Women Beam Question

[3LittleGymmies]

Is it generally considered preferable for a gymnast to focus on backwards tumbling on beam rather than doing front tumbling skills, even if they are more advanced? For example, if a Level 6 gymnast has a great FWO but struggles with their BHS. Or if a gymnast has a forward tumbling series but not backwards, would it be better to hold them back so they can focus on/fix their backward tumbling series instead? Is one better than the other and if so, why? Just curious . I know very little about the beam skills that are expected/preferred in high level optionals and perhaps that's where the answer lies!

 

[MeetDirector]

Based solely on observation, I think there are more high-level optional skills that can be connected out of backwards tumbling rather than front tumbling. But, this is just an observation; I haven't seen a lot of front tumbling series much at all.

 

[aerials]

Front tumbling is generally considered more advanced because it is blind. And side tumbling is more advanced because you have a hip change that makes things more difficult. For example a front HS front tuck is much more scary (and never done) than a back HS back tuck on beam.