In this gymnastics lesson, you will learn how to perform a tiger vault. This is the first time your feet will not touch the vaulting table during the vault. However, you still do not kick your legs fully overhead. The purpose of this exercise is to get used to the pressure on your hands and moving your entire body over the table without letting your legs touch it.
By the way, this is also a popular free running technique known as the “Cat Vault.”
You can find more vaulting instructions at Gymnastics Main.
Execution
- Run towards the vaulting table, swinging your arms backward from behind your back.
- At your last step, jump flat onto the springboard with your legs together. Swing your arms forward and up while keeping your upper body firm.
- Bounce off the springboard using both feet simultaneously. Extend your legs and elbows, swing your arms up like in the first vaulting exercise, and keep your upper body tight.
Jump forward and upwards toward the horizontal surface of the vaulting table. - Place your hands on the horizontal part of the table’s tongue, with fingers pointing straight forward.
Keep your elbows fully extended and bend your knees to pass your legs under your chest without touching the vaulting table. - As soon as your hands touch the table, kick your knees forward under your chest without letting your feet touch the vaulting table’s tongue.
Keep your elbows extended, push your shoulders down, and push with your hands. - After your legs pass through, extend your body vertically and lift your arms. Look straight forward.
- Land with a stuck landing—both feet touching the ground simultaneously without taking an extra step.
Look straight ahead and extend your arms overhead. It’s okay to bend your knees slightly on landing, but avoid sitting down.
Advice
- Although this exercise is a preparation for more advanced vaults, it is commonly seen in children’s gymnastics competitions.
- In parkour and free running, this vault is known as the cat jump.
Suggestions
- The Vaulting Table – Gymnastics Apparatus
- Previous Vaulting Exercises
- Cat Jump – Parkour
Videos
- Artistic Gymnastics Videos
