Levels

[~minhthy~gymnast~]

Hello, so I have moved through gymnastics really fast. I have been doing it for 1 1/2 years and am in USAG level 5 hoping to go onto 6 : D I skipped through about all the pre team levels

I have a friend that is a guy and has done is for about a year. In the beginning he did this teen class, then tried out for pre-team! He didn't make it at first but later did.

He has not competed or anything, mostly all he can do is tumble and do some bars. He's okay in the other events... Anyways

recently he moved up to level 8!!!!!! I'm like what the heck! I'm not trying to be mean, he is my friend but why is he in level 8!!! He hasn't competed or anything!!!!! I say it's not fair, because in ways I'm better than him, (trying not to be mean)

his form is okay, and stuff... But are the guy levels different than the girl levels?
I will ask my gym later! Thanx, even though itsncomplicated cus gyms r different but just atleasttry please!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

yes, the boys system is different than the girls.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Two things are at work here.

First, boys don't have to qualify out of the lower levels the way girls do.

Second, there's a lot of leeway at level 8 as far as what you really need to build a routine. Boys optional levels are pretty open-ended; you can basically just pick your six to eight best skills, string them together, and call them a routine and it'll work fine. Heck, on floor you can take the level 5 routine and ad an arabian and a punch front (for the dismount pass) and it will have all five element groups for level 8.

It's not unusual for older guy gymnasts to jump up to the optional levels fairly quickly, sometimes skipping compulsories entirely. The compulsory routines were designed for young boys.