WAG How do they determine difficulty for code of points etc

[Flicfliclay]

Was just thinking... How do they determine difficulty and value for the code of points? I see stuff and talk to my gymnast all the time and she also gets confused by a lot of the difficulty value given to skills.. sometimes devalued or moved up in value. She says a lot of things are harder than others that are valued higher etc.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I don't think that's really something that can be simply explained. They factor in the difficulty of the skill, but also factor in whether they want to encourage or discourage gymnasts from doing it. Also, for the USAG code of points (which is different from the FIG code of points), most leaps and jumps are absurdly over-valued.

 

[Flicfliclay]

I don't think that's really something that can be simply explained. They factor in the difficulty of the skill, but also factor in whether they want to encourage or discourage gymnasts from doing it. Also, for the USAG code of points (which is different from the FIG code of points), most leaps and jumps are absurdly over-valued.

Why do you think they over-value leaps and jumps? I find it all interesting and a fun topic to discuss.

 

[Astraea_9]

I don't know about the higher ones (we're not there yet) but the A value seems to cover a very wide range of difficulty. It amazes me that a back walkover or back hip circle can be rated as no more difficult than a cartwheel. It took my daughter months of trying to be able to do those skills, whereas I, a middle aged out of shape woman with no gymnastics background can do a cartwheel.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Why do you think they over-value leaps and jumps? I find it all interesting and a fun topic to discuss.

I don't know why they over-value them, but to give some examples:

-In USAG, a tuck jump 2/1 is a D. If you add a back salto, it goes DOWN in value
-A tuck jump 1/1 and a back layout 1/1 are the same value.

 

[Aussie_coach]

We use the FIG COP in Australia, and you rarely see much by way of interesting leaps, jumps and turns.

Perhaps rating them mugger is a system for ensuring gymnasts work them, so those who do take the elite path can be competitive both in dance and in tumbling skills.