Rhythmic Gymnastics — Glossary

Every Rhythmic Gymnastics term explained in plain language: technique, equipment, rules and slang – with tips on avoiding the classic mistakes.

Core Tension (Movement)

Active stabilisation of abdomen, back and pelvis — the bridge that lets force travel between legs and arms at all.

D-Score & E-Score (Rule)

A gymnastics score has two halves: the D-score counts difficulty, while the E-score starts at 10.0 and loses points for every execution error.

Dismount & Sticking the Landing (Movement)

The final move of a routine and its most delicate moment: landing loads you with 7.1 to 15.8 times body weight, and every step afterwards costs execution points.

Gymnast's Wrist (Cheat code)

Load-dependent wrist pain from repetitive weight-bearing. Point prevalence among adolescent gymnasts sits at 88 percent — this is not a fringe problem.

Kip (Movement)

The first big swing element on bar and parallel bars: one precisely timed counter-movement takes you from the swing below the bar into support — timing, not arm strength.

Rip (Slang)

The gym word for torn palms from bar, rings or parallel bars. Not a badge of honour, but what friction, sweat and uneven callus do together.

Spring Floor (Equipment)

The sprung competition and training floor. It offers roughly 22 times the critical fall height of concrete and is cheerleading's single biggest safety factor.

General

Terms from training theory that apply in every sport.

1RM (One-Repetition Maximum) (Rule)

The maximum weight you can move for exactly one clean repetition. The reference value behind almost every training plan.

BMR & TDEE (Rule)

BMR is your basal metabolic rate at complete rest; TDEE is total daily expenditure including everyday movement and training. Nutrition targets always work off TDEE.

Cadence (Movement)

Steps per minute when running, or pedal revolutions when cycling. For most runners, 170–180 steps per minute sits in the sweet spot.

Deload (Cheat code)

A deliberately lighter week with volume or intensity clearly reduced, so adaptation can catch up.

DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) (Cheat code)

Delayed muscle soreness 12–72 hours after unfamiliar load. Not a measure of training quality.

Knee Valgus (Movement)

The knees collapsing inward during squats, jumps and landings. One of the key risk markers in technique analysis.

Progressive Overload (Cheat code)

The one principle no training works without long-term: the stimulus has to grow over time, otherwise adaptation stops.

RIR (Reps in Reserve) (Rule)

How many clean reps you had left at the end of a set. RIR 2 means two more were available.

RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) (Rule)

A scale for perceived effort. In strength training it usually runs 1–10, where RPE 8 means you had two more reps in the tank.

Zone 2 (Aerobic Base) (Cheat code)

The easy endurance zone where you can still hold a conversation in full sentences. The base of almost every endurance plan.