Event
Balance beam

Skill type
Dance

Value
A

Known as
Wolf jump
Wolf

About
The wolf jump is so named because there is nothing in the history of time that has looked less like a wolf.

At times, the wolf jump has been a popular choice in international beam composition, but its current A (0.1) value means that it is not eligible for combination bonus and has therefore fallen off the map in favor of elements like the split jump and straddle jump. All part of the FIG’s comprehensive attack against animal elements.

While the gymnastics shorthand for a wolf jump looks like a W (as in wolf!), it’s not actually a W. The technical description of this element is a tuck jump with one leg extended forward. The И is the symbol for a tuck position, and then the extra line connected to the end tells you that one leg is extended. So, describing a tuck jump with extended leg ends up looking like a W.