High-flying single-bar releases can be some of the most impressive gymnastics we see each season, but other than catching the bars and having pointed toes, what makes a release great? In this article, I break down three of the most common single-bar releases: Jaegers, Tkachevs, and Giengers. For each release, I illustrate what separates the good from the outstanding release in each category. Generally, the judges use the following evaluation points for these skills:
- Most importantly, gymnasts must show a good balance between height and rotation.
- Height (up to 0.2): Hips should be at or above the high bar on their release and continue to rise slightly throughout the skill.
- Rotation (up to 0.1): Their body should extend and rotate backward on regrasp, with their toes behind their shoulders while continuing to extend backward before swinging down.
- Distance: There is no deduction for distance, but arm-bend deductions (up to 0.3) apply for close catches.
- Body position: Gymnasts should have a clear, clean body position with good leg/foot form and body shape.
Jaeger
The Ideal: The release should occur in a tight arch position with hips above the level of the high bar on release. The gymnast’s hips should continue to rise during the forward rotation….
