Women Level 4 Bars ?

[z2akids]

So, I see on CB frequently that the casts in the L4 bar routine are aupposed to be to horizontal. Can someone explain exactly what that means?

Does it mean that the gymnast's whole body has to be above an imaginary line drawn at bar height parallel to the floor? Or they have to have their whole body straight (no aeches or pikes, etc) parallel ro the floor? In which case, what about the line from arms to head, etc?

To give an example, DD has a teammatw whose whole body is onviously higher than the bar. But, she is very piked with her tush significantly higher than the rest of her body. Does she get credit for horizontal? Then, does she lose points for her shape? On the other hand, DD's feet (one low bar in particular) are usually close to the height of the bar (if you drew a line parallel to the floor) but usually just below. But, she keeps that night tight shape ( where they are a little rounded, but not archy or pikey).

Anyway, I am just curious because I read "horizontal" all the time, but am not clear on what that means. And, I try to avoid aaking DD questions like this.

 

[vbdb]

This blog post may be helpful

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[z2akids]

Thanks. That seems helpful. So, if I read that correctly, it is an imaginary line drawn through the shoulder horizontal to the ground.

 

[ayyyrial]

The line would be drawn from the shoulder to the lowest part of the body.

So for your DD, that would be her feet - and she'd be receiving slight deductions for being below horizontal. For the other gymnast you mentioned, the lowest body part would also be her feet since she's piking. She would also get deductions for body shape.

The way we measure this angle is like this so that you can't "cheat" to a higher angle by piking or arching.

 

[QueenBee]

Thanks. That seems helpful. So, if I read that correctly, it is an imaginary line drawn through the shoulder horizontal to the ground.

It really doesn't have anything to do with the ground. The lines being drawn would be from the shoulders to the lowest part of the body (the line gets drawn through to the gymnast's feet) and from the shoulders down to the bar. Two lines are being drawn, both from the shoulder. Ideally, the lines would form a 90 degree angle to meet the horizontal requirement for Level 4 (imagine 1/2 a rectangle being formed arms to shoulder, shoulder to toes).

Body shape (archy/pikey) would be a separate part of the judging to a certain extent. You can cast to above horizontal and be archy/pikey so you would get the cast requirement correct but receive a body shape deduction. If you cast to horizontal but are pikey/archy, the lowest part of your body may very well be below horizontal so you wouldn't have achieved the cast requirement and you would also get the body shape deduction as well.

 

[z2akids]

It really doesn't have anything to do with the ground. The lines being drawn would be from the shoulders to the lowest part of the body (the line gets drawn through to the gymnast's feet) and from the shoulders down to the bar. Two lines are being drawn, both from the shoulder. Ideally, the lines would form a 90 degree angle to meet the horizontal requirement for Level 4 (imagine 1/2 a rectangle being formed arms to shoulder, shoulder to toes).

Body shape (archy/pikey) would be a separate part of the judging to a certain extent. You can cast to above horizontal and be archy/pikey so you would get the cast requirement correct but receive a body shape deduction. If you cast to horizontal but are pikey/archy, the lowest part of your body may very well be below horizontal so you wouldn't have achieved the cast requirement and you would also get the body shape deduction as well.

Yikes. Just when I think I am getting it, I get a wrench thrown in my understanding. If the imaginary line through the shoulder for the verticle part of the angle is to the bar and not to the ground then my DD is WAY below horizontal. In fact, probably noone on her team is there. Because her shoulders are not directly over the bars, but rather in front of them, the line through her shoulders to the bars (through her arms) is not vertical. Are her shoulders supposed to be directly over the bar and not in front of it? See, I think I finally understand o w thing and then something I never even thoight of before throws me. Why couldn's she have picked a sport where the points are self-evemident (ball goes in the hoop - point).

Ehh, it honestly doesn't matter. a 1/10 here and 3/10 there. She loves what she does. I just sit back and enjoy watching her.

 

[gymcat]

I don't think you have to hit horizontal until L5.

 

[z2akids]

I don't think you have to hit horizontal until L5.

I am pretty sure they have to hit horizontal at L4 and above horizontal for L5. But, I could be wrong.

 

[Ali'sMom]

I am pretty sure they have to hit horizontal at L4 and above horizontal for L5. But, I could be wrong.

Nope - you're absolutely right.

 

[ayyyrial]

Yikes. Just when I think I am getting it, I get a wrench thrown in my understanding. If the imaginary line through the shoulder for the verticle part of the angle is to the bar and not to the ground then my DD is WAY below horizontal. In fact, probably noone on her team is there. Because her shoulders are not directly over the bars, but rather in front of them, the line through her shoulders to the bars (through her arms) is not vertical. Are her shoulders supposed to be directly over the bar and not in front of it? See, I think I finally understand o w thing and then something I never even thoight of before throws me. Why couldn's she have picked a sport where the points are self-evemident (ball goes in the hoop - point).

Ehh, it honestly doesn't matter. a 1/10 here and 3/10 there. She loves what she does. I just sit back and enjoy watching her.

It's ok to have your shoulders in front of the bar. It's basically necessary unless you're in a handstand position. Basically, their bottom, tummy, and their feet should be just as high as their shoulders (with good body position). If anything is dipping lower than the shoulders, it's below horizontal. The shoulders can't really go higher or lower than they naturally are, unless their arms bend, so it's just about getting the rest of the body to that height.

 

[sce]

I don't think you have to hit horizontal until L5.

Yes you do. In Level 4 you need to cast ot horizontal, level 5 has to go above horizontal.

 

[z2akids]

It's ok to have your shoulders in front of the bar. It's basically necessary unless you're in a handstand position. Basically, their bottom, tummy, and their feet should be just as high as their shoulders (with good body position). If anything is dipping lower than the shoulders, it's below horizontal. The shoulders can't really go higher or lower than they naturally are, unless their arms bend, so it's just about getting the rest of the body to that height.

Thanks. Nice and simple.