Judging gymnastics competitions for yourself

While the intricacies of the Code of Points may be a little difficult to understand, it’s actually easy to watch gymnastic competitions and determine which gymnasts and routines are great, good and not so good. While there are many nuances and elements a professional judge looks for, you can easily make a fair assessment even if you’ve never attended a gymnastics school.

Form and Execution. No matter how difficult the routine or maneuver, a gymnast should always look like they’re in control of their movement. In a best case scenario, every skill demonstrated will appear effortless. Whether a student attends a South Bay gymnastics facility or one in another part of the country, students should learn all the intricacies of good form, from an overall tightness to the body and straight limbs to pointed toes.

Innovation. You don’t have to be a professional judge of gymnastic contests to recognize a routine’s uniqueness. A great gymnast’s routine will stand apart from those of their competitors, whether it’s through high-risk maneuvers, skills that are unique or the personal style and flair that they bring.

Height and Distance. A good gymnast will fly above the balance bar and appear to explode off the apparatus they’re performing on. While a good gymnastics school can teach the proper technique for jumps, leaps and flips, it’s up to the gymnast to practice consistently to develop their power and strength.

A Stuck Landing. A student from a local South Bay gymnastics school shared with us what s “stuck landing” is: basically, the gymnast’s feet should not move once they land. Points are typically deducted and the gymnast will look off balance when they experience a stuck landing—it will almost appear as if they are stumbling.

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