Vaulting techniques for men and women on the vaulting table Pegases

The FIG has decided to introduce a new vaulting apparatus:

• Offering more safety through improved support  conditions and view on the apparatus, creating the possibility to perform the present vaulting repertoire on a technically higher level, through which a higher level of execution and stability can be demonstrated.
• One identical apparatus for men and women and suitable for the next generation of gymnasts.
• Accomodating the present vaulting repertoire and simultaneously allowing a further development in variation of vaulting exercises (e.g. take-off – turn – support) without a trampoline effect.
• Allowing an expansion of variations in exercises through fast changes of the  body angle at the take-off and at the push-off phase, especially for women.

Some first thoughts and directions for the use of the vault Pegases

1. Approach

• The vaulting table is slightly tilted, offering the gymnasts a better view on the support area during the approach, and allowing a better anticipation for the push-off.
• The sloping  upholstered front protects the gymnast in case of a miss at take-off. The coloured bottom part of the front is not dynamic and therefore and for reasons of  limitations of stress not intended  to be a push-off area.
• The sloping shape of the front offers a good view of the landing area and allows the gymnast to run passed the apparatus, reducing the risk of a collision.

2. Support area

• The dynamic characteristics are similar to those of the present vaulting horse, preventing a trampoline effect.
• The width and length offer optimal safety conditions for a technically perfect execution of the present vaulting repertoire.
• When adopting a similar technical approach for kasamatsu and tsukahara techniques as in   men’s gymnastics, this could result in a technically important development impulse for women and young gymnasts.
• The exercise: take-off and turn (axial and vertical) before the support phase, ( already been practised  about 20 years ago. Resulted in a low valuation for reasons of insufficient support area and therefore lack of amplitude in the second flight phase)   could be introduced again as vault group. ( see code of points 2001).
• The dimensions of push-off  area allow for a shoulder wide support. This guarantees that the forces occuring at push-off will go into the body versus the present situation where  the forces  partially leave the body above the shoulder, resulting in excessive strain.
• It should be recommended to female gymnasts to abandon their present techniques for forward and backward handspring vaults, kasamatsu and tsukahara vaults.

No support against the front part of the vaulting apparatus
(as practised with the present vaulting horse)
Support position of the hands: slightly turned inward

3.The use of the vaulting table Pegases for young gymnasts

The introduction of the new vaulting apparatus raised objections from some junior female trainers: “the table is too long” .

These objections as a thought should be justified, but cannot be held upright in training practice.