Parents proposed compulsory skills for 2021-2029

[gymbeam]

USA Gymnastics has given a sneak peak at the proposed new skills and “probable” routine sequences for Levels 1 – 5 for 2021-2029.
Link Removed

Listed below are the proposed skills and sequences by event for each level.

VAULT
Level 1:

• Straight jump onto min. of 16″ mat, kick up to HS, fall to flat back

Level 2:

• Jump to HS onto min. of 16″ mat stack
  • No block required

Level 3:

• Handspring over min 32″ mat stack with mat stack turned sideways

Level 4:

• Handspring over vault table

Level 5:

• Onto a mat stack –
  • Either –
    • Handspring
    • Tsuk timer
    • Yurchenko timer

BARS
Level 1:

• Back hip pullover
• Cast
• Back hip circle
• Dismount –
  • Either –
    • Cast straddle on sole circle dismount
    • Underswing dismount

Level 2:

• Back hip pullover
• Cast, Back hip circle
• Single leg cut forward
• Either –
  • Forward stride circle*
  • Single leg basket swing*
• Single leg swing backward
• Cast, dismount –
  • Either –
    • Squat OR pike on, piked sole circle
    • Underswing dismount

*Hooking knee on the bar on the upswing to complete either element circle is allowable

Level 3:

• Glide swing out (straddle or pike) and return to stand with feet together, back hip pullover OR glide kip*
• Front hip circle, small cast, return to support
• Cast, single leg shoot thru
• Stride circle forward OR a single let basket swing (both legs straight throughout)
• Single leg cut the leg backward
• Cast
• Back hip circle
• Underswing dismount

*Both a 10.0 SV

Level 4:

• Glide kip (straddle or pike)
• Cast to horizontal and return to support (legs together)
• Cast squat or pike on
• Long hang kip
• Cast to horizontal (legs together), back hip circle
• Underswing
• Counter swing to 30 degrees below horizontal (straddle allowed on the back swing)
• Tap swing forward
• Counter swing to 30 degrees below horizontal (straddle allowed on the back swing)
• Tap swing forward with 1/2 turn dismount

Level 5:

• Glide kip (straddle or pike)
• Cast to above horizontal (no specific degree)
  • Straddle cast allowed at Level 5
• Clear hip circle to above horizontal (no specific degree) OR backward sole circle to clear support OR backward straddle circle to clear support
• Glide kip (straddle or pike)
• Cast squat or pike on back tuck sole circle jump to high bar OR squat or pike on, jump to high bar
• Long hang kip, cast to above horizontal (no specific degree)
  • Straddle cast allowed at Level 5
• Long hang pullover
• Underswing
• Counter swing to 15 degrees below horizontal (straddle allowed on the back swing)
• Tap Swing forward
• Counter swing to 15 degrees below horizontal (straddle allowed on the back swing)
• Tap swing forward to flyaway in tuck, pike, or layout

BEAM
Level 1:

• Jump to front support
• Releve lock position, hold
• Arabesque – 30 degrees below horizontal (no hold)
• Stretch jump
• Lever, hold
• Step, leg swing, step, leg swing
• Leg balance in forward passé on flat foot (mark
• From kneel on one leg, cartwheel to partial handstand, lower to stand facing beam

Level 2:

• Mount without a board
• Swing to pushup, jump to tuck stand
• Arabesque – 30 degrees below horizontal (hold)
• Stretch jump
• Level to beam, “hiccup”*
• Front leg swing, close, back leg swing, close to stand, plié releve lock
• Leg balance in forward passé, (hold 2 seconds)
• Pivot 180 degree turn
• Cartwheel to handstand, lower to stand facing beam

*Actual term used in routine


Level 3:

• Mount without a board
• Pivot turn, step, pivot turn
• Arabesque (>45 degrees) below horizontal
• Straight leg leap (90 degrees) to plié arabesque (hold)
• Cross handstand (mark)
• 1/2 (180 degrees) heel snap turn in forward passé
• Stretch jump, stretch jump
• Cartwheel to side handstand (mark), 1/4 turn dismount

Level 4:

• Mount without a board
• 1/2 (180 degrees) turn in forward passé
• Cartwheel
• Scale (at horizontal)
• One step entrance, straight leg leap (120 degrees)
• Cross handstand with legs together (hold 1 second)
• Split jump (120 degrees), stretch jump
• Cartwheel to side handstand (hold 1 second), 1/4 turn dismount

Level 5:

• Mount without a board
• Full turn in forward passé (arms in crown)
• Back walkover OR back extension OR back handspring step out
• Scale (above horizontal)
• One step entrance, straight leg leap (150 degrees), stretch jump
• Cross handstand with legs together (hold 2 seconds), step down backward releve walks
• Split jump (150 degrees), sissone
• Cartwheel to side handstand (hold 2 seconds), 1/4 turn dismount

FLOOR
Level 1:

• 3/4 handstand
• Forward entry cartwheel to 1/4 turn in
• Backward roll tuck
• Candlestick
• Forward roll tuck
• Forward passé balance (mark), press to releve
• Forward chasse
• Stretch jump

Level 2:

• Handstand
• Power hurdle OR 1 step hurdle, round off
• Backward roll to push up position
• Candlestick
• Bridge, back kick over
• Forward chasse, straight leg leap (60 degrees)
• Passé, releve, heel snap 1/2 turn
• Split jump (60 degrees)

Level 3:

• Split jump (90 degrees)
• Stretch jump
• Handstand bridge, back kick over
• Forward split
• Chasse, split leap (90 degrees)
• Backward roll tuck with straight arms to push up position
• 1/2 (180 degree) turn in forward passé (arms in forward middle or crown)
• Handstand forward roll (with straight arms)
• Round off, back handspring, rebound, stick (no specific # of running steps)

Level 4:

• Straddle jump (120 degrees), stretch jump 1/2 (180 degrees)
  • Not connected
• Front handspring step out, cartwheel step out, running steps backward to lunge finish
• Backward roll with straight arms to handstand
• Forward split
• Split leap (120 degrees) dance passage
• Full turn in forward passe (arms in forward middle or crown)
  • Turn direction optional
• Back walkover (150 degrees)
• Round off, 2 back handsprings, rebound, stick (no specific # of running steps)

Level 5:

• Straddle jump (150 degrees), stretch jump 1/1
  • Not connected
• Two front handspring step outs, cartwheel step out, running steps backward to lunge, finish
• Forward salto tucked OR front or side aerial
• Backward roll with straight arms to handstand
• Forward split
• Split leap (150 degrees) or switch leg leap (150 degrees) dance passage
• Full turn in forward passé (arms in crown)
  • Turn direction optional
• Round off, back handspring, back salto tuck, stick (no specific # of running steps)

Sources: USA Gymnastics, Region 8 Congress

 

[gymbeam]

I see level 5 proposes adding vault timers but also keeping FHS as an option. I hadn't considered that they may keep the FHS.
Other than that, I don't know enough to recognize any other changes.
What do you all see?

 

[amiandjim]

I believe in level 4, the current pass is a FHS to 2 feet and it looks like it's changing to FHD step out to cartwheel. I also noticed in level 2, the backward roll will be to push up position instead of to pike.

 

[3rd_time_around]

If they can hook the leg to help on the upswing of the level 3 stride circles, what's the point of this skill? They need to drop it. AAU does not do this skill, AAU level 3 does a squat on jump to high bar, long hand pullover, tap swing-counter swing-straight drop, Without the deduction for hooking the bar, the differentiating between a really good bar routine and an ok bar routine will be very little. With level 3 being hugely popular, they need something to differentiate really good and good.

They just need to stop using the mill circle.

It seems to me the routines are watered-down and even easier, but that's just MHO.

 

[amiandjim]

The hooking is for level 2, just as it is now I believe.

 

[raenndrops]

I see level 5 proposes adding vault timers but also keeping FHS as an option. I hadn't considered that they may keep the FHS.
Other than that, I don't know enough to recognize any other changes.
What do you all see?

It looks like the L5 FHS vault will be up onto the mat stack though.
An option of a front or side aerial in L5 floor instead of Front tuck, the FHS step out-FHS is potentially changing to FHS step out-FHS step out-Cartwheel. And what is the point of the "running steps backward" after the cartwheel on floor in L4 and L5???

 

[IreneKa]

Level 3 vault is different - handspring over mat stack. Interesting.

 

[Gymmommy71]

It looks like the L5 FHS vault will be up onto the mat stack though.
An option of a front or side aerial in L5 floor instead of Front tuck, the FHS step out-FHS is potentially changing to FHS step out-FHS step out-Cartwheel. And what is the point of the "running steps backward" after the cartwheel on floor in L4 and L5???

Gosh - IMO a front or side aerial is no substitute for a front tuck progression-wise unless they are going to start allowing aerials to count as saltos in optional routines. For kids w/ good flexibility, aerials are soooooo much easier than front tucks, and a good front tuck is so important down the line - I can't believe they'd let people skip that in compulsories.

 

[2G1B]

Level 3 vault is different - handspring over mat stack. Interesting.

That is what boys did for level 5 for the previous 4 years, now they do a front tuck off of a spring board (which they did the quad before the previous one).

 

[cadybearsmommy]

What in the world? Yurchenko timers in level 5? Sounds absolutely terrifying. I heard they were adding them as an option for 7 which I understand but for 5??? If that's the case what will the vaults for L6-7 be like?

And I can't even begin to picture what a front handspring onto a stack of mats would look like?? I keep imagining the silver vault lol, but surely they are supposed to land in standing position?

 

[raenndrops]

What in the world? Yurchenko timers in level 5? Sounds absolutely terrifying. I heard they were adding them as an option for 7 which I understand but for 5??? If that's the case what will the vaults for L6-7 be like?

And I can't even begin to picture what a front handspring onto a stack of mats would look like?? I keep imagining the silver vault lol, but surely they are supposed to land in standing position?

We have girls that do FHS up to the stacked mats for fun. They do land standing (and then do a standing front tuck)... Prep for a Front-Front vault??? That is how we justify it.

 

[sce]

That is what boys did for level 5 for the previous 4 years, now they do a front tuck off of a spring board (which they did the quad before the previous one).

Actually, boys did a FHS onto a mat stack not over. What is proposed for level 3 is more progressive to doing a FHS over the table. It is one of the steps my dd's coach dies as she teaches FHS to level 4s.

I see no real difference in the bar routines.

My Dd would love the aerial option for level 5.

 

[2G1B]

Actually, boys did a FHS onto a mat stack not over. What is proposed for level 3 is more progressive to doing a FHS over the table. It is one of the steps my dd's coach dies as she teaches FHS to level 4s.

I see no real difference in the bar routines.

My Dd would love the aerial option for level 5.

My DS did it over stacked mats that were higher than the stack of mats that he ultimately landed on. So, where they landed was a few mats high; but then at the front there was a higher stack of mats that was used basically as a vault table.

 

[sce]

My DS did it over stacked mats that were higher than the stack of mats that he ultimately landed on. So, where they landed was a few mats high; but then at the front there was a higher stack of mats that was used basically as a vault table.

What they are proposing for the girls though is over a sideways mat stack, landing on the other side of it, not up onto the mats.

 

[raenndrops]

What they are proposing for the girls though is over a sideways mat stack, landing on the other side of it, not up onto the mats.

There will be some sort of a landing mat on the other side.

 

[sce]

There will be some sort of a landing mat on the other side.

Yes, but the boys landed on the mat stack, their hands went onto a set of panel mats on tops of that. Approach and body position wise, it is very different than what they are proposing for level 3 girls.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Handspring over the mat stack sideways, does not seem more progressive to me that the handspring to flat back. Learning to keep the body tight and straight in the flat back position will help the power of the vault develop in the long run, inwould say going sideways over the vault is going to end up with a lot of kids just arching over.

Here we have the girls do a handspring to flat back over the actual vault table, with mats stacked to the same height as the table.

Very interesting that they are going from a handspring vault for 4 levels (4, 5, 6 and 7) to going to timers after just one level on this vault. My guess is the new move up score of 34 in level 4 is related to this. Since they are not going to have kids spend so many years on this vault they want to make sure all gymnast master this foundation properly before moving on.

I am not a fan of replacing the handsprings tomtwo feet with handspring step outs. It does not seem as impressive and it is safer to teach skills with a two foot landing first before teaching step out skills. Two feet absorbing a landing builds in more margin for error when developing landings. A lot of super Flexi kids will just be doing fast walkovers rather than real handsprings.

Not a fan of the aerial being able to replace the front tuck in level 5, the front tuck is a staple in developing tumbling, especially in this day and age where there is so much front tumbling.

 

[MrsAnderson]

My DS did it over stacked mats that were higher than the stack of mats that he ultimately landed on. So, where they landed was a few mats high; but then at the front there was a higher stack of mats that was used basically as a vault table.

Mine too

 

[IreneKa]

Handspring over the mat stack sideways, does not seem more progressive to me that the handspring to flat back. Learning to keep the body tight and straight in the flat back position will help the power of the vault develop in the long run, inwould say going sideways over the vault is going to end up with a lot of kids just arching over.

Exactly what I was thinking, even though I'm not a coach or a gymnast.
I've always felt that HS to flat back teaches them a good straight body position on the landing. I remember even at level 4 the coach would sometimes take them back to HS to flat back on the high stack of mats to work on keeping their bodies straight.
And since many gyms don't compete before level 3, there will be no need to learn that vault, so I can imaging a lot of archy landings.

 

[Committed]

I'm surprised they're replacing the FT. My DD is a weak front tumbler and it took awhile to get her to figure out how to front tuck nicely.

Perhaps they're trying to make more of a difference between L5 & L6?