MCSMaria's Artistic Gymnastics Blog

The Chinese are known for their talent on bars and beam. 

Eight new skills were added to the FIG's code of points. These skills were submitted from athletes from all around the world. To get the skill named for them, the athlete had to complete the skill successfully (without a fall) at a World Championship or Olympic Games (Youth Olympic Games for Juniors). The element must also have a C or higher rating in order to have her name attached to it. In this post, I have listed the skills and the athlete who submitted the skill or whom it's being named for. When available, there are videos accompanying the name of the skill for reference.

After winning the American Cup in 2013, US gymnast Katelyn Ohashi has been conspicuously absent. Really, she's just been out dealing with injuries. Today, she posted a video on her Instagram of her back handspring to laid out full series on the low beam.

While pursuing Tumblr, I found this video of a really cool beam mount.

Young Norah Flately is the beam prodigy for 2016. The little beam phenom is already one of the best beam workers in the US, even if she's only a junior.

American gymnast, Elizabeth "Betty" Okino was a force on the USA Gymnastics scene in the early '90's.

The new floor rules will go into effect this May and just in case, here is a refresher on the new floor rules.

Germany's Sophie Scheder was seen during podium training for the Cottbus Cup training a beautiful and unique new beam connection.

2000 Olympic Bronze Medalist, Elise Ray was complete bad ass on the uneven bars.

Maggie Nichols has been upgrading her skills on the bars.

This video, from Sport Everywhere on YouTube, shows Ukrainian gymnast, Olessia Dudnik's 1989 world championship balance beam routine in today's code of points. This routine has a difficulty score of 6.1 under the current FIG code of points

The FIG has posted video guides of their floor rules. The videos show the visual representation of the rules and shows the deductions associated with the new rules.

Sporteverywhere on YouTube has posted this wonderful video with a great visual representation of the new floor rules.

Just in time for Christmas, the FIG has made some interesting changes to the floor rules. Good, bad and ugly.

More beam work from the glorious Aliya Mustafina in Stuttgart this weekend. This is her during the team final at the DTB Cup where team Russia took second place. She's added a back-handspring to the end of her forward aerial walk over series giving her a .1 boost on the end of that connection. She does connect her Sissone to a side somi for another .1. Aliya does loose some connection bonus for her switch half - Onodi series, but she connects it to a double turn for .2. The routine is still a little rough around the edges, but there is still time to improve the consistency. Just for fun, this is what I've determined to be her potential start value. Wolf Jump (A) + Sissone (A) + Side Somi (D) CV = .1 Switch 1/2 (D) + Onodi (D) + Double Turn (D) CV  = .4 * Forward Aerial Walkover (D) + Forward Aerial Walkover (D) + Back Handspring (B) CV = .2 Aerial Cartwheel (D) Switch Ring (E) Round off (B) + Double Back (D) *Proposed CV, not actua...

Vasiliki Millousi is known for her elegant beam work. She is so light on her feet and she carries herself with beautiful presence.

Since I am currently reading Nadia Comaneci's book Letters to a Young Gymnast , I was inspired to feature her routines on my blog this week since I've been majorly slacking. This video from Sport Everywhere on YouTube shows the start value of Nadia's gold medal winning balance beam routine from the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. Set to the Cary Brother's "Alien" (choice of the editor), it's beautiful and almost ethereal. It's quite fascinating to see the stark difference 37 years of code changes makes.

Today, the FIG officially announced the skills that have been added to the 2013-16 Code of Points. There are a total of seven new elements ranging from an A to an I rating. For the skill to be named for them, the athlete would have needed to perform the element successfully in competition (without a fall) and the element would need a "C" or higher rating. Imagine my delight when upon checking my email during my lunch break, I find a glorious announcement from the FIG about the new elements in the code of points. Oh happy day. Here are the elements submitted that have been approved:

There are new elements being submitted to the FIG today for addition to the code of points and to have the athlete's names forever synonymous with the skills. Here are the elements being submitted:

Victoria Moors has been training the double double layout. She competed it at the Canadian nationals and at the Pan American Games. The latest news is she has submitted it to the FIG for approval and they have given it a conditional rating of "I".