Giant (gymnastics)
A giant is an artistic gymnastics skill in which a gymnast rotates 360 degrees around an axis while in a fully extended position. It is performed on the uneven bars in women's artistic gymnastics and on the parallel bars, horizontal bar, and rings in men's artistic gymnastics.
Technique[edit]
The gymnast begins in a handstand position. With legs together, toes pointed, and body fully extended, the feet begin to descend. The upper body hollows very slightly until the gymnast passes through horizontal.[1] On the upswing, the abdominal muscles are engaged to slightly arch the body and prevent anterior pelvic tilt, which adversely affects the strength of the swing.[2] The gymnast either returns to the handstand position or continues through handstand to perform another giant or other element.
The gymnast must remain in a stretched position for the entire giant, except on parallel bars where the apparatus height necessitates bended knees at the bottom of the swing.
Variations[edit]
Some variations on the standard giant include:
- Forward or front giant - Performed with palms turned inward to face the body and heels leading the down swing instead of the front of the foot.
- Inverted, Eagle-Grip, or L-Grip giant - Performed like a forward giant but with the palms turned outward (L-Grip) to face the body
- Mixed grip giant - Performed as either a regular or forward giant with the hands held in two different grips (e.g. one hand in L-Grip, one hand in normal grip)
- One arm giant - Performed with only one arm holding the bar instead of two
- German giant - Performed with palms facing away from the gymnast's body and shoulders rotated backwards
- 3/4 giant - Performed starting in front support and casting to parallel then back down and around the bar to the front support position once again
- Skoumal giant -Performed as a back giant with the shoulders rotated forward as if doing an "inlocate" on rings. Essentially like a Manna over the top of the bar.
Scoring[edit]
In the current Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) 2017-2020 Code of Points, a giant is a B (0.2) element on uneven bars for women,[3] and a B (0.2) element on parallel bars and an A (0.1) element on the horizontal bar for men.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ [1], USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Basic Swing: Technical Concept
- ^ [2], USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: A Typical Performance Problem in a Giant Swing
- ^ [3][permanent dead link], FIG WAG 2009-2012 Code of Points
- ^ [4][permanent dead link], FIG MAG 2009-2012 Code of Points