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

Straddle

Tuck

Wolf

Layout

Layout with step-out

Split

Side Split
Flight, Support and Feet Symbols
These are supplemental symbols that accompany basic symbols to create different elements

Flight

Support

Aerial/Free

Two Feet

Switch
For example

Split

Split Leap

Split Jump

Free (Aerial) Cartwheel

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

Full Turn

One and a Half Turn

Double Turn

Half Twist

Twist

One and a Half Twist

Double Twist
Basic Elements
The symbols visually represent the shape of a gymnast performing an element

Handstand

Cartwheel

Roundoff

Front Walkover

Back Walkover

Flic-flac

Front Salto

Back Salto
Tried and Tested Methods for Learning Gymnastics Symbols
- 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.
- Repetition: Write out the symbols and corresponding elements multiple times to reinforce your memory of each symbol.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
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.