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Gymnastics

Pommel Horse Scissors

Pommel horse scissors are a gymnastics skill in which you switch your legs between front and rear split positions while supported on your hands. They train trunk control, shoulder support, and coordination.

Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.

  • Advanced
  • Compound
  • Higher injury risk
  • Rest 2 min

How to do it

  1. Take straight-arm support on the pommels with one leg in front of the horse and the other behind it.
  2. Swing your split legs sideways to establish a small, controlled rhythm.
  3. Shift your weight onto one arm as your legs rise toward the opposite side.
  4. Briefly lift the unweighted hand as the passing leg approaches that pommel.
  5. Sweep your legs through to reverse which leg is in front.
  6. Regrip the pommel as soon as your leg clears it.
  7. Finish the exchange in two-hand support with your legs in the opposite split position.

Form cues

  • Push tall through your shoulders
  • Keep your knees long
  • Let your hips follow the swing

Common mistakes

  • Rushing the leg exchangeLet the sideways swing create clearance before switching your legs.
  • Throwing the chest sidewaysKeep your torso relatively upright rather than using a large upper-body lean to drive the movement.
  • Pulling the legs into a tuckMaintain an open split instead of drawing both knees toward your chest.

Safety

A mistimed hand release or missed regrip can cause a fall onto the horse or floor. Fatigue can also overload your wrists and shoulders as your weight shifts onto one arm.

  • Check that the horse and pommels are secure, with landing mats covering the surrounding area.
  • Build reliable support swings and low-apparatus leg-clearance drills before attempting full-height scissors.
  • Use qualified gymnastics supervision while learning the hand-release timing.
  • End the set when your support starts to collapse or your regrips become uncertain.

If you have wrist, elbow, or shoulder pain or a history of instability, get advice from a physiotherapist or doctor before attempting this skill.

Muscles worked

Front
Back

Primary muscles

  • Abs
  • Front Delts

Secondary muscles

  • Hip Flexors
  • Serratus Anterior
  • Triceps

Equipment

  • Gymnastics Landing Mat
  • Pommel Horse

Sets and reps

Sets
2–3
Target
2–4 reps
Rest
2 min

Count each completed switch of the front and rear legs as one rep.