Men's Gymnastics - Pommel Horse

A contemporary Pommel Horse exercise is characterized by pendulum swings and by different types of circular swings with legs apart and together in a variety of support positions on all parts of the horse. Swings through the handstand position, with or without turns, are permitted. All elements must be executed with swing and without the slightest interruption of the exercise. Strength and hold elements are not permitted.
In most cases the pommel horse stands 115 cm tall, and the horse itself is 35 cm wide by 160 cm long. The pommels must be between 40 to 45 cm apart.

description taken from the official men's FIG Code of Points

Below I have listed skills performed on this apparatus, their Element Group and their value. All skills and skill sequences listed below are evaluated with FIG rules, not USAG JO rules.
I have also included a Pommel Horse routine that meets all the FIG requirements for Difficulty, Element Groups, Presentation and Bonus, giving the routine a maximum score of 10.0.

Read about the history of Pommel Horse.

Animated Skills

Thomas Flairs - flaired (legs apart) circles

A Magyar travel - travel forward in cross support with support on leather, pommel, pommel, leather (3/3) (1-2-4-5)

Pommel circles - circles in side support on both pommels

Skill	Element Group	Value
Scissor forward: A scissor is performed by beginning with one leg between the pommels while in side support. Then swinging up high enough so that the opposite leg can replace the original leg between the pommels.	I - Single leg swings	A
Any ½ spindle in side support: A spindle is executed by turning the body counter to the direction of the circles preceeding it.	II - Circles in side and cross support, with or without spindles and handstands	B
From front support, travel backwards with ½ spindle to rear support	III - Travels in side support and cross support	C
720° or 900° Russian wendeswing on 1 pommel: A wendeswing is executed in a stretched position using the momentum generated from preceeding circles to enable the gymnast to pirouette (turn) in the same direction as his circles.	IV - Kehr swings and wende swings	D
DSA (Direct Stockli A) with hop backwards through handstand on other end with a full turn: A DSA is executed by beginning with circles in side support. Then releasing a hand from one pommel, in the forward phase of the circle, and placing it on behind the back on the other pommel so that both hands have knuckles facing the toes. Continue by releasing the other hand and when the legs pass the pommels it is placed on the other pommel, finishing in side support.	V - Dismounts	E

2.8 Difficulty (3C + 3B + 4 A), 1.0 Element Groups (0.2 per group), 5.0 Presentation, 1.2 in Bonus = Max Score of 10.0
Sequence 1 = "A", "E" + "D" + "E" + "D" for 1.2 in Bonus Two rearways cross support circles ("A" value) to Magyar spindle (Full spindle within 1 circle) ("E" value and EG II skill) to a Sivado 12345 (3/3 rearways travel in cross support) ("D" value and EG III skill) to Wu Guonian (720° russian wendeswing with a 3/3 travel) ("E" value and EG IV) to 1080° Russian wendeswing on the leather ("D" value and EG IV skill) Simple Reverse Stockli to straddle support on both pommels
Sequence 2 = "A", "A", "B", "A", "B", "C" Leg cuts to reverse scissor leg cut ("A" value) to Forward scissor ("A" value) to Li Ning (scissor forward with ¼ turn through handstand on 1 pommel and lower to straddle support on both pommels) ("B" value and EG I skill) Leg cuts to two circles in side support ("A" value) to ½ Sivado 345 ("B" value and EG III skill) to a 720° Russian wendeswing and wende dismount ("C" value and EG V skill)

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