ignorant questions - Russian giants on bars

[gymgal]

I don't notice it much in real time but on slow motion, it is very apparent. the Russians arch, bend their legs and separate legs slightly when doing giants past the low bar. I know a straddle (no bent knees) is acceptable, as is a feet together. But what the Russians do looks so sloppy. Do they get deducted for this?

 

[bogwoppit]

No deduction, this is an accepted style. Just not what we are used to seeing.

 

[gymgal]

thanks... Would our girls get deducted for it in JO? I know you're in Canada, Bog but you know so much about US gym. just looks so sloppy.

 

[bogwoppit]

Not sure, but the some of the WOGA girls certainly do this early tap. Nastia and Rebecca Bross to name two. They certainly competed JO on their way up with that style of giant.

I do agree about how it looks, not the way I like giants to look. But hey what do I know.

 

[lhmom]

My daughter was watching Komova and asked me how she could've gotten such a good score with "bent knees". It's so incessantly drilled into her head by her coaches about form, she immediately picks up on those things.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

It should be deducted. Komova can still get a good score because she has great form through the rest of her routine (unlike Raisman).

 

[gymdog]

Only real time matters. The judges don't see slow mo.

Personally I don't mind and it was probably the best choice for Nastia with her long limbs and not especially short stature. FIG bars aren't very wide and it would have been difficult for her to perform bars with the extension she did. Of course, she demonstrated extremely good technical mastery. Not everyone is going to do it like that. Those two probably did get some deduction. Hard to tell what the judges saw since they like to shoot the end of bars from the front dismount area. Not the best view in real time.

 

[JessLW]

I don't really like the funky giants myself.

There is also something really counterintuitive to me about Komova's bar routine, mainly towards the end. I always find myself thinking she's made a mistake when she actually hasn't.