Content and Construction

1. From a still stand, the gymnast must jump or be assisted to a still hang on the Rings with legs together and with good form.
The evaluation begins the moment his feet leave the floor.
The coach is not permitted to give the gymnast an initial swing.

2. An exercise must start in a hang position with arms and body vertical and straight. The gymnast must NOT bend their arms

in moving to the first element unless specifically needed for the element completion.

Example: Cast up and underswing backward may be started with bent arms at any time during an exercise.

3. Straight arms must be used whenever the nature of the element permits. Elements that can be performed with bent arms are described in the element tables. A gymnast may only bend their arms during a transition between elements when necessary to properly perform the next element.

4. During swings to a hold position or strength presses, the shoulders and/or body may not rise above the perfect hold position >5°. The angle is defined from the bottom of the Rings to middle of the shoulder. This deduction is different from the deduction for final hold position.

Example: Uprise bwd to cross at 25° and lower to hold position at 10° = 0.3 + 0.1 deduction.

5. Back swings in support that do not lead to a value part but simply reverse direction and swing back down in or to a lower hang position will be deducted.

Example: Kip to support, swing back to layaway to front uprise.

6. Compositional errors with deductions of 0.3.

Example: Honma to support then lift to L sit OR straddle L sit to L sit.

Honma to support then lower backward to inverted hang.

7. The hold of non-listed parts for more than 2 seconds, will be deducted each time. Examples include: inverted pike, dorsal and inverted hang.

8. Additional Technical, aesthetic and execution aspects in the exercise construction expectations are:

a. Hold positions must be reached directly, with straight arms, and without need for postural corrections.

b. A false grip (over grip) for strength holds is not permitted. A false grip is performed when the wrists are bent in order to gain an advantage in performing a strength element, deduction -0.1 each time.
No false grip, is performed with straight wrists with or without the fingers of the hands wrapped around the Rings.

Note: The position of the Rings in the hands(with straight wrists and open hands) does not change the evaluation

c. For strength elements to handstand with bent arms, where the necessary technique requires minimal touching of the straps with the lower arms, no deduction should be taken for contact with the straps (Elements II.25 and II.26 only with bent arms).

9. For a full list of errors and deductions governing Exercise Presentation, see Section 9 and the summary of deductions in Articles 9.4 and 12.3.

1. The Element Groups (EG) are:

I. Kip and swing elements & swings through or to handstand (2 sec.).

Tables Group I

II. Strength elements and hold elements (2 sec.).

Tables Group II

III. Swing to Strength hold elements (2 sec.).

Tables Group III

IV. Dismounts.

Tables Group IV

2. One Swing to handstand element (2 s. hold) is required in the exercise and must be inside 8 counting elements.

3. Repeated elements (same Code Identification Number)

a) Repeated elements cannot contribute to the D-score. On Rings, this rule is extended so that not more than 3 elements from groups II and/or III can be presented in direct succession. The 4th and subsequent elements from Group II and/or III of the same sequence will be considered as repetition, and not recognized by the D-Jury.

b) If the gymnast decides to execute more elements from Element Groups II and/or III, in order to be recognized by the D-Jury, he must perform at least a B value swing element from elements Group I(except any kind of kip/back kip, or element in the same Code box) between the first sequence of maximum 3, and another element or sequence from Element Groups II and/or III. This swing element of at least a B value must be recognized and among the 8 best.

c) All elements performed from EGII or EGIII contribute to this rule whether they are inside the counting eight (8) elements or not, even if the element is not recognized due to poor technical execution

d. Special repetitions:

a) Repeated elements (same Code Identification Number) cannot contribute to the D-score. On Rings, this rule is extended so that a maximum of 1 final strength position in each EG may be recognized for difficulty. Thus, for example only two cross type elements (regular, L cross, or V cross) or support scale type elements (regular or straddled) are permitted in an exercise for difficulty value (one in Group II and one in Group III).

b) Basic support positions, i.e. L sit and V sit are not included in the special repetition rule as they are deemed to be different strength elements. It is possible to perform uprise forward to L sit and uprise forward to V sit.
However, it would not be possible to perform more than one final strength position in each element group, i.e.
Kip to L sit and uprise to L sit.

5. Additional information and regulations:

a) Strength holds positions that deviate from the correct body, arm or leg position by greater than 45° will not be recognized. Examples: Cross with shoulder angle >45°,support scale with hip bend of >45°. b) Strength presses and lifts which follow a previous hold element and end in a 2 second hold position are recognized only if the preceding hold part has been recognized and if a stop position is shown.

c) Swing elements that lead to strength hold elements which must reverse direction (i.e. front uprise to Swallow;
front uprise to inverted cross and so on ...) will be counted as two elements.

d) All V hold positions(2 sec.) must be performed with legs vertical.

e) Elements with crossing of the cables or to “Li Ning” hanging position are not permitted, being deducted as composition errors.

f) For juniors, elements which include saltos backward in hang are not permitted.

g) A dorsal hang to Cross is not an acceptable entry position to elevate its value (or any other strength element). If the cross is performed directly from a dorsal hang, it will retain its independent Code of Points value of C.

h) Where a gymnast performs either a Yamawaki or Jonasson element directly to a swing to a held handstand then the element will be upgraded by one letter. The swing to handstand must be within the counting 8 elements.

• Jonasson swing to handstand = D + C

• Yamawaki, Jonasson, swing to handstand = B + D + C

1. All hold positions must be held for a minimum of 2 seconds. A hold is achieved when the whole body reaches a static position including the shoulders and feet. A hold part will not be recognized by the D-Jury for Difficulty and/or Element Group requirement if no stop is shown.

2. Jonasson/Yamawaki type elements should be performed with continuous movement and with shoulders above Ring height.
If a clear support phase is shown the element will not be recognized and receive 0.5 deduction. In this case, the element cannot be split into Honma and roll forward to hang. These elements performed either with an interruption (medium) or slowly (small) will be recognized but deducted accordingly.

3. During swings to a hold position or during strength presses, the shoulders and/or the body may not rise above the perfect hold position >5°. If the deviation from perfect position is greater than 45° the element will not be recognized and receive 0.5 deduction. In this case, the final hold position CAN be recognized if performed to the technical requirements.

Example:

- From cross press above 45° to swallow will receive a 0.5 deduction and a D value for the swallow if performance criteria is fulfilled.

- Salto fwd.to cross with an entry position above 45° will receive a 0.5 deduction and a C value for the cross if performance criteria is fulfilled.

4. During swings to handstands or swing to a hold positions, the lowering of legs, from the initial entry position, of greater than 45º will lead to non-recognition and receive 0.5 deduction.

5. A strength press from hang must be performed slowly, with straight arms and a straight body to avoid deduction or classification as swing to strength. The press should start in a hang position with arms and body vertical and straight. If an arm bend or body bend of greater than 45° is shown the element will not be recognized and receive 0.5 deduction. See Article 9.2.4.8 for other angular deductions

6. A Swallow should be performed in a horizontal position, with a perfectly straight body and with the middle of the shoulders in line with the bottom of the Rings. The arms should be wide and with no contact to the upper body. Touching of the arms will lead to a small deduction, clear support of the body with the arms a medium deduction.

7. A support scale will be recognized if the shoulder is completely above the top of Rings. The body should be in a perfectly straight horizontal position. The position of the arms, i.e. slightly wide or hands turned out does not define the value of the element.

8. Nakayama type element smust be performed slowly and passthrough a complete hanging scale rearwards to prevent execution deductions and potential non-recognition

9. When performing a press from one hold position to another hold position the expectation is to see a distinct movement of the body (more than a body width). If the press does not commence from a perfect position the element will be subject to execution deductions. If there is a minimal body movement only the final hold element will be recognized.

Example:

- Hanging scale rearwards press to swallow

- Swallow press to support scale

10. Kip type elements are swinging elements that should be initiated from a deep fold, followed by a clear dynamic swing action. A kip element, i.e. element III 47, performed with minimal fold and use of strength rather than swing will be deducted.

11. Slow roll type elements i.e. Azarian, must be performed with a consistently slow roll and with a straight body throughout.
Any variation will lead to E-Jury deductions and potentially non-recognition.

12. For a further list of regulations governing non-recognition of elements and other aspects of the D-score, see Section 7 and the summary of deductions in Article 7.6.