The first event in the "Olympic order", the vault requires the gymnast to run towards the horse and push herself off of it with her hands. The part of the vault before the gymnasts hands hit the horse is called the "preflight." The second half, after she pushes off the vault, is called the "postflight."
In the Code of Points, vaults are divided into four groups, or "families." They are:
Handsprings without saltos - these vaults do not have a flip in the air after the gymnast pushes off the horse. They are rarely done today but were popular in the 1970's. In this category, the gymnast runs towards the horse, jumps off of the springboard, and puts her hand directly forwards on the horse. She then pushes herself off, doing a variety of twists (but no flips) in the postflight
Handspring - the gymnast runs towards the horse, jumps off of the springboard and puts her hands directly forward onto the horse. The postflight contains a variety of flips and twists. A common example used today is the cuervo vault, where the gymnast pushes off the horse, does a half twist and then a backward salto.
Tsukahara - in this category, the gymnast jumps off the springboard and then does a ½ twist before pushing off the horse backwards. One Tsukahara vault that is common today is the Phelps, where the gymnast is supposed to do a ½ turn onto the horse, a ½ turn off and then a front layout.
Yurchenko - this final category contains all vaults with round-of entries (with or without a ½ or full turn onto the horse). One example is the Yurchenko-double twist, where the gymnast does a round-off onto the springboard, a back handspring onto the horse, and a double twisting flip off of the horse. Another example is the Podkopayeva, where the gymnast does a round-off onto the board, a ½ turn onto the horse, and a piked forward salto off with ½ turn.
Barani - handspring entry, forward salto off with ½ turn. Current performers include Vanessa Atler (USA), Denisse Lopez (MEX), Anna Kovalyova (RUS) and Melinda Cleland (AUS) (who all perform it in a layout position).
Cuervo - handspring entry, ½ turn off to a backward salto. Current performers include Svetlana Khorkina (RUS) (who performs it in a pike position).
Hristkieva - Yurchenko entry, ½ turn off to a front layout. Current performers include Yvonne Tousek (CAN), Kate Richardson (CAN), Elvire Teza (FRA) and Alyssa Beckerman (USA).
Khorkina - Yurchenko entry, ½ turn on, pike Cuervo off. Current performers include Svetlana Khorkina (RUS) and Ester Moya (ESP).
Omelianchik - Yurchenko entry, ½ turn on, front tuck salto off. Current performers include Denisse Lopez (MEX) and Andreea Raducan (ROM).
Phelps - Tsukahara entry, ½ turn off to a front layout. Current performers include Simona Amanar (ROM), Maria Olaru (ROM), Lisa Mason (GBR) and Viktoria Karpenko (UKR).
Podkopayeva - Yurchenko entry, ½ turn on, front pike off with ½ turn. Current performers include Andreea Raducan (ROM), Brenda Magana (MEX) and Jeanette Antolin (USA).
Rudi - handspring entry, forward salto off with 1 ½ twists. Current performers include Vanessa Atler (USA) (who performs it in a layout position), Nelly Rammassamy (FRA) and Adrienn Varga (HUN) (who both perform it in a tuck position).
Lucconi - Yurchenko entry, ¾ turn on, back tuck off. Current performers include Monique Nuijten (NED), Olga Roushupkina (UKR) (who perform it in a pike position).
There are five types of swings, all of which have their own unique grip (the way that the gymnast holds the bar). A giant swing occurs when the gymnast swings all the way around the bar with straight body. The Five types are:
Backward Giant - Normal Grip: this is the most common swing, where the gymnast travels face-first around the bar. The bar is held with hands facing forward. All elite level gymnasts compete these.
Forward, or Front Giant - Reverse Grip: the gymnast swings around the bar back-first with arms rotated inwards and hands facing upwards.
Inverted Giants- L-Grip (aka Dorsel Grip, Eagle Grip): swing around the bar back first with arms rotated outwards and hands facing upwards (try it - not easy!). These are best performed by the Chinese team but also by many others with varing styles including Elena Produnova (RUS), Viktoria Karpenko (UKR), Jeanette Antolin (USA) and Elvire Teza (FRA).
German Giants - swing around the bar with hands and arms rotated behind the back in an inlocation. Elvire Teza (FRA) is now one of the only women to compete these.
Mixed Grip - one hand in L-grip, the other hand in normal grip. This grip is swung out of Healy turns also.
Back Hip Circle - the gymnast rolls backwards around the bar on her hips
Cast - this allows the gymnast to get from front support to handstand position. From front support, the gymnast pushes off the bar with her hips and lifts her body to straighten the shoulders and finish in handstand.
Free Hip - from a front support, the gymnast moves backwards around the bar with her hips close but not touching it
Glide - on the low bar, the gymnast swings forwards with her legs straight and roughly parallel to the floor, then swings backwards
Kip - this is the element tha the gymnast uses to get from hanging position to front support. She first brings her legs to the bar, then pulls her hips to the bar, and then pulls herself all the way up until she is in front support position. It is usually combined with a cast to get to handstand.
Deltchev - from regular grip, the gymnast swings backwards, releases the bar and does a backward salto in straddle position, followed by a ½ turn to catch facing the bar. Brooke Walker (AUS) is one of the only gymnasts still performing this skill which she does in the pike position.
Def - a geinger with an extra full twists - the gymnast swings backwards, releases the bar and does a backward flip with 1 ½ turn to catch facing the bar. Isabelle Severino (FRA) and Elena Dolgopolova (RUS) both competed Defs prior to their recent retirements.
Gienger - from regular grip, the gymnast swings backwards, releases the bar and does a ½ turn followed by a backward flip in pike position to catch facing the bar (the difference between a Gienger and a Deltchev is where the twist occurs- much like the difference between a barani and a cuervo on vault). Many gymnasts compete Giengers including Viktoria Karpenko (UKR), Andreea Raducan (ROM), Simona Amanar (ROM), Ludivine Furnon (FRA), Kristen Maloney (USA).
Hindorff - a free hip to tkatchev - the gymnast starts in handstand, then swings forward with her hips close to the bar. Before she reaches handstand she releases the bar and flies backward over the bar to catch. Yvonne Tousek (CAN) is one of the few who perform this skill.
Jaeger - from reverse or el-grip, the gymnast swings forwards, releases the bar and does a forward salto before catching the bar in regular grip; done piked (legs together), straddled (legs apart) or the most difficult, layed out (straight body). This is also one of the more common release elements being performed by Jeanette Antolin (USA) (who does it in a layout position from el-grip!), Ling Jie (CHN), Elvire Teza (FRA), Allana Slater (AUS) and Yvonne Tousek (CAN).
Kim Salto - from a backward giant, the gymnast swings forward, releases the bar and then changes direction to do a forward salto and catches the bar facing away from it in L-grip. Evgenia Roschina (RUS) competed this skill before her retirement in 1998.
Mo Salto or Gaylord - from a forward or inverted giant, the gymnast swings forward, releases and does a front flip to catch the bar in reverse grip. Mo Huilan and Bi Wenjing (both Chinese) competed this skill at the 1996 Olympics where Bi did it from el-grip.
Tkatchev or Reverse Hecht - the gymnast swings backwards and releases the bar close to the top of the swing, then flies backwards over the bar in straddle or pike position to catch the bar on the other side. Also can be performed from a Stalder, free-hip (aka Hindorff) or toe-on. This is the most popular release element besides the Jaeger being performed by Maria Olaru (ROM), Simona Amanar (ROM), Elena Produnova (RUS), Vanessa Atler (USA), Ling Jie (CHN) and Viktoria Karpenko (UKR).
Comaneci - from a cast, the gymnast lets go before handstand and performs a front flip to catch on the way down. Dong Fangxiao (CHN) and Vanessa Atler (USA) have both competed this element recently.
High to Low
Overshoot (aka bail or undershoot) - from a backward swing, facing the low bar, the gymnast releases the bar at the bottom of the swing and does a layout with ½ turn to catch the low bar (if she catches in handstand it is much more difficult than catching with bent body). This is a common transition element following release elements.
Pak Salto - from a backward swing, facing the low bar, the gymnast releases the bar at the bottom of the swing and does a backward layout to catch the low bar. Watch for the best to combine a Pak Salto with an earlier release such as a Tkachev, Gienger or Jaeger as does Ling Jie (CHN-Jaeger), Elena Produnova (RUS-Tkachev) or Viktoria Karpenko (UKR-Gienger).
Straddle back to Handstand - with her back to the low bar, the gymnast swings backward, then forward, releasing the bar and travelling horizontally to catch the low bar in handstand. It can be performed from an over-grip, under-grip or mixed-grip.
Low to High
Free hip Hecht - from handstand facing away from the high bar, the gymnast does a free hip, then releases the bar and flies in the opposite direction to catch the high bar. This can also be done from a stalder or sole circle instead of a free hip.
Shaposhnikova - from handstand facing the high bar, the gymnast does a free hip, then releases the bar and flies backward to catch the high bar above her head.
Khorkina (II) - a straddled Shaposhnikova with a ½ turn to catch the high bar. A similar element is performed by Erinn Dooley (USA).
Piroette - a front giant with a ½ turn executed during handstand.
Blind Change - a move used to get from regular grip to L-grip. From handstand, the gymnast rotates outwards (so she can't see the bar) on one arm to do a ½ turn, ending up in under-grip.
Higgins Roll - also used to get from regular grip to L-grip, a Higgins Roll requires the gymnast to let go of the bar with one arm, make a ½ turn, rotate inwards (so her free hand sort of slides along the bar) and place her free hand on the opposite side of where it was, thus ending up in L-grip.
Healy - from a front giant, the gymnast does a full turn on one arm to end in mixed grip (one hand in el-grip the other in front giant).
Higgins Roll - also used to get from regular grip to L-grip, a Higgins Roll requires the gymnast to let go of the bar with one arm and rotate inwards (so her free hand sort of slides along the bar), places her free hand on the opposite side of where it was, ending up in L-grip. Many Ukrainian and Chinese gymnasts do Higgins Rolls to get to el-grip.
Giant 1/1 - giant with full turn through handstand. May be performed from either a front or back giant.
Giant 1 ½ (Kim) - giant with 1 ½ turns through handstand and then traveling over the bar from a back giant grip to either a mixed grip or front giant grip.
Giant 1 ½ (Dawes) - giant with 1 ½ turns in handstand from a back giant grip to a back giant grip. This skill does not go over the bar.
Stalder - swing around the bar with piked body and straddled legs. Should be peformed from handstand to handstand. Amy Chow (USA) does her Shaposhnikova from a Stalder and Svetlana Khorkina (RUS) does a Stalder with a 1/1 twist.
Endo - a Stalder going forward. Amy Chow (USA) performed an Endo-healy combination in 1996.
Toe-on - swing around the bar with body piked so much the feet are on the bar. Should be peformed from handstand to handstand. Olga Teslenko (UKR) does a sole-circle immediate Higgins roll. Kristen Maloney (USA) also uses this skill in combination with twisting elements.
Cat Leap - jump with one leg straight and the other bent and held forward
Ring Leap - jump with head thrown back and knees bent and raised towards the head
Sheep Jump - jump with legs bent and head thrown back
Sissone - leap where the gymnast takes off from two feet and jumps up in split position.
Split Leap - leap where the gymnast takes off from one foot with one leg horizontally to the front and the other to the back.
Stag Jump - rear leg is straight, front leg is bent. A double stag is done with both legs bent
Straddle Jump - jump with legs straight out to the side
Switch Leap - split leap where the front leg moves to the back and the back leg to the front in mid-air. Almost everyone makes use of switch leaps.
Wolf Jump (aka Fish jump) - pike jump with one leg straight out in front and the other bent.
Shushunova - gymnast jumps up in straddle position, and rotates her body forward to become parallel to the mat or beam. She then falls to lie facedown. Also may done with ½, 1/1 or 1 ½ twists. On floor, this element is often combined with other leaps such as Popas, Johnsons or wolf jumps. On beam, the Shushunova usually takes place facing perpendicular to the beam. (on floor.. technically)
Johnson - switch leap with ¼ turn (on floor)
Popa - straddle jump with a 1/1 turn (on floor)
Ring Leap - Yang Bo with the back leg slightly bent so the head is even closer fo the back foot.
Yang Bo - jump with legs split and head thrown back. Yang also invented a switch leap with the same head position. Liu Xuan does beautiful Yang Bo leaps (both regular and switch leap). (on beam)
Chen - very similar to a Korbut, in this skill, the gymnast jumps higher and tucks her body before landing on the beam. A Chen is now a very common element being used in combination by Maria Olaru (ROM), Simona Amanar (ROM), Elena Zamolodchikova (RUS) and Yvonne Tousek (CAN). In a similar skill called a Rueda, the gymnast pikes her body. Lilia Podkopayeva did a Rueda from two backhandsprings.
Gainer - instead of taking off for a back handspring or layout from two feet, the gymnast swings one foot along the side of the beam before taking off. Svetlana Khorkina is well known for her use of these elements.
Korbut - the gymnast dives backwards with straight or arched body, breifly supports herself on the beam with her hands, and then swings down to sit on the beam in straddle position. The Korbut, like the Chen, us used in many combination passes.
Rulfova - Korbut with a full twist - one of the most difficult elements done on beam today. To do a Rulfova, the gymnast dives backward and does a full twist before breifly supporting herself with her hands and then lowering down to straddle the beam. Many gymnasts use this skill today, because it is so valuable. Kristen Maloney (USA), Svetlana Khorkina (RUS), Elvire Teza (FRA) and Ling Jie (CHN) use Rulfovas.
Yurchenko Loop - this is like a side-ways korbut. The gymnast stands facing outwards, then dives backwards to breifly support herself on the beam and lowers down to a front support, usually followed by a back hip circle. Elvire Teza added a full twist to this move.
Double full or double twist - a backward salto with two twists.
Triple full or triple twist- a backward salto with three twists.
Double back - backwards double flipping salto. Can be used in the tuck, pike or layout positions. Andreea Raducan (ROM), Vanessa Atler (USA), Trudy McIntosh (AUS) and Simona Amanar (ROM) do double layouts.
Full-in - double back salto with a full twist in the first flip. In a full-out, the gymnast does the full twist in the second salto.
Double-double - a double back salto with two twists. It is most commonly performed with one twist in each flip (full-in-full-out) but can also be done with both twists in the first or both in the last flip (double full-in or a double full-out). Elena Zamolodchikova (RUS) does a tuck full-in-full-out.
Rudi - forward salto with 1 ½ twists
Double front - forwards double flipping salto. Elena Produnova (RUS) uses a double front. Can also be done with a ½ twist out as Lilia Podkopayeva (UKR) used to do.