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The felge, or undersomersault, to handstand on parallel bars has become an important skill in Men’s Artistic Gymnastics as it forms the basis of many complex variations. To receive no deductions from the judges, the felge must be performed without demonstrating the use of strength to achieve the final handstand position. Two male gymnasts each performed nine trials of the felge from handstand to handstand while data were recorded using an automatic motion capture system. The highest and lowest scoring trials of each gymnast, as determined by four international judges, were chosen for further analysis. The technique used by each gymnast was optimised using a computer simulation model so that the final handstand position could be achieved with straight arms. Two separate optimisations found different techniques identified in the coaching literature that are used by gymnasts. Optimum simulations resulted in improved performances through a combination of increased vertical velocity and height of the mass centre at release. Although the optimum technique found close to the gymnasts’ own technique was more demanding in terms of the strength required, it offered the potential for more consistent performance and future developments in skill complexity. INTRODUCTION In the new Code of Points (Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), 2006) the felge, or undersomersault, on parallel bars has become an important skill in Men’s Artistic Gymnastics as it forms the basis for many variations of the skill. Although the basic skill is performed to support, it is the felge from handstand to handstand (Figure1) that provides the basis for the more complex variations. From the handstand position the gymnast lowers the body by closing the shoulder angle (shoulder extension) and allowing the shoulders to move forwards relative to the hands (Figure 2). The gymnast then rotates backwards about the point of contact with the bars and circles below the bar. Release occurs shortly after the mass centre has passed above the level of the bars (Figures 1 & 2). The gymnast re-grasps the bars before reaching the handstand position. In order to receive no deductions from the judges, the gymnast must perform the felge without demonstrating the use of strength to achieve the final handstand position. The gymnast should arrive in the final position without bending the arms or appearing to press to handstand (excessively flexing at the shoulder once the bar has been caught). The technique depicted in the Code of Points (FIG, 2006), Figure 1, closely resembles a backward clear circle to handstand as performed on the high bar. During this technique the gymnast maintains the hip flexion angle throughout the majority of the circle, in particular whilst the gymnast is below the bars (Figure 1). It has been recommended that this technique is used during the initial stages of learning the felge (Davis, 2005), presumably because it is less demanding of the young gymnasts. However, the technique used by many senior gymnasts more closely resembles a “stoop stalder” (Davis, 2005). As the gymnast passes beneath the bars a deep pike position (large hip flexion angle) is adopted from which the gymnast rapidly extends passing through release and into the final handstand position (Figure 2). One of the problems encountered during the felge is that as the mass centre passes above the bars the