In NCAA Gymnastics in particular, I keep hearing people refer to “chest low on landing” deduction.
Yet in the current FIG Women’s Code of Points I see only this reference: Landing faults ~ Body posture fault = 0.1 or 0.3 deduction
An angled chest on landing is not necessarily a “body posture fault”, though it could be. If the impact forces are not safely and smoothly brought to zero, the gymnast can be deducted. Regardless of the angle of the chest.
For example, here’s a good landing that should not be deducted. Check the angle hip to shoulder on first contact.
How many judges are deducting that landing?
None in Men’s Gymnastics. Few in FIG WAG Gymnastics. But in College Gymnastics gymnasts are wrongly penalized, in my opinion. The good lady judges of the NCAA have so few deductions to take, they incorrectly jump on “chest low”.
Leave a comment if you have an opinion on this. Especially if you are a College judge.
Those graphics come from a study by Gittoes, Irwin and Kerwin. Kinematic Landing Strategy Transference in Backward Rotating Gymnastic Dismounts in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics.
related – deduction for “chest low” on landing
Gymnastics Coaching.com 