What is High Bar or Horizontal Bar?
- The horizontal bar, also called the high bar, is the most crowd-pleasing event in
men's gymnastics, according to USA Gymnastics. On the horizontal bar, a gymnast
must successfully complete a series of swings, turns, release moves and a dismount
including flips and a steady landing. The release moves involve letting go of the bar
and flipping 12 to 15 feet over the bar before grabbing it again and continuing the
routine. Before these advanced skills are attempted, a gymnast must master the basic
elements required for horizontal bar work.
- The horizontal bar is 9 feet tall, almost 8 feet long and just over an inch in diameter.
It is made from wood and stands securely with the help of metal poles. Most
gymnasts use chalk on their hands to prevent themselves from slipping off the bar.
Leather grips can also be worn to help your hands stay on the bar. The high bar is one
of six regulation events in men's competitive gymnastics. Most high bar routines
begin with the gymnast hanging from the bar.
- Competitors (men only) generally wear hand protectors and go through a routine that
lasts from 15 to 30 seconds. Exercises include upstarts (by which the gymnast swings
himself from a hang to a support above the bar); giant circles (rotating around the bar from
a handstand position with the arms fully extended) with inverted or dislocated grips and
changes of direction; vaulting over the bar, releasing the grip, and regrasping the bar;
movements requiring turns and changes of the position of the body and the releasing and
regrasping of the bar; and finishes with straddles over the bar or forward and backward
somersaults from the bar.
History
- The horizontal bar was used by acrobats in ancient Greece and Rome and on through
the Middle Ages.
1793 - It was introduced into gymnastics by Johann Christoph Friedrich GutsMuths in his
book Gymnastik für die Jugend.
1811 - inspired further use and developed by Friedrich Ludwig Jahn.
1896 - The horizontal bar has been an Olympic event in gymnastics since the first
modern Olympic Games.
1924 and 1928 - Horizontal bar scores were included in the individual all-around.
Famous Horizontal Bar Gymnast
Ashley Watson - has set a new Guinness world record performing a horizontal bar backflip.
The Leeds gymnast is seen flying 5.87m (almost 20ft) through the air. Watson is a part of the
Great Britain gymnastics squad and it wasn’t until his sixth attempt that he managed to
complete the record.
Manrique Larduet - known for his high bars and all-around performance. first Cuban since
2004 to appear as an Olympian.
Daiki Hashimoto - is a Japanese artistic gymnast. He won two gold medals at the 2020
Summer Olympics, in all-around and horizontal bar.
Mitsuo Tsukahara - the second man to successfully defend an Olympic title in the
horizontal bar.
Paul Hamm - United States’ got the first horizontal bar medal since 1992.
Different Kinds of Grips
The manner in which the horizontal bar is grasped by a gymnast is called the grip (not to be
confused with the suede leather grips that are worn on the hands). Each grip is commonly
used for a particular set of skills. When gymnasts compete on the horizontal bar they are
often required by the Code of Points to use specific grips.
• The overhand grip, or regular grip, is the standard grip used for the horizontal bar. On
the overhand grip the hands circle the bar with the backs of the hands facing the gymnast.
• A dorsal grip (also known as the dorsal hang) is an overhand grip employed while the
gymnast's legs pass through the arms into a "skin the cat" position. The overhand grip is
used in giant swings, and the dorsal grip in German Giant Swings.
• The reverse grip and underhand grip, is the opposite of the overhand grip. The palms of
the hands face the gymnast. It is similar to the grip used in chin-ups. Forward giant swings
are among the skills that use this grip.
• The elgrip is also an underhand grip, In an elgrip or L-Grip or eagle grip a gymnasts
hands are turned 180 degrees outward from an over grip. Thumbs are turned out, but in the
opposite direction of an undergrip. This position requires flexible shoulders to swing
comfortably.
• The mixed grip is a combination of the overhand and underhand grips with one hand in
each position. This grip can be used to gain more height on release skills.
Different Types of Skills in Horizontal Bar
Cast Handstand - To do a handstand, hold yourself up on the bar and lean forward, over
the bar a bit. Swing your legs forward for momentum and then back behind you, using your
stomach and arm muscles to left your legs over your head into a handstand position. Your
head should be parallel with your ears and your eyes looking at the bar below you.
Baby Giant Swing Or A Three-quarter Giant Swing - is performed in nearly all
horizontal bar routines. From a handstand position, you have to swing under the bar,
completing a full circle and ending in the same handstand position. This takes practice, and
a beginning high bar skill that helps you learn it is called a baby giant swing or a threequarter giant swing.
Flyaway - is a beginning skill that will teach you the fundamentals of dismounting the
horizontal bar. You can cast to a handstand or simply start with your hips on the bar and
your arms supporting you. Push away or fall down counter-clockwise from your handstand
and swing with a straight body under the bar.
Gymnastics Moves in High Bars
1. Pull Over
2. Cast
3. Backwards Hip Circle
4. Underswing Dismount
5. Leg Cut
6. Single Leg Basket Swing
7. Mill Circle
8. Long Hang Kip
9. Backwards Sole Circle
10. Blind Change
11. Cast to Handstand
12. Giant
13. Stalder Circle
14. Toe Hecht
15. Salto Dismount
16. Tucked Jaeger
17. Straddle Back
18. Backward Giant Circle to a 180 Degree Twist
19. Cast to Horizontal
20. Endo with Half Turn
21. Piked Stalder
22. Round-off, Arabian Salto Over Low Bar to Hang on High Bar
Routines
- Under the FIG Code of Points for men's artistic gymnastics, horizontal bar routines are
dynamic presentations demonstrating "the full potential of the apparatus.” They consist of
the fluid connection of swinging, turning, and flight elements performed without pauses
near to and far from the bar in a variety of hand grips.
International level routines
- A horizontal bar routine should contain at least one element from all element groups.
• I. Long hang swings with and without turns
• II. Flight elements
• III. In bar and Adler elements
• IV. Dismounts
Scoring and rules
- Gymnasts receive deductions for lack of form and errors. Specific errors on horizontal
bar include bent or separated legs, pauses, low amplitude in flight elements, bent arms,
regrips, elements not continuing in their intended direction, and deviations from the
plane of movement.
Dimension
- The mechanical dimensions of the horizontal bar apparatus are specified
in FIG's Apparatus Norms brochure
Height: 278 cm (109 in) (including about 30 cm (12 in) landing mats)
Length: 240 cm (94 in)
Diameter of the bar: 2.8 cm (1.1 in)
References:
Cari Oleskewicz, 06 February, 2013, Beginning Skills on the Horizontal Bar in Gymnastics.
https://www.sportsrec.com/559355-beginning-skills-on-the-horizontal-bar-ingymnastics.html
Krisha Siwakoti, June 13, 2022, 12 Best Gymnasts In The World.
https://playersbio.com/best-gymnasts-in-the-world/
https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/tokyo-2020/results/artistic-gymnastics/men-shorizontal-bar
Goim Lee, July 27, 2019, Gymnastic Moves on Bars
https://gymnasticsbar.net/gymnastic-moves-on-bars/