Female gymnasts who perform sheep jump on beam beautifully

[Iminhanoi]

The sheep jump on beam is one of most technically challenging yet undervalued skills in women gymnastics at the moment.

From 2006-2016, this dance element had a D-rating in the Code of Points. However since 2017 it has been downgraded to C by FIG.

Back then when it was rated D, sheep jump was a staple for Russian, Romanian and Chinese female gymnasts

Some female gymnasts who perform sheep jump on beam beautifully.


Viktoria Komova
Her feet touch her head, very few gymnasts can do so.

Nastia Liukin
Even back then when it was rated D, sheep jump wasn’t much a thing for US gymnasts. Not many US gymnasts do it (Nastia Liukin, Alicia Sacramone).

Sui Lu

Li Shanshan: she is overlooked and forgotten because she fell at BB event final in Olympic 2008. However she’s truly a great beam worker.
On her sheep jump, her feet very close to touching her head.

In World Championships 2007, Li ShanShan’s feet touched her head

Cheng Fei

Deng Linlin:

 

[Iminhanoi]

Carly Patterson

Fan Ye

Ana Porgras

 

[MaryClare]

Sheep jumps are an interesting one. I haven’t taught them for a while, since they are out of fashion, coaches rarely request them of the dance teachers.

When I first began coaching, I was in England and it was asked for all the time. For some reason, certain elements are treated as mystic sorcery in British gymnastics and as a result, are rarely performed by British gymnasts. Sheep jumps, and the more complicated leaps and jumps generally fall into that category. I mean pre Beth, an entire apparatus fell into that category.

Anyway. Sheep jumps are not difficult because they require a high level of flexibility. They don’t. The majority of elite level gymnasts can do a decent sheep jump off a spring board. Let’s be honest, Carly Patterson was never known for her back flexibility. Or any sort of flexibility.

But doing a sheep jump on the beam is entirely different. Because you can’t rely on leg power. Let’s be honest, Nastia Liukin was never known for her leg power. Or any sort of power.

It’s a highly technical jump, that requires extremely accurate technique and timing.

 

[Iminhanoi]

Sheep jumps are an interesting one. I haven’t taught them for a while, since they are out of fashion, coaches rarely request them of the dance teachers.

When I first began coaching, I was in England and it was asked for all the time. For some reason, certain elements are treated as mystic sorcery in British gymnastics and as a result, are rarely performed by British gymnasts. Sheep jumps, and the more complicated leaps and jumps generally fall into that category. I mean pre Beth, an entire apparatus fell into that category.

Anyway. Sheep jumps are not difficult because they require a high level of flexibility. They don’t. The majority of elite level gymnasts can do a decent sheep jump off a spring board. Let’s be honest, Carly Patterson was never known for her back flexibility. Or any sort of flexibility.

But doing a sheep jump on the beam is entirely different. Because you can’t rely on leg power. Let’s be honest, Nastia Liukin was never known for her leg power. Or any sort of power.

It’s a highly technical jump, that requires extremely accurate technique and timing.

Because FIG downgraded its value to C. If FIG bring it back to D; it will be popular again, Chinese, Russian and Romanian gymnasts will still do it.

 

[MaryClare]

Because FIG downgraded its value to C. If FIG bring it back to D; it will be popular again, Chinese, Russian and Romanian gymnasts will still do it.

I don’t think it’s purely down to grading, but how jumps are now judged

 

[Iminhanoi]

I don’t think it’s purely down to grading, but how jumps are now judged

Since FIG downgrade its value to C, most gymnasts denied to do it, they do “switch split leap”, “split jump with half turn”, “tuck jump with full turn” instead.

Guan Chenchen, Tang Xijing , Zhou Yaqin, all don’t choose to do it.

 

[david]

Sacramone had a good one:

 

[Iminhanoi]

Sacramone had a good one:

Thank, it’s very nice sheep jump

 

[Passion]

2014 Worlds - Yao Jinnan

2015 Worlds - Wang Yan

2016 Nationals - Zhu Xiaofang

2016 Olympics - Fan Yilin

2018 Asian Games - Zhang Jin

2021 Worlds - Ashikawa Urara

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

Back when Sheep Jumps were still a thing, one of my biggest pet peeves were gymnasts who did them with a closed hip angle. They look so ugly to me; the line is ruined and it is infinitely worse for your back to do it that way. Shang Chunsong was the biggest offender, but Porgras and Li Shanshan also have somewhat closed hip angles in those pictures above.

If anyone wants to curse this thread and post images of Fragapane and Shawn Johnson's sheeps jumps, I'd be most obliged.

 

[MaryClare]

Sacramone had a good one:

Like I said, sheep jumps don’t require extreme flexibility. That is a big misconception, even amongst coaches

 

[makam]

What are the deductions on them? As busybody as ring jumps? Like, your big toe was at nose height but your little toe wasn't so you lose .5 kinda thing?

 

[Hatsumomo]

Back when Sheep Jumps were still a thing, one of my biggest pet peeves were gymnasts who did them with a closed hip angle. They look so ugly to me; the line is ruined and it is infinitely worse for your back to do it that way. Shang Chunsong was the biggest offender, but Porgras and Li Shanshan also have somewhat closed hip angles in those pictures above.

If anyone wants to curse this thread and post images of Fragapane and Shawn Johnson's sheeps jumps, I'd be most obliged.

 

[Iminhanoi]

2014 Worlds - Yao Jinnan
View attachment 11303

2015 Worlds - Wang Yan
View attachment 11297

2016 Nationals - Zhu Xiaofang
View attachment 11298

2016 Olympics - Fan Yilin
View attachment 11302

2018 Asian Games - Zhang Jin
View attachment 11300

2021 Worlds - Ashikawa Urara
View attachment 11304

Thank, that’s nice sheep jumps

 

[Iminhanoi]

Back when Sheep Jumps were still a thing, one of my biggest pet peeves were gymnasts who did them with a closed hip angle. They look so ugly to me; the line is ruined and it is infinitely worse for your back to do it that way. Shang Chunsong was the biggest offender, but Porgras and Li Shanshan also have somewhat closed hip angles in those pictures above.

If anyone wants to curse this thread and post images of Fragapane and Shawn Johnson's sheeps jumps, I'd be most obliged.

Li ShanShan’s sheep jumps are fine.

In 2007 World Championships, her feet touched her head

 

[Iminhanoi]

2014 Worlds - Yao Jinnan
View attachment 11303

2015 Worlds - Wang Yan
View attachment 11297

2016 Nationals - Zhu Xiaofang
View attachment 11298

2016 Olympics - Fan Yilin
View attachment 11302

2018 Asian Games - Zhang Jin
View attachment 11300

2021 Worlds - Ashikawa Urara
View attachment 11304

Ashikawa Urara’s very talented gymnasts.

In Bb Final of Olympic 2020, some balance checks cost her first Olympic medal.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

Li ShanShan’s sheep jumps are fine.

In 2007 World Championships, her feet touched her head
View attachment 11306

Touching the head with the feet is not the only requirement of the jump. You can clearly see in the first picture she is not extending though her hip flexors, there is a clear angle. That is a deduction specific to sheep jumps.

It crunches your lumbar spine significantly more and ruins the line.

 

[Hatsumomo]

Shantessa Pama also had one. I can't find the picture now, but a photoshoot she did had her doing a lovely one.

 

[Big_rock_show]

 

[RAFIKI]

Gorgeous Pama made one of my all time favourite montages:

This was before I’d learnt not to get attached to juniors. Loved watching her at 2004 junior US Classic/nationals and I was so excited about her new skills.