Vaults are the one gymnastics event that takes what seems to be only a moment or two, yet these can look really quite incredible. There are a lot of different factors that go into a good vault that scores well. One of the most important things being the right amount of momentum.
Instead of being graded by letters, vault moves are each given a certain amount of points that they are worth if they are done well. These can have quite a bit of a range from 2.00 for a simple handspring over all the way to a 6.40 score for some of the really hard gymnastics vaults.
1. Front Handspring With Full Twist On And Full Twist Off
Even though this particular handspring vault is fairly simple and is scored only a 4.00 for the move, it is still a lovely one to watch and can look somewhat elegant if it is done properly. With the usual running start that the gymnast has, she starts turning before she leaves the springboard.
With one full twist onto the vaulting table, there should be almost no pause or moment where the gymnast does not appear to be twisting as she does another full twist off of the vaulting table to land on the ground. All of this is done with the gymnast’s body being as perfectly straight as possible, and between that fact and the fact that the turning is obvious without being too overdone in this move is what gives it an elegant look.
2. Round-Off Full Twist On To Straight Back Salto
This gymnastics vault is done with the same amazing quickness that all the vaults are done in, and most of the time if you are not paying close attention it is just possible that you might miss the full twist if you are not careful. This vault is given a 4.60 score for the gymnasts who do it well.
Since the gymnast is starting the salto with their hands on the vaulting board, in order to do one complete satlo they have to rotate enough so that their feet go from pointing up, to pointing down, and all the way up and back down again for them to land. The twist onto the vaulting board can potentially make it hard to not do any twisting during the salto as the gymnast should land directly facing the vaulting table.
3. Front Handspring To Front Pike Salto
This gymnastics vault is scored as a 4.20 and is one that looks to be a classic vault. The entry is quite simple, being just a normal handspring. However, this simplicity makes it that much harder to have the right amount of momentum and to therefore get the height that is needed in order to do the next part off of the vaulting table.
The fact that this vault is done in the pike position where the legs are perfectly straight other than being bent at the hips is part of what makes this vault so challenging when paired with the simple handspring to start with.
4. Handspring To Tuck Front Salto With A ½ Twist
This vault may sound as though it is fairly simple, but it has a score of 4.40 which is a fairly good score for a vault to have. The running start into a handspring and onto the vaulting table is easy enough to see and know what the gymnast is doing.
However, the next part where the gymnast does a ½ twist with a front salto in the tuck position makes it seem like for a moment that the gymnast is turning end over end sideways, which is due to the fact that she actually is sideways for a moment while she does her twist. She ends this vault facing the vaulting table that she just vaulted off of.
5. Tsukahara To Straight Salto
This gymnastics vault has a score of 4.20 points and features the Tsukahara entry into it. For this kind of an entry the gymnast does neither a handspring or a round-off and instead only jumps onto the springboard and does the flip onto her hands on the vaulting table, while she does so doing a half of a turn.
Once in that position she does not pause, bouncing right off of the vaulting table into the air to do a salto while keeping her body perfectly straight. At the end she should be landing and facing the vaulting table.
6. Tsukahara To Salto Tucked With A 1 ½ Twist
With a score of 4.40 for this gymnastics vault, it not only looks hard but it is a hard one to do. The Tsukahara entry does not exactly help a whole lot with the momentum, however it does a fairly good job of helping the gymnast start off her twists even though this does have the tendency to pull the gymnast over to the side some.
That is one of the things that the gymnast simply has to be careful about when doing this vault. That, and making sure that she lands facing directly away from the vaulting table when she sticks her landing.
7. Tsukahara To Straight Salto With A Double Twist
This is one of the highest scoring vaults that has the Tsukahara entry into it and is worth a score of 5.60 if it is done well. Like every other vault with an entry of this kind, there is no flip or anything of that nature before the gymnast is landing on her hands on the vaulting table with a turn as she does so in order to be facing away from the runway that she just used.
Once there the gymnast keeps herself straight from her toes to her head as she does two complete twists in the air before landing facing. At the end of this vault the gymnast should be facing the vaulting table.
8. Straight Yurchenko With Straight 2 ½ Twist Salto
This particular gymnastics vault has a pretty high score of 5.80 points. This type of entry is essentially a round-off onto the vaulting table, though you should work on keeping your body perfectly straight the whole time for this vault.
Because of the half of a turn involved in doing a round-off, without the twists added to the end in the salto the gymnast would land facing the vaulting table. However, with the 2 ½ twists added the gymnast should land facing away from the vaulting table. During the whole vault and the salto the gymnast should keep her body as straight as possible.
9. Handspring To Double Front Salto Tucked
This vault requires a nice, long running start and plenty of momentum in order to do it, but it is worth a 6.40 score when it can be done. The handspring to start with helps only a little with the momentum and the gymnast really has to bounce off of the vaulting table in order to get the height needed for this vault.
Once in the air the gymnast goes right into the tuck position, using the change in position in order to help her rotate around so that she can so two full circles before landing with her legs straight and her feet together on the ground and facing away from the vaulting table.
10. Round-Off ½ Twist On To Front Straight Salto With A Double Twist
This is another one of the highest scored vaults that there is, having a 6.40 score that it is worth when it is done correctly. To start with the gymnast has to get a running start as they do a round-off onto the springboard so that they land on their feet on it and facing away from the vaulting board.
From there the gymnast does a half of a twist onto the vaulting table so that she is on her hands still facing the runway that she just came from as she transitions into a front straight salto while continuing to twist for a full two times, all the while keeping her body in the straight position.
