How to Perform on the Pommel Horse

Men's gymnastics began in ancient Greece and was added to the modern Olympic Games in 1896. Men perform the pommel horse as the second of six events in a gymnastic competition. The pommel horse is an apparatus that is covered in leather and has two handles, known as the pommels, in the center.

Instructions

    • 1

      Develop a gymnast's body. The pommel horse requires tremendous upper body strength. You must be able to balance and swing the weight of the body while supporting it on your hands. During the performance, you must keep your legs straight and your toes pointed. In the exercise, you must continually move your body, which means you need endurance as well as strength.

    • 2

      Design your routine, making sure it contains the required elements. In the pommel horse, you utilize all three parts of the pommel horse equally. The legs must complete circular swings with the legs together and at least three scissors with optional connection between. You need one B element, at least three hand placements and a dismount of at least C value.

    • 3

      Work with a team. Gymnastic competitions are divided into four sections. The competition begins with a qualifying round followed by the team final. From the team competition, the qualifying gymnasts advance to the all-around final and finish with the apparatus final. Each team has six gymnasts.

    • 4

      Perform on the other apparatus. Even if you perform the pommel horse as your specialty, you must be able to compete in the other five events. Teams and individuals both receive points for the team member's performance on each apparatus. The pommel horse is one element of the competition unless you reach the apparatus finals for the pommel horse.

    • 5

      Practice to perfect your routines. Gymnastic scores are based on how well the required elements are performed. The slightest misplacement can cause deductions from your score. With practice, you can add more difficult elements to your routine, which raises your starting score.