Growing up in the world of gymnastics, I learned a whole new set of vocabulary. To this day, common words that mean one thing to most people mean a whole other thing to me. Needless to say, gymnasts face the daily struggle of using our terms in a way that makes sense to non-gymnasts.

1. Bars

For most people: a place you can go to enjoy an alcoholic beverage.

For gymnasts: two pieces of rounded wood, covered in chalk and set one higher than the other, on which you swing and do skills.

2. Beam

For most people: a structural support for a wall or building.

For gymnasts: a four inch wide, four feet high piece of wood covered in leather on which skills are performed.

3. Block

For most people: a large, solid piece of hard material with flat sides.

For gymnasts: to rebound quickly off of a piece of equipment.

4. Bridge

For most people: a structure that carries people or modes of transportation over a river or other type of obstacle.

For gymnasts: A position in which the feet and hands are on the floor supporting the body as it bends in a backwards arch shape.

5. Candlestick

For most people: a support or holder for a candle.

For gymnasts: a position in which the upper body remains on the floor while the lower body points towards the air with support coming from the shoulders.

6. Flip-flop

For most people: a shoe made of bendy material that is worn in warm weather.

For gymnasts: another term for back-handspring -- a skill where the gymnast jumps off of two feet, rotates backwards to land on the hands, and completes the rotation to land on the feet.

7. Giant

For most people: A larger than life creature that always frightens children in the movies.

For gymnasts: A skill performed on the high bar during which the body stays completely straight as the gymnast completes a 360° turn around the bar.

8. Hollow

For most people: an object that has a hole or is empty inside.

For gymnasts: a body position in which the hips are pulled under, bottom is tucked in, and core is rounded slightly forward.

9. Lunge

For most people: a sudden forward thrust of the body often when attacking someone or something.

For gymnasts: a body position where the legs are spread apart on the ground and the front leg is bent and the back leg is straight and the arms are above the head.

10. Peel

For most people: the outer, inedible part of a fruit or the action of removing the outer part of a fruit.

For gymnasts: the terrifying moment when you lose your grip on the bar and going flying through the air before crashing into the ground.

11. Rings

For most people: small circular bands of metal often worn on the fingers.

For gymnasts: a men’s gymnastics event which uses two wooden circles hung from the ceiling on which men complete swings, strength positions, and flips.

12. Scale

For most people: an object used to weigh something.

For gymnasts: a balance on one leg with the other leg extended behind.

13. Split

For most people: to break something apart or into many pieces.

For gymnasts: a flexibility position where one leg is extended forward and the other extended back while touching the floor.

14. Tap

For most people: to hit something lightly or a place from which to get water.

For gymnasts: the initiating part of a swing on the bars.

15. Vault

For most people: a storage unit.

For gymnasts: A large, horse-shaped piece of equipment over which you must flip.

Don’t be surprised if you use these words in a conversation with a gymnast and they stare blankly back at you. We’re used to a completely different meaning than what you probably meant.