The Balance beam |
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The balance beam is an event that requires the skill of
Balance. It is only 4 inches wide and 16.4 feet long. The apparatus stands
only 3.9 feet from the ground. Each routine must last anywhere from 70 to
90 seconds. The routines consist of tumbling, turns, jumps, leaps, a mount
and a dismount. The judges then score the gymnast only a code of points
that usually consists of 10 points. The starting total without any bonus
points is usually 9.5. A winner may even be determined by .001 of a point.
bonus points maybe given but will not exceed 10 pitons for a total
score.
Dominique Moceanu is shown to the left on the balance beam at the 1996 Olympic Games.
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This gymnast is shown here doing a leap on the balance beam. (below)
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The gymnast below is in the process of doing a back walk over on the balance beam. |
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The Uneven Bars The uneven bars are a set of wooden bars that are very flexible. The higher bar is set at anywhere from 6.7 ft to 6.9 feet from the ground. The lower bar is set anywhere from 4.9 ft from the ground to 4.7 feet from the ground. Routines are made up of different release moves and swings. They also involve releases from the high bar to the low bar. Each gymnast must release to the low bar and back to high bar (or the other way around) at least 1 time  |
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This is Amy Chow at the 1996 Olympic games on the uneven bars. It is her favorite apparatus of them all |
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