This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” -Nelson Mandela When I was a gymnast, I absolutely loved flipping. But eventually, as I progressed in the levels, some of the skills started to seem downright scary […]
This article has been updated to reflect the changes in the 2022-2026 DP Code of Points. Have you ever watched a floor routine that looked amazing, but then it scored low? I know I have! Especially before I started judging, it just didn’t make sense! What was the problem? Composition deductions! But what exactly does […]
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Stuck at home and can’t go to the gym? Want to supplement your practices with some gymnastics homework? Love gymnastics and just can’t get enough? If this describes you, you might be thinking about purchasing some home gymnastics equipment. I […]
I’ve been super grateful to NBCSN for broadcasting so many old Olympic gymnastics events recently. When I was a gymnast, I used to record them all on VHS and watch them over and over and over. However, until they were played on TV recently, I hadn’t thought to go back and rewatch them again. As […]
This article has been updated to reflect the changes made in the 2022-2026 Code of Points. Your Level 9 gymnast hits her floor routine. Yes! But the score comes in lower than you both expected. What’s the deal? At Level 9, there’s a good chance she had some deductions for the composition of the routine. […]
When I first competed in gymnastics, there was one skill that confused the heck out of me. I just couldn’t understand why I got the scores I did. What skill was it? The handspring vault! The handspring vault is the compulsory vault at Levels 4 and 5. It is the first vault gymnasts perform over […]
This post has been updated to reflect the 2022-2026 Code of Points. This Level 8 gymnast did a super clean floor routine! Gymnast and coach are thrilled, but when the score comes up, it’s not as high as they thought it would be. What gives? For Levels 8 and above, there may be a problem […]
What’s my bar routine missing? What are the biggest deductions I’m getting? This is a very common question for Level 6-10 bars. What’s the answer? Often, it has to do with bar angle deductions. Angle deductions are deductions that are taken during almost every bar routine. At Level 6 and 7, the deductions taken are […]
Why is it that some athletes are able to generate huge success even if they aren’t the most talented? What is their secret? I’ve often wondered this, both about top-level athletes, as well as about successful people in pretty much any area of life. What are they doing differently than the rest of us? Here’s […]
It’s officially time for the new compulsory routines! As of August 1, 2021, the routines have changed. The old routines from 2013-2021 are no longer allowed in competition. With these changes, the level system will still stay the same. There will continue to be five levels of compulsories and five levels of optionals. Level 4 […]
