Sports skills are acquired and developed on a subjective basis involving elements such as individual consciousness and sensing. Sports skills are not fixed elements, but change and evolve with time. In gymnastics, the backward giant swing on the horizontal bar is an extremely important basic skill, as mastering it largely determines the standard of horizontal bar performance. A conventional theory regarding this skill has spread both nationally and internationally. It posits that rotational acceleration is created by snapping, which requires breaking the shoulders and maximizing the extension and flexion of body joints to tap the body's hidden limits. In contrast, a top world-level performer who was the subject of the present study has argued that keeping the body tight rather than breaking is the key, thus completely going against the commonly held theory. The technical characteristics and significance of this gymnast's approach were investigated by category analysis based on the phenomenological movement theory. This revealed that this top performer created rotational acceleration by exploiting the reaction of the horizontal bar by maximizing its bounce. This bar reaction was produced by generating tension in the body during overhang phases by staying tight to prevent the shoulders, waist and chest from extending.