Sunday, August 10, 2014

Breaking Down: Gymnastics Turns on Floor

Gymnastics turns have evolved rapidly since the elimination of the 10.0 CoP back in 2005-2008 cycle. Back then gymnastics were only ever doing simple double turns and sometimes single complicated turns. The only real exception was Chellsie Memmel, who was performing a double turn with leg held at 90 degrees. It was poorly performed when compared to modern day gymnasts but a complicated turn nonetheless. A turn is a move that is classified as a dance or non-acrobatic element on floor and gymnasts can only count a minimum of 3 non-acrobatic elements in a floor routine - they can do more if they wanted.

The basic turn is a turn on one leg with the option of having the free leg below horizontal. This is the turn that is often performed with ease on the balance beam. The CoP varies with the values it rewards for this particular spin but one single turn is worth an A, double turn a B, triple turn a C and a quad turn an E. There are two gymnasts that are actively attempting the quad turn and they are Aliya Mustafina and Larissa Iordache. Neither of them are consistently hitting the fourth turn but Aliya has gotten 3 and 3/4 way round.

Just thinking about spinning around on one leg four times makes me dizzy. These gymnasts attempt hard elements and then dance their way into a complicated jump.

The turn with leg at horizontal is the turn that I consider to be the most difficult to execute. As the name says it is a turn with the free leg in a horizontal position. The turn has the option of the support leg being straight or bent - so don't assume there is a deduction for bent legs.

The real difficulty with this turn is that one is carrying their free leg around for a turn or a double. There is no option to have your hand holding it up like there is in some of the other turns. The other problem with this particular turn is that the gymnasts tend to elevate it more than horizontal or drop it below horizontal. It is a very finicky turn.

This particular turn has two options in the CoP so far, a single turn worth a B and a double turn worth a massive D. I'm sure there will be a triple turn in this position sooner or later. I haven't heard anyone actually training it though. Ksenia Semenova and Maria Kharenkova are the two gymnasts that perform this turn and both connect it to a B element for a bonus.

The turn is at the 29 second mark in the video.



The third turn is a turn with the leg held at 180 degrees. The turn must be performed with the free leg held upward in a 180 degree position throughout  the turn. This turn has acquired the name Memmel turn because the double turn is named after Chellsie Memmel. This is a turn that every Russian gymnast seems to want to attempt with quite a few actually completing it. With so many Russians successfully competing it it is almost the Russian turn in my books.

The CoP has a single turn, in this position, worth a B and a double worth out of a D. The triple turn is provisionally valued out of an E. The FIG came out with that because Aliya Mustafina submitted it but was not able to complete it at the 2013 Worlds. I'm sure that Aliya, Anna Rodionova or some other Russian gymnast will perform it in a competition by the end of this cycle.

The fourth turn is an attitude turn, it is commonly called that because the free leg is held in a position associated with attitude - that's what I found online. The turn is executed with the free leg held back in attitude - knee of free leg at horizontal throughout but bent upwards. It is quite difficult to explain how this turn works unless you see the actual picture or a video. 

The single attitude turn is worth out of a B and the double is worth out of a D. The double is named after Ksenia Semenova, the 2007 World Champion on uneven bars. The only person performing it is Ksenia Afanasyeva, a gymnast from the same town as Semenova and trained by the same coach. This turn appears to have a certain technique that is hard to pick up and is the least performed in double but is more seen in a single turn.

The next turn is a seldom performed and it is a scorpion turn. I believe it is called that because the gymnast holds their leg in a way that looks very much like a scorpion. The CoP stipulates that the gymnast must hold their free leg backward and upward throughout the turn. The single turn is worth a B. It is a very difficult turn to execute and thus is hardly done yet not rewarded sufficiently for a gymnast to attempt it.

The only gymnast that I have seen perform this turn on the floor was Anna Pavlova back in 2008. After watching her performance a few times I almost thing that she was going for a double scorpion turn but couldn't get the force to rotate it.

The illusion turn is an actual turn even though its name makes it sound like it isn't actually one. This particular turn is more typically performed on the balance beam but is gaining a presence on the floor with the updates to the CoP. The code stipulates that the gymnasts must perform the turn through standing split without touching the floor with their hand or hands. Halfway into the turn the gymnast will have one leg at 180 degrees.

If the thought of doing one of those turns sounded difficult then doing two in a row should be even more difficult but that's now what the CoP says. A single illusion turn is worth out of a B and a double out of a C - yes, a C! That's a sure way to kill anyone actually training the move, maybe the FIG things that it's a dangerous move and needs to not be rewarded.

The tuck turn is making a comeback with Simone Biles performing it and in the recent past by the Australian Lauren Mitchell. The tuck turn begins in a tuck stand with the free leg either bent or held at a horizontal position. If the gymnast does two turns held at horizontal then it is worth a D  and a triple an E but if they do a double with the free leg bent then it's worth a B. A single of either version is worth a sad A.

Below is a video from YouTube that shows all of the turns in the CoP. Thanks to MostepanovaFan for making such a great video.







No comments:

Post a Comment