BALANCE BEAM
The balance beam is an artistic gymnastics apparatus. In most circumstances, it is only used by female gymnasts.
Balance beam, either the apparatus or the event, is sometimes referred to as simply "beam." The English abbreviation the for the
event in gymnastics scoring is BB.
Urban legends suggest that male gymnasts do not compete on the balance beam because of the potential of injury to the testicles.
This myth is completely unfounded since women's gymnastics was not recognized as an Olympic/World Championships sports for almost
fifty years after men's artistic gymnastics was first included in the Olympics. The development of balance beam as a gymnastics
event was similarly delayed. Male gymnasts do perform on several other events, such as the
pommel horse and parallel bars, that have the
potential to cause significant injury to their lower bodies. In addition, at the high school level in the United States, there
have been several male gymnasts who have participated on girls' teams and have successfully competed on all events, including
the balance beam.
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September 2, 2007 | Stuttgart, Germany
Ana Claudia Silva of Brazil performs straddle position on balance beam during team qualifications in women's artistic gymnastics at 2007 World Championships.
Photograph copyright © Tom Theobald. |
Balance beams used in international gymnastics competitions must conform to the guidelines and specifications set forth by the
International Gymnastics Federation (FIG)'s Apparatus Norms brochure. Several companies manufacture and sell beams, including
AAI (USA), Jannsen and Fritsen (Europe), and Acromat (Australia).
Beams are 125 cm (about 4 '5") high, 5 meters long, and 10 cm (4") wide. Originally, the beam surface was plain polished wood.
In earlier years, some gymnasts competed on a beam made of basketball-like material. However, this type of beam was eventually
banned due to its extreme slipperiness. Since the 1980s, beams have been covered in leather or suede. In addition, they are
now also sprung to accommodate the stress of high-difficulty tumbling and dance skills.
Most gymnastics schools purchase and use balance beams that meet the FIG's standards, but some may also use beams with
carpeted surfaces for practice situations. While learning new skills, gymnasts often work on "low beams" that have the same
dimensions and surface of regulation apparatus, but are set only a few inches off the ground. They may also work on practice
beams, mini beams, or simply lines on the mat.
Routines
To perform a balance beam routine, the gymnast:
1. Mounts the apparatus. Depending on the level of competition, this mount may be as simple as climbing up on the beam,
or as complicated as a flip.
2. Performs a routine lasting between 1 minute and 1 minute 30 seconds, depending on the level of competition. The choreography
of the routine typically includes acrobatic elements, turns, leaps and dance poses performed singularly or in combination.
3. Dismounts the apparatus.
Evolution
In the early days of women's artistic gymnastics, beam was based more in dance than in tumbling. Routines even at the
elite level were composed with combinations of leaps, dance poses, handstands, rolls and walkovers. In the 1960s, the most
difficult acrobatic skill performed by the average Olympic gymnast was a back handspring.
Balance beam difficulty began to increase dramatically in the 1970s. Olga Korbut and
Nadia Comaneci pioneered advanced tumbling combinations and aerial skills on beam.
Other athletes and coaches began to follow suit. The change was also facilitated by the transition from wooden beams to safer,
less slippery models with suede-covered surfaces. By the mid 1980s, top gymnasts routinely performed flight series and multiple
aerial elements on beam.
Today, balance beam routines still consist of a mixture of acrobatic skills, dance elements, leaps and poses, but with
significantly greater difficulty.
Scoring and rules
Several aspects of the performance determine the gymnast's final mark. All elements in the routine, as well as all errors,
are noted by the judges.
Deductions are taken for all errors made while on the beam, including lapses in control, balance checks (i.e., wobbling or
stumbling to maintain balance), poor technique and execution, and failure to fulfill the required Code of Points
elements. Falls automatically incur a deduction. At the elite/world-class level this penalty is .8.
Olympics- and World Championships-Level Scoring
For detailed information on score tabulation, please see the Code of Points article.
At the elite/international level, routines are choreographed and designed by the coaches and/or gymnasts. There are no
restrictions on choreography. However, the gymnast must fulfill several requirements set forth by the Code of Points.
Among these requirements, gymnasts must successfully complete a 360 degree turn, a leap demonstrating a 180 degree leg split, and
forward and backward acrobatic elements. Athletes must also complete a "flight series" — a series of two or more linked acrobatic
skills — and a "mixed series" composed of two or more linked dance and acrobatic skills. Gymnasts may earn points by successfully
executing difficult acrobatic elements, mounts, dismounts, leaps, and jumps. They may also increase their scores by linking several
elements together.
The gymnast must mount and dismount the beam on her own, without any help from a coach or other individual. The skills chosen for
the mount and dismount are of the athlete's choice. However, the dismount must carry at least a "D" difficulty value to fulfill the
Element Group Requirements (EGR) of the Code of Points.
Universal Rules and Conventions
The gymnast may compete barefoot or wear special beam shoes if she so chooses. She may also chalk her hands and/or feet for added
stability on the apparatus.
Once the exercise has started, the gymnast's coach may not spot her or interfere in any way. The only time the gymnast may be accompanied
on the podium is in the case of a mount involving a springboard. In this instance, the coach, or another athlete from the team, may
quickly step in to remove the springboard from the area.
In the event of a fall, an athlete has ten seconds to remount the apparatus and continue the routine. If she does not return to the
beam within this time limit, she is not permitted to continue.
Under FIG rules, the maximum allowed time for a balance beam routine is 1 minute, 30 seconds. The routine is timed on the scoreboard
timer, which is visible to both the gymnast and judges. In addition, a warning tone or bell is sounded 1 minute and 20 seconds into the
exercise. If the gymnast has not left the beam by 1 minute and 30 seconds, another bell is sounded, and a score deduction is incurred.
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