"Gymnastics Pommel Horse:A Competitive Dance with Charm and Challenge Coexisting"
I.Passionate Pommel Horse Events
The gymnastics pommel horse competition has always been a perfect fusion of passion and skill.In the national gymnastics championships,the men's pommel horse final is extremely fierce.Athletes display their unique skills on the field,bringing a visual feast to the audience.Zou Jinyuan's complete set of movements in the competition is stable and gorgeous.With an excellent score of 15.100 points,he ties with Xiao Ruoteng but takes the lead with a higher completion score.Yunnan athlete Wang Junwen is also not to be outdone and ranks third with outstanding performance.
In the gymnastics world championships,the men's pommel horse final is equally exciting.In the 2018 Doha Gymnastics World Championships men's pommel horse final,Chinese athlete Xiao Ruoteng narrowly won the championship with a higher completion score when tied with British star Whitlock.In the 2023 Gymnastics World Championships men's pommel horse final,Irish athlete McClellanagan won the championship with a score of 15.100 points.American athlete Keye Young and Jordanian athlete Abu Al-Soud took second and third place respectively.
These wonderful competition moments fully demonstrate the charm of the gymnastics pommel horse event.Athletes challenge themselves and break through limits on the field.With superb skills and tenacious fighting spirit,they ignite the fire of charm and passion.Their excellent performances not only win honor for the country but also inspire more people to pay attention to gymnastics and feel the charm of sports.
II.Training Methods for Brilliant Achievements
(1)Practice of Key Movements
There are many low-difficulty movements in the pommel horse event,which are the foundation for athletes to master high-difficulty movements.For the German swing and turn 180°,the technical key point is to start from holding the left end of the horse with the left hand and the backswing part outside the left ring with the right hand.Then,take the left arm and right supporting arm as the axes respectively and turn 90°to the right.Finally,the left hand should catch the right ring in time to form a backswing with the left hand holding the ring and the right hand supporting the end of the horse.This movement can be practiced first on a buck,doing a full turn of the legs and turning 180°through side support,and then practice on the pommel horse.The Russian turn starts from the full turn on the ring through the prone support position or the prone support posture on the ring.Shift the body's center of gravity to the left arm.After pushing off the right ring with the right hand quickly,grip the saddle ring with the opposite grip as the left hand and turn 90°to the right.Then,swing the legs over the left end of the horse and continue to turn 90°to the right to form a backswing on the ring.The Czech turn is a typical movement of the full-turn type on the pommel horse ring.It starts from the backswing posture of the full turn of the legs on the ring.The full turn movement should be fully swung open to accelerate the full-turn speed.Shift the body's center of gravity to the left arm,release the right hand,turn,and change to grip one ring.Continue to turn and release the left hand to form a backswing on the ring.When practicing,you can first do a full-turn 90°on the buck to form side support full turn and do a side support full turn and turn 90°to form positive support full turn,and then connect them to practice.You can also stand in front of the horse,hold the saddle ring with both hands,jump up and turn 180°by gripping one ring to form a backswing on the ring.
(2)Basic Technical Training
Basic technical training for the pommel horse is crucial for athletes.Usually,methods such as selecting key basic movements and formulating technical specifications are adopted,such as single-leg swing and cross,full turn of both legs,Thomas full turn,single-ring full turn,Czech turn and various shifting movements.You can also select key links in movement techniques for specialized training.For example,only practice the prone turn technique in the prone turn and climb the ring exercise,and practice the first 90°turn of the Maqiaoer roll alone.Basic technical training can also be carried out by changing the equipment conditions.For example,using a buck,a pommel horse without rings,or a single-ring pommel horse to practice basic techniques.However,this method will reduce the difficulty caused by equipment obstacles and is not conducive to the formation of correct techniques.In basic technical training of the pommel horse,attention should be paid to comprehensiveness,advancement,stability and predictability.It is the basis for developing difficult and new movements and the prerequisite for high-quality completion of pommel horse movements.It plays an important role in improving the stability and technical level of the pommel horse.
(3)Analysis of the Run-up Steps
The run-up steps for gymnastics pommel horse are very crucial.First,adjust breathing and correctly master the force application point.Next,the athlete forcefully pushes off with both legs and kicks down the board.Then,lift the upper body by raising the shoulders and jump up.When the two arms exert force to complete the upward swing,the athlete should try to widen the shoulder angle as much as possible and then throw out the chest to support the horse.Next,push off with the instep and raise both hands upward.Tuck the head,raise the shoulders,bend the knees and push upward,flip the hips and hug the legs for flipping.When the face turns into a top-down view,quickly raise both arms upward,tuck the head,raise the shoulders,straighten the waist upward,and stretch the legs backward to prepare for landing.Note the buffering action after landing.
III.Classic Movements,Eternal Legends
(1)Li Ning Cross
The"Li Ning Cross"is a classic pommel horse movement created by"Prince of Gymnastics"Li Ning.It is a positive cross turn 90°and then fall into a straddle support after a one-ring handstand.This movement transformed the movements on the pommel horse that foreign players could only make"planar"into"three-dimensional",thus opening up a new routine for the development of the pommel horse.
Li Ning's achievements in the field of gymnastics are extremely brilliant.In 1980,Li Ning entered the national team.In the 1982 Gymnastics World Cup,he won six gold medals in all-around,floor exercise,horizontal bar,vault,pommel horse and rings,and a bronze medal in parallel bars,creating a gymnastics myth and being known as the"Prince of Gymnastics".During his career,he won a total of 14 world championships including the Olympics,World Championships and World Cups,and 106 domestic and international competition gold medals.The four movements he created were named"Li Ning swing on rings","Li Ning front hang on rings","Li Ning cross on pommel horse"and"Li Ning giant circle on parallel bars"by the International Gymnastics Federation.In 1999,the International Sports Press Association selected 25"Best Athletes of the 20th Century",and Li Ning was selected.In 2000,Li Ning was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame and became the first person in the history of Chinese gymnastics.
(2)Wang Chongsheng Turn
Wang Chongsheng created the pommel horse movement"Wang Chongsheng Turn"at the 1988 Seoul Olympics,that is,Thomas handstand turn 180°,then followed by Thomas handstand,and then followed by a positive cross.According to the regulations of the International Gymnastics Federation,gymnastics movements need to be completed in world-class competitions before being named after the completer.In that year,Wang Chongsheng completed new movements in the pommel horse,all-around and team competitions,and was named"Wang Chongsheng Turn"by the International Gymnastics Federation.
Wang Chongsheng's gymnastics career is full of legendary colors.In 1977,the Guangdong Provincial Sports School selected athlete seedlings in Hainan.Wang Chongsheng was selected and became a member of the Guangdong gymnastics team.Since entering the provincial team,he officially started the training life of a competitive gymnast.After days of arduous training,Wang Chongsheng wanted to give up many times,but he persevered because of his unyielding spirit.At the age of 14,Wang Chongsheng represented the Guangdong gymnastics team in the national youth gymnastics competition and achieved good results.He was selected into the national gymnastics training team that year.After entering the national team,he continuously made breakthroughs and achieved good results in many international competitions.In 1984,he won the pommel horse championship in the"Pacific Cup"gymnastics competition in the United States;in 1985,he won the championships in rings,parallel bars and floor exercise in the"America Cup"international competition;in 1986,he participated in the 10th Seoul Asian Games and won the men's team championship in gymnastics and the third place in men's vault.In 1993,Wang Chongsheng officially retired,but he never left the sports cause.He participated in the management and promotion of sports projects in Hainan and Guangdong,letting more people understand the charm of competitive sports,driving the public to participate in sports and promoting the Olympic spirit.
IV.Long History,Inheritance and Development
(1)Origin and Evolution
The pommel horse is said to have originated in ancient Rome.The wooden horse back with double rings is shaped like a saddled horse and is mainly used for training horsemanship.The earliest pommel horse equipment was in the shape of a real horse,carved from wood and equipped with a full set of saddles.In 1791,the horse legs were changed to straight legs;in 1795,the horse head was removed;in 1811,杨氏,known as the"founder of gymnastics"in Germany,removed the horse tail at the Hasenheide Stadium in Berlin and covered the pommel horse with cowhide;in 1804,the famous German gymnast Gutsmuth replaced the saddle on the wooden horse with a pair of iron rings.Later,the iron rings were replaced by wooden rings,gradually forming the current pommel horse.At first,people could only do some single-leg swing-up movements on the pommel horse.In 1866,at the"Gymnastics Festival"competition held in Biel,Switzerland,Habra from Zurich was the first to do a full turn of both legs on the pommel horse.In 1896,the pommel horse was listed as an Olympic event for men.
(2)Development Process
The development of pommel horse technology has gone through multiple stages.In the 1950s,movements such as ring prone turn,right-angle exit,right-angle entry,translation and Shajinyang dismount represented the typical movements of that time.Mainly represented by the Soviet Union,athletes included Shaqinyang,Shaherin and Zhukalin.In the 1960s,single-ring and single-ring turns,prone forward and reverse turns were typical movements,represented by the Yugoslav athlete Celar.After Celar won the pommel horse world championship in 1962,he won the world championships and Olympic pommel horse championships many times in a row and remained unbeaten for eight years.He is known as the"God of Pommel Horse".In the 1970s,typical movements were represented by longitudinal shifting,backward shifting,"rolling"360 degrees and Thomas full turn.During this period,Hungarian athlete Zuo Maqiaoer pioneered techniques such as longitudinal forward shifting,reverse turning along the body's longitudinal axis and jumping shifting.He won two Olympic and three world championships in pommel horse in 1976 and 1980.American athlete K.Thomas created the split-leg wave full turn technique during this period.In the 1980s,handstand techniques and movements of the隔环转体type gradually increased.The pommel horse sport entered the era of three-dimensional movements from planar rotation.Chinese athlete Li Ning created the cross turn movement through a one-ring handstand.At the same time,the dismount was also replaced by a handstand dismount,replacing the old"Shajinyang"dismount that had dominated for more than 30 years.Since then,the pommel horse event has flourished,changing the situation where a few people dominated.The appearance of three-dimensional techniques makes the pommel horse movements fly up and down and be more three-dimensional.Worldwide,pommel horse technology has progressed rapidly,and various high-difficulty new movements continue to emerge.In the 1990s and after entering the 21st century,many excellent athletes such as Shcherbo,Li Donghua,Urlicka,Xiao Qin,Louis Smith and Whitlock emerged in this event.They won the pommel horse championships in the world championships and Olympics many times.
(3)Rule Changes
On January 1,2006,the International Gymnastics Federation implemented new rules.The new scoring system abolished the previous practice of a full score of 10 points.The referee's scoring consists of two groups:difficulty score(A)and completion score(B).Group A scores the 10 best-completed movements according to the movements completed by the athlete(the difficulty score is divided into groups A to G,with group G being the highest at 1 point).Then,add the scores of five specified groups(currently 5 points according to the existing regulations),and add the connection bonus of specific movements to form the difficulty score.Group B has a full score of 10 points.Two or four referees deduct points from the basis of 10 points according to the athlete's technique,artistic expression,movement completion,movement combination and aesthetics.However,athletes can still get a full score of 10 points with perfect performance.Because there is no upper limit for scoring in group A,gymnastics scores can be expected to be continuously refreshed.
V.Charm Blooming,Fascinating
(1)Artistic Beauty
Gymnastics pommel horse attracts many audiences with its unique artistic charm.In pommel horse competitions,the connection combinations of high-difficulty movements are dazzling.Athletes continuously complete various movements such as single-leg swing,cross,full turn and shifting turn on the narrow support area.The transition of each movement is as natural and smooth as flowing clouds and flowing water.For example,three consecutive direct Stoeckli B followed by a prone turn 180°to the backswing on the ring is one of the highest difficulty movements in the pommel horse event.It is composed of two movements:three consecutive direct Stoeckli B and prone turn 180°.It fully demonstrates the superb skills and body control ability of athletes.
The graceful posture of pommel horse is also an important manifestation of its artistic charm.When competing,athletes support their bodies on the pommel horse or saddle rings with their arms stretched.Their bodies are stretched and their movements are elegant.They straighten and separate their legs and raise them as high as possible,showing beautiful lines and a sense of strength.When doing full-turn movements,the body makes forward or backward rotations on the horse,like a dancing dancer,giving people the enjoyment of beauty.
Coordination of movements is another key factor of the artistic charm of pommel horse.Athletes must complete various full turns,turns,shifts,crosses and handstand movements on the three parts of the pommel horse(two ends of the horse and the ring in the middle of the horse).There is no pause allowed between movements.This requires athletes to have extremely high movement coordination.They need to complete the transfer of body center of gravity and the conversion of movements in an instant.only when each movement is accurate can they present a wonderful pommel horse performance.
(2)Challenges and Achievements
As the most difficult event to"tame"among the six men's competitive gymnastics events,the pommel horse brings huge challenges to athletes.First,the support area of the pommel horse is very small and must be controlled entirely with two hands.It is an event with the most and fastest changes in body center of gravity.This requires athletes to have strong strength,nearly perfect balance,flexibility,sense of time and beauty of movements.For example,when doing some single-ring movements,it can only be completed by alternately holding on one ring with two hands.The support area of the hand is even smaller.A slight mistake will cause touching the horse or falling off the horse.
Second,the gymnastics scoring rules are strict.No other body parts except the hands are allowed to touch the equipment.Therefore,athletes must constantly change movements and maintain stability within such a narrow support area.At the same time,there is no pause allowed between movements and no forceful movements are allowed.Otherwise,points will be deducted.This makes athletes need to be highly concentrated and precisely control each movement during the competition.
However,it is precisely these challenges that make the achievements of athletes in pommel horse competitions even more difficult and precious.When an athlete's set of movements is of high difficulty,with beautiful posture,coordinated movements and diverse changes,smooth connections,large amplitude and a stable dismount,they will get a high score.Like Xiao Qin,who won the men's pommel horse championship in the World Gymnastics Championships with indisputable superiority.Behind his success are countless times of hard training and challenges to himself.In the competition,he not only has to face the competition from other athletes but also overcome the high difficulty and uncertainty of the pommel horse event itself.Every athlete who achieves success in the pommel horse event writes their glorious chapter with sweat and effort.
