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Terms and Basic Moves

Amplitude - the height, or degree of execution of a movement. In general, the higher the salto or the more breathtaking the movement, the better the amplitude.
Composition - the structure of a gymnastics routine. Each individual movement or skill is a building block; how they are arranged into an exercise is called the composition of the routine
Dismount - to leave an apparatus at the end of a routine; usually done with a difficult twist or salto
Apparatus - one of the various pieces of equipment used in gymnastics competitions
Routine - a combination of stunts displaying a full range of skills on one apparatus.
Execution - the performance of a routine. Form, style and the technique used to complete the skills constitute the level of execution of an exercise. Bent knees, poor toe point and an arched or loosely-held body position are all examples of poor execution

BASIC BODY POSITIONS

Arch - the body is curved backwards
Layout - straight or slightly arched body position, may be seen during a movement or a still position
Pike - body bent forward more than 90 degrees at the hips while the legs are kept straight
Tuck - a position in which the knees and hips are bent and drawn into the chest; the body is folded at the waist
Salto - a flip rotating about the waist
Twist - rotating about the midline axis of the body

VAULT

Yurchenko - round-off entry onto the board, flic-flac onto the horse and one of the following off the horse: layout, full twist, one-and-a-half twist or double twist, etc. (very common vault)
Tsukahara- ¼ or ½ on - to back salto off
Handspring front - forward entry onto the vault, front flip off, usually done in the tucked or piked positions, typically with a ½ twist

BARS

Kip - movement from a position below the equipment to a position above
Giant - a swing in which the body is fully extended and moving through a 360 degree rotation around the bar
Pirouettes - changing direction by twisting in the handstand position.
Release - leaving the bar to perform a move before re-grasping it
Blind change - from a back giant, a ½ turn over the top of the bar to end in a front giant
Healy - start on high bar, swing, leg go with one arm with 360 twist to regrasp
Jeager - a front flip to re-catch the bar
Gienger - back salto with ½ twist to re-catch high bar
Tkatchev - from handstand on high bar, swing down release, fly over high bar in straddle position to regrasp
Straddle back - swing from high bar, backwards over low bar, to handstand
Overshoot - on high bar, facing low bar, swing down and over to catch low bar
Endo - a forward straddle circle usually to handstand

BEAM

Layout step-out - back layout salto with split legs
Punch front - front flip, usually tucked, landing on the beam
Switch leap - leap beginning with one leg in front, switching to other mid-flight
Switch side - leap beginning like a switch leap, but with ¼ twist to land sideways
Omelianchik - back dive with ¼ twist to land in handstand

FLOOR

Tumbling Pass - any series of connected tumbling elements, usually performed on the diagonal
Backhandspring - jump backwards onto hands and land on feet; this element is used in a majority of tumbling passes on the floor exercise; it's also used a great deal on the balance beam
Full-twisting double back - a double salto with a full twist on the first flip.
double back - two flips backwards, done in any body position
Full-twisting double back - a double salto with a full twist on the first flip.
Double-full - single salto with two twists
Rudi - front salto with 1½ twists

STANDS

10.0 - an integer between 9 and 11 (often associated with the fantastic booster club at Michigan, as well as the desired routine scores for our gymnasts)
Bev Song - sung with vigor and enthusiasm at meets (civilians know the more common version of this, called the "Hey Song"... insert "Bev" instead of "Hey")
Cowbell - only allowed at Michigan (be sure to cheer along when you hear it)
Small Wonder - a little robotic girl who tricks humans in thinking she is real (also 'sleeps' in a closet)
SuperFans - those who exhibit undying support for the team (also known as "gymnasties" and often led by an individual in a cape and/or M hat)
T-shirt - used as a projectile in-between rotations at each gym meet
Tumble Tots - young gymnasts with a lot of spunk! (typically under 4 foot 9½ in)
Victors - Hail. true.
Wave - a fluid undulation of the crowd moving along the rim of the arena or stadium
YMCA - song often played during anything "hip" (includes motions with your arms)

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