The horizontal bar, also known as the high bar, is an apparatus used by

male Male (Planet symbols, symbol: ♂) is the sex of an organism that produces the gamete (sex cell) known as sperm, which fuses with the larger female gamete, or Egg cell, ovum, in the process of fertilisation. A male organism cannot sexual repro ...

gymnast Gymnastics is a group of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, artistry and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, sh ...

s in

artistic gymnastics Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics in which athletes perform short routines on different types of apparatus. The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique, Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), ...

. It traditionally consists of a cylindrical

metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...

(typically

steel Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...

) bar that is rigidly held above and parallel to the floor by a system of cables and stiff vertical supports. Gymnasts typically wear suede leather grips while performing on the bar. The current elite-level competition uses a stainless steel core rail. The gymnastics elements performed on the horizontal bar are regulated by a Code of Points. A bar routine, which is a sequence of several bar skills, usually includes

giant In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: ''wiktionary:gigas, gigas'', cognate wiktionary:giga-, giga-) are beings of humanoid appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''gia ...

s with various grips (overgrip, undergrip, dorsal grip, mixed grip), in-bar work, turns, release and regrasp skills, and a dismount. The horizontal bar is often considered one of the most exciting gymnastics events due to the power exhibited by gymnasts during giant swings and spectacular aerial releases and dismounts that frequently include multiple

flips Flip, FLIP, or flips may refer to: People * Flip (nickname), a list of people * Lil' Flip (born 1981), American rapper * Flip Simmons, Australian actor and musician * Flip Wilson, American comedian Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * ...

or twists and, in some cases, airborne travel over the bar.

History

The horizontal bar was used by

acrobat Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most often performed in acro d ...

s in

ancient Greece Ancient Greece () was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity (), that comprised a loose collection of culturally and linguistically r ...

and

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

and on through the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

. It was introduced into gymnastics by Johann Christoph Friedrich GutsMuths in his 1793 book ''Gymnastik für die Jugend'', which in turn inspired further use and development by

Friedrich Ludwig Jahn (11August 177815October 1852) was a German gymnastics educator and nationalist whose writing is credited with the founding of the German gymnastics (Turner) movement, first realized at Volkspark Hasenheide in Berlin, the origin of modern sports ...

in 1811.

Dimensions

The mechanical dimensions of the horizontal bar apparatus are specified in FIG's ''Apparatus Norms'' brochure: * Height: (including about landing mats) * Length: * Diameter of the bar:

Grips

How a gymnast grasps the horizontal bar is called the ''grip'' (not to be confused with the suede leather grips 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.Sands and Conklin, 42. 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. This grip 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 combines the overhand and underhand grips with one hand in each position. This grip can be used to gain more height on release skills. File:PB230185.JPG, Mixed grip File:PB230183.JPG, Overhand grip

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 the horizontal bar include bent or separated legs, pauses, low

amplitude The amplitude of a periodic variable is a measure of its change in a single period (such as time or spatial period). The amplitude of a non-periodic signal is its magnitude compared with a reference value. There are various definitions of am ...

in flight elements, bent arms, regrips, elements not continuing in their intended direction, and deviations from the plane of movement.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Horizontal Bar Artistic gymnastics apparatus Sports originating in Germany