Balance Beam question Level 4

[Ltlewonder]

:beam:I had a question about balance beam. My 7 year old L4 is doing an awesome job getting ready for competition to start here in NC, and she's having a great time. Ultimately, that is what is important to me.

However, In the Level 4 beam routine, there is a handstand that she is struggling with. NOT the handstand before the dismount, but the other one. How much of a deduction is taken if she doesn't get all the way into a handstand? She is getting both feet all the way up, but doing more of a heel click (like in L3), than a "feet together, side by side" real handstand.:scratchchin:

She has a beautiful hs on the floor, which she can hold for up to about 10-12 seconds now, and her dismount HS is usually gorgeous too, but she had a fall some time back on this skill and is still "mentally challenged" by it! LOL!

Thanks for your help!
(Leslie) Mini Mac's Mom

 

[flippymonkeysmom]

If I remember correctly - level 4 only requires a handstand tap - they don't need to hold the handstand for 2 seconds until level 5. So as long as she is hitting vertical she should be ok ( as long as her form is good as well).

 

[anderson4]

You don't even have to be vertical in level 4. It looks better of course, but just so feet come together

 

[gracefulone]

They are both right. You just have to kick up, meet your feet together, and come back down. A lot of people call it a 3/4 handstand because you don't need to hit vertical.

 

[Ltlewonder]

Thank you so much for clarifying that for me! And it makes me SOOO HAPPY!!
Other than that HS, she looks awesome on BB, so we'll see how she measures up!

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

Good luck w/ L4.

We are also in NC - but about 2 hrs from you.

 

[gymdog]

The Compulsory Questions and Answers has this specific information about 3/4 handstands on beam:

¾ handstand - Level 4 & Backward roll to ¾ handstand – Level 6:

When the ¾ handstand is referenced, what is the expected angle?

22.5° from vertical​

Edit: also I'm not a judge and don't know the compulsory judging as much, but I would expect that even if this angle was achieved, if the skill looked awkward, the judge could take a .1 rhythm or amplitude deduction.
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