doub front somi. (One or two did doub fronts , a couple did I liz twists , a number did full twist. and - I forgot - one did cartwheel back.) The gymnasts were quite wild with full and full and a half twisters. The best gymnasts were the more conservative ones just performing Yamas , liz twist and one or two fulls. Tsukahara performed the cartwheel back. PARALLEL BARS: The gymnasts were careful not to have more than three holds. A number had only two. For example: Nakayama doing the same beginning that he used in Mexico does not hold the straddle L or the press up to handstand on one bar. Two gymnasts used Diomidovs (Miki and Homma). Two or three used basket to handstand immediate forward pirouette, two used stutz handstand back with full twist off. One did back , back full off. One used front full twist off. Two used back uprise front somi catch straddle cut L (original part). Many used the back uprise straddle L before the press. HORIZONTAL BAR: After a Voronin (hecht) vault many of our gymnasts swing forward liz turn and swing forward again. This seems like an extra swing since two long swings occur in a row ; anyhow , not one Japanese gymnast did this. A few gymnasts used a regular Stalder shoot hop to under grip (Kenmotsu does an immediate Endo shoot from this). There were Stalder shoot immediate back pirouettes, Straddle on shoot back pirouettes , 1~ German giant liz turn free hip , a double piked flyaway , a few piked shoot fulls, a few full twisting hechts and one used a forward flyaway with I liz twists. Nakayama does a German giant early stoop out swing under the bar, hop change to under grip and stoop in on the front swing, shoot over bar to high dislocate. This appears to be the Japanese strongest event. The gymnasts that competed in the Mexico Olympics and are trying out for this team have improved markedly.
Scouting Report of the 1970 Japanese Compulsory Exercises by A. Grossfeld FLOOR EXERCISE: Back somi - arms down before and after. Best were over shoulder height. Arch dive roll - arm lift was foreupward. Arms over head at completion of roll as move is made into headspring. With even rhythm sit down to back roll pirouette (most did forward piro). After straight leg roll up, arms circle sidedownward (passing by side) and under and forward to diving cartwheel with legs spread , as first arm hits floor , close legs and snap down for tempo (low) flip-flop, to high back dive liz tum (Arab roll), ROLL up was made by pushing off the floor by most of the gymnasts (some did not have to push off the floor). This push off certainly facilitated the straddle jump , and I believe a deduction was made for this. The straddle jumps were high , and toes were touched , recovery was made by moving arms overhead and landing in bent-over position ready for continuous rebound to Japanese jump. Landing high (some landed in handstand position), a smooth chest roll facilitated a good straddle cut (no preliminary arch before cut). Most of the better gymnasts performed the half tum from rear support to front support by turning smoothly on one arm with other arm extended upward on turn (although the
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Kenmotsu
hop , used by some, was permissible). Bring feet up to hands and squat , stand up with arms forward. swing arms downward (by sides) and up sideward as \4 turn is made. Initiate twofoot turns , then bring arms in (one or two gymnasts head spotted during turns). The legs were together on most gymnasts during the turns. Arms sideward after turns , raise arms upward , circling and crossing arms as lean is made into side scale. Extended arm remains in that position (overhead), while arm at side circles under and upward overhead as turn is made to straddle stand with head looking forward or upward. Lower arms and execute head and body wave bending knees and circling arms. (There was a heavy deduction for not holding the handstand.) Roll into jump was smooth. Front handsprings were lifted with good form (straight) on landing leg and continuous (even rhythm from handspring to handspring). Most landings were perfect. Upon landing, circle arms forward and downward and up sidewards to an obliquely overhead position , lift leg sideways , lower arms sideways and up forward crossing (on way up) on jump tum to landing with spread upward arms , cartwheel, step , turn and cross arms finishing at the same time with arms rearward. rhythmically swing arms back into hop step and roundoff. Shooting legs out on back somi seems to " add " points. SIDE HORSE: No hop before mount. Extension on mount and kehre in (free arm was not particularly high). Break into leg cut for scissors was high and extended. Scissors were balanced. Reverse circle was free. Good swing back scissors were high and extended. (Break into back scissor was high.) Leg pushing off horse straight when picking up circles. End sequence free and extended (straight body). Dismounts were high and free. Landing was free of horse. (This was the least consistent event in that a good number of gymnasts had a major break.)
LONG HORSE VAULT: Run - most used either I I or 13 steps. Moderately fast (not all outspeed). Board distance from horse varied. No one had it very far (more than 3 feet) from horse. Upon takeoff, most used an underarm swing. Landing on horse - body was arched and completel y sideways. First hand contact was nearer to neck. Hands were not far apart and were not distinctly a one, two push. Push off was made with the body sideways with an immediate early turn. Body was arched in post flight with arms overhead. Arms remained overhead on landing. Some attained a distance of IlIz horse lengths. Control with adequate flight received the best scores. RINGS: Slightly bent arm , slow pull to inverted hang. Pike deep on kip L (no false grip) , back flat. All pressed slow and even. The best pressed high. Swing down with straight arms with rings parallel (held like parallel bars). Forward swing (cast away) was piked , rings pushed backward and body extended for oncoming inlocate. All gymnasts had high inlocate (many above ring level) and some had slight pike. Many did horizontal back uprises. some above (no one kept arms straight during first part of back uprise). Drop to deep pike, dislocate was well Iifted at shot out at about a 60-degree angle (shoulder height almost at ring level). Most had a slight pike on first part of dislocate. Many did a straight arm shoot (some at the cost of a solid handstand). Some of the better gymnasts bent their arms slightly on the shoot to ensure a stable handstand. Straight arm lower, drop and back kip well above horizontal (toward handstand) , straighten arms and lower slowly to back lever (all held the back lever for 3 seconds) , ... high illiocate (not as high as the first inlocate). Many hung on a little extra on the frOllt pike off The best released just as the body passed the horizontal on the upswing , and they extended their bodies before landing. (The biggest loss of points and weakest part was on the back kip planch down.)