A high bar skill named after U. S. gymnast Mitch Gaylord. It is a front giant into a one-and-one-half front salto over the bar to regrasp a front somersault in tuck, pike or straddled position over the bar. It … Continue reading →

Definition: Gatson

Gatson: A P-bar skill named after Jason Gatson. It consists of a swing backward with full turn hop to handstand. It has been rated as D level skill by the FIG.

Definition: Garrison

Garrison: A floor exercise skill named after U. S. gymnast Kelly Garrison.  It consists of a cat leap forward with bent legs and 1 ½ turn.  It has been rated by the FIG as C level skill and its FIG … Continue reading →

Gymnastics Coaching System

The most important coaching concept is that gymnastics training must be done systematically. The long-term success of the Russians, Romanians and other Eastern Europeans has come from their systematic approach to coaching. Much of the recent success in the United … Continue reading →

Gymnastics Coaching Styles – Profile vs. Encyclopedic Training

There are two distinct coaching styles in America today, the vertical progression profile method of coaching and the encyclopedic method of coaching, which is both vertical and horizontal progressions simultaneously. Actually one and this recommended style. Narrow Training Is By … Continue reading →