Women USAG Level to Level Gateway Skills

[cbifoja]

I thought it would be interesting/educational, given that seasons are winding down/done and we are all looking at possible new levels/skills in the upcoming months, to get a feel for what those big gateway skills are for each level. People always talk about the kip on bars to go to L4, the giant for L7, flipping vaults for L8, etc.

So what, in your opinion, are the big ones? I'm going to use my DD's level as an example and I hope that others will join in as I'd like to learn what might be eventually coming down the pipes.

So from L5 to L7 it seems to me to be:

Vault: nothing really
Bars: giants
Beam: flight and/or acro series
Floor: layouts

 

[LizzieLac]

I would agree with your list.

Floor: Layout and/or FHS-FT/pike
Beam: BWO-BHS
Bars: Giants (including cast to handstand)
Vault: Nothing

I am not at level 8, but would be intersted to know other opinions for tough skills at that level.

 

[profmom]

Some girls also have trouble with kip cast handstands, and that presents a barrier in getting to L7. On L7 beam, I agree that acro can cause trouble, but a lot of girls compete a BWO-BWO. The BWO-BHS isn't necessary until L8. At least at DD's gym, getting there on floor has not been much of an issue. The stress has mostly been around bars and to a much lesser extent, beam.

L8 gateway/tough skills -- I break it down, but at DD's gym, it's mostly about vault and beam to get to L8.

Vault: getting a flipping vault. At DD's gym, that means Yurchenko or die (hopefully not "and"!) for almost all of them. This is currently a source of stress for DD.

Beam: acro, acro, acro!! Several girls at DD's gym, including DD, have had fits getting to the BWO-BHS and then to the BHS-BHS. And a few L8s have had blocks crop up midyear after having these skills.

Bars: from what I've seen, pirouettes can cause some stress, but they come. I don't think bars has kept anyone from moving up.

Floor: twisting (a lot of gyms require a full to move up). A double salto is also required, but at least at DD's gym, this doesn't seem to be something that gives them fits.

For L9, from what I've seen/heard, it's all about beam and bars; the floor stuff and vault upgrades seem to get there without causing a lot of drama and trauma.