From a standing position with her feet together, the gymnast pushes off the balance beam upwards with a simultaneous arm swing. Only after reaching full extension of the lower limbs does the gymnast spreads them wide forward. The ankles reach optimally to hip height and above. The gymnast slightly flexes her legs just before the landing.

In a dismount straddle jump, the centre of gravity of the body moves along a parabolic curve, the shape of which is determined at the moment of take-off by the magnitude of the velocity and the angle of take-off. This trajectory cannot be changed in any way during the flight. The upward rotational motion of the legs is balanced by the oppositely oriented rotational motion of the trunk and the arms, as follows from the law of conservation of angular momentum.

• Insufficient spread of the lower limbs.
• Push-off not completed into the extended legs.
• Bent legs.
• Lower limbs not raised in front of the body.

• Physical preparation 1

  Passive flexibility of the hamstrings and adductors of the lower limbs is essential.

• Physical preparation 2

  Lift the legs up to strengthen the hip flexors.