Diagnostics is an essential part of teachers’ profession. We investigated judgement accuracy and cognitive processes of judgment formation in physical-education teachers who observed exercises in gymnastics, and compared teachers with gymnastics trainers as a reference group. Judgment accuracy was lower in teachers compared to trainers, and agreement on the ratings was lower among teachers than among trainers. Agreement about the temporal structuring of the exercises was lower among teachers than trainers. We discuss these findings in context of the task to perform accurate judgments, and discuss the relevance of movement phases, their features, and their functionality for teacher training.

Worldwide trainers ask if there is a rotation scheme, which improves the gymnastics performance and/or facilitates the learning of the elements with longitudinal rotations. Although there are some surveys and scientific publications on it, we still are seeking for more data to understand the undergoing relationships within the rotation habits of high-level gymnasts. In a recent study, the Men’s Individual All‐Around finalists at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 were categorized using the current classification system of rotational schemes. This study aims first to categorize the Women’s Individual All‐Around finalists at the Olympic Games Rio 2016. Furthermore; the analysis should help to improve the classification system by comparing both genders. We assume that the female rotation scheme should be more complicated due to the requirements of choreographic movements and gymnastic turns. In this context, the study aims to set a viable classification system for female gymnasts as well. The study revealed that 52% of the female finalists turn to the right while 48% prefer to rotate to the left after having crossed out the dance and gymnastic elements.

No abstract

Worldwide trainers ask if there is a rotation scheme, which facilitate the learning of the elements with longitudinal rotations. Although there are some research on it, they did not attempt to verify a total scheme, but merely to see the relationship between two elements or four elements. In this study we analyse the appreciation of experts N = 161 coaches (age: 34.9 ± 10.9) from different levels of expertise and from different countries (ARG, BOL, BRA, CHI, ECU, ELS, GER, GUA, HON, MEX, PAN, PER, URU, VEN) with 12 ± 8.8 years of experience regardinghow gymnasts should execute 27 different elements in 5 male apparatus. We chose these elements, because we wanted to have movements with rotation in upright stance, upside down and in combination with transversal rotation. Through a questionnaire for coaches, we tried to verify if there are differences, coincidences or even immovable rules in the rotation scheme that gymnasts use (or should use). The answers were typologized with three categories of rotational preference: unilateral consistent twister, bilateral consistent twister and inconsistent twister. The study aimed to answer several questions: Do coaches agree on how the rotation scheme should be in gymnastics? How do coaches (former gymnasts) determined which way to turn? Do the handedness or the footedness influence on the direction of rotation? Does the personal rotation scheme influence on the concept of appropriate rotation scheme? Do the national practices influence the rotation scheme? Are there differences in appreciation between coaches at different levels? Are unambiguous rules among the elements?