Pommel Horse
The Pommel Horse is basically an artistic gymnastics equipment, which is traditionally used by male gymnasts all around the globe to perform various pommel horse exercises or routines. This equipment was made of a metal frame with a leather cover and wooden body in the past. However, today it has a metal body, which is covered with leather and foam rubber, and now with plastic handles.
A pommel exercise routine involves both single leg and double leg work. In single leg work the exercise is performed in the form of scissors. Gymnasts swings both legs in clockwise and counterclockwise movement depending on their preference to perform various skills on all parts of the equipment in an effective manner. To give this exercise some more challenges, the gymnasts often uses different variations and circling skills by bestriding their legs placing one or both hands on the pommel to perform amazing variations.
Usually the routines end when the gymnasts performs a dismount, either by going over the horse or swinging his body or going through a handstand to safely land on the mat. The Code of Points calculates the pommel horse exercise routines performed by the gymnasts, which are set officially for this sport.
Pommel HorseTrivia
- In the past, soldiers used the pommel horse for practicing mounting and dismounting horses.
Similar Sports
- Artistic Gymnastics — an Olympic sport where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, such as the Vault, Floor (men and women), Pommel Horse, Rings, Parallel Bars, High Bar (men), and Uneven Bars, Balance Beam (women).
- Vault — an artistic gymnastics event for men and women, in which the athlete leaps over a vault or pommel horse, using the hands for pushing off.
Related Pages
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
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