Acrobatic Gymnastics Honor

Recreational Activities

Requirements

  1. List the safety precautions that each gymnast must follow.

    Answer: Warm up the body for 10-15 min with progressive stretching; use a mat at least 5 cm thick; train with a qualified instructor and a spotter for new movements; remove accessories (earrings, rings); wear tight-fitting clothing; hydrate before and after; never perform an acrobatic move without mastering the previous one in the teaching progression. — The FIG and CBG recommend the RAMP protocol (Raise, Activate, Mobilise, Potentiate). Most common injuries: ankle sprain (35%), thigh strain, fracture from a fall in a handstand. A dense EVA foam mat 5 cm thick absorbs impacts of up to 1.5× body weight. A spotter reduces the risk of falling in new jumps by up to 80% according to NSCA studies.

  2. Describe the basic positions:
    • Squat
    • Bent trunk
    • Hyperextension
    • Straddle position (legs apart)
    • e) Extension
    • Tuck
    • Pike

    Answer: 1) Squat: a crouching position, with the knees bent and the heels resting on the ground, keeping the torso upright and balanced. 2) Torso bent: the torso leans/bends forward from the hip, descending toward the legs, while the legs remain extended. 3) Hyperextension: the spine is arched backward beyond the normal position, with the chest and head projected up and back, forming an arch. 4) Position with the legs apart: legs spread sideways in a V shape (standing split), widening the base of support. 5) Extension: the body fully extended, straight and aligned, with legs, torso, arms and head in a single line, without bends. 6) Tucked: the body curled up with the knees pulled toward the chest and the hands hugging the legs, forming a compact ball. 7) Piked: legs extended and together, with the torso bent forward at the hip at an angle, bringing the chest closer to the thighs and the hands touching the feet. — These positions make up the vocabulary of the CBG (Brazilian Gymnastics Confederation). Tucked and piked are standard jump positions evaluated in the scoring code — a perfect tuck requires the knees glued together and the chin on the chest, while the pike requires a hip/leg angle of less than 90° with the legs fully extended.

  3. Perform the following acrobatics with technique and elegant movements:
    • From a squat, perform a forward roll in the tuck position
    • Perform a forward roll in the pike position
    • Roll with a jump (equal to the gymnast's height)
    • Backward roll, starting from the straddle position
    • Headstand
    • Handstand

    Answer: Forward tucked roll: crouch, chin on the chest, roll over the nape with momentum. Forward piked roll: same but with straight legs. With a jump: a vertical jump before the roll. Backward straddle roll: sit in a V, roll backward passing the hips over the head. Headstand: head-and-hands tripod. Handstand: straight arms, the inverted body aligned. — The headstand (sirsasana) uses a tripod that distributes weight between the forehead and two hands 30 cm apart. The handstand requires an active core and scapular lock; beginners train against a wall for 4-6 weeks before going free standing. The roll with a jump calls for 'a height equal to the gymnast' — a reference from the Adventist honor.

  4. Perform 6 of the following exercises, with elegant movements, with a second person:
    • Standing on the knees
    • Stand supported on the torso
    • Stand with double support
    • Stand on the shoulders
    • Combined horizontal support
    • High plank (horizontal extension above the hands of the person in hyperextension).

    Answer: Knees: a base lying on the back with the legs bent; the gymnast climbs up and stands. Torso: the gymnast rests their hands on the partner's torso. Double support: two points of contact (hands+shoulders). Shoulders: standing on the partner's shoulders. Combined horizontal: bodies in a line. High plank: hyperextension above the partner's hands. — Acrosport requires a base (catcher) and a flyer with compatible weight (preferably a lighter flyer). The FIG recommends the 'count of 3' rule: the flyer climbs up in 3 seconds, holds for 3 seconds, comes down in 3. The base must keep the spine aligned and the core active. Verbal communication between the pair is a rule: 'ready' before, 'down' when finishing.