Women's Artistic Gymnastics Judging Symbols

A Visual Shorthand Guide for Judges and Coaches

Welcome to the Women's Artistic Gymnastics Symbols website! If you're new to the world of gymnastics, you might be overwhelmed by the complexity and variety of the movements and elements that gymnasts perform. That's where the shorthand system of gymnastics symbols comes in.

What are Gymnastics Judging Symbols?

Gymnastics judging symbols are shorthand symbols used by judges to record the execution and difficulty of gymnastics elements performed during a routine. These symbols represent specific elements such as turns, leaps, jumps, and flips, as well as deductions for errors in execution. By using standardized symbols, judges can quickly record and communicate the details of a routine without having to write out long descriptions. This shorthand system is an integral part of the judging process and allows judges to accurately score routines based on the execution of each element. Understanding gymnastics judging symbols is important for coaches and gymnasts to be able to communicate with judges and understand how routines are scored.

Mastering Gymnastics Symbols: Understanding the Fundamentals

It can be challenging to memorize the many unique symbols used to represent each gymnastics skill. However, just like words, these symbols have roots, prefixes, and follow logical patterns. To aid in understanding these symbols, we have provided a basic chart that outlines the fundamental symbols used in gymnastics. By referring to this chart, you'll have the necessary tools to comprehend the symbols more effectively.

Body Shapes Symbols
The symbols visually represent the shape of a gymnast performing an element
Pike Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Pike

Straddle Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Straddle

Tuck Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Tuck

Wolf Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Wolf

Layout Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Layout

Layout with step-out Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Layout with step-out

Split Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Split

Side Split Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Side Split

Flight, Support and Feet Symbols
These are supplemental symbols that accompany basic symbols to create different elements
Flight Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Flight

Support Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Support

Aerial/Free Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Aerial/Free

Two feet Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Two Feet

Switch Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Switch

For example
Split Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Split

Split Leap Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Split Leap

Split Jump Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Split Jump

Free (Aerial) Cartwheel Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Free (Aerial) Cartwheel

Free (Aerial) Walkover Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Free (Aerial) Walkover

Turns and Twists
Adding lines to turns adds a half turn, while adding a line to a twist cuts it in half
Half Turn Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Half Turn

Full Turn Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Full Turn

One and a half Turn Gymnastics Judging Symbol

One and a Half Turn

Double Turn Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Double Turn

Half Twist Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Half Twist

Twist Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Twist

One and a half Twist Gymnastics Judging Symbol

One and a Half Twist

Double Twist Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Double Twist

Basic Elements
The symbols visually represent the shape of a gymnast performing an element
Handstand Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Handstand

Cartwheel Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Cartwheel

Roundoff Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Roundoff

Front Walkover Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Front Walkover

Back Walkover Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Back Walkover

Flic-flac Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Flic-flac

Front Salto Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Front Salto

Back Salto Gymnastics Judging Symbol

Back Salto

Tried and Tested Methods for Learning Gymnastics Symbols

  1. Flashcards: Create flashcards with the symbol on one side and the corresponding gymnastics element on the other side. Review the flashcards regularly until you can quickly identify each symbol and the corresponding element.
  2. Repetition: Write out the symbols and corresponding elements multiple times to reinforce your memory of each symbol.
  3. Association: Create visual or mental associations between the symbol and the corresponding gymnastics element. For example, you could imagine the symbol representing the shape of a gymnast performing the element.
  4. Grouping: Group the symbols together based on their similarities, such as all symbols representing leaps or all symbols representing turns. This can help you remember the symbols more easily by seeing patterns in their shapes.
  5. Practice: Watch videos of gymnastics routines and try to identify each element using the shorthand symbols. This will help you practice identifying the symbols in real-world situations and reinforce your memory of each symbol.
  6. Gymnastics Symbols Apps: In our opinion, this is another great option to consider. Available for both Apple and Android devices, these apps contain all the elements symbols with their descriptions and values, ability to zoom in for a better view, and quizzes for each category to track your progress. You can try these apps for free to see if they work for you.

    Apple downloads:

    WAG JO Code of Points - Gymnastics Symbols

    F.I.G. Code of Points - Gymnastics Symbols


    Google downloads:

    WAG JO Code of Points - Gymnastics Symbols

    F.I.G. Code of Points - Gymnastics Symbols

Remember, everyone has different learning styles, so it's important to experiment with different methods to find the one that works best for you. Consistent practice and repetition are key to memorizing the symbols effectively.