Balance Beam Skill Requirements (USAG Women’s DP Levels 6–10)

From Level 6 through Level 10, balance beam shifts from “meeting requirements” to building routines that actually look appropriate for the level. Gymnasts aren’t just judged on what they do, but how the routine is constructed, especially from Level 8 onward.

The USA Gymnastics optional rules for this cycle run August 1, 2022 – July 31, 2026, with official replacement pages and appendices issued throughout the quad by USA Gymnastics.

Quick overview: how Level 6–10 beam is scored

Start Value (SV) by level

• Levels 6, 7, and 8 routines start from a 10.0 SV, with Start Value deductions taken if Special Requirements are missing.
• Level 9 routines start from a 9.70 SV.
• Level 10 routines start from a 9.50 SV.

What judges evaluate on beam (Levels 6–10)

Beam routines are evaluated using four core components:

• Value Parts (VP)
  The difficulty of individual skills (A, B, C, etc.).
• Special Requirements (SR)
  Required elements such as acro series, leaps, turns, and dismounts.
  Each missing SR on beam costs 0.50.
• Execution & artistry
  Deductions for form, balance checks, rhythm breaks, pauses, posture, confidence, and overall presentation.
• Composition evaluation (Levels 8–10 only)
  Judges assess whether the routine is appropriate for the level.
  Routines built too conservatively may lose:
  • Up to 0.20 for acro composition
  • Up to 0.20 for dance composition
  • Up to 0.10 if the dismount is not considered “up to level”

Key idea:
From Level 8 onward, meeting requirements is not enough. The routine must also show progression and level-appropriate difficulty.

Before we go level-by-level: the rule that surprises parents most

Restricted elements can wreck your Start Value

In the optional Development Program, certain skills are restricted by level, meaning they are considered too advanced to be used safely or appropriately at that level.

Here’s the rule that matters most:

• Only the first restricted element in a routine may be evaluated (depending on level and classification).
• Additional restricted elements can trigger a 0.50 Start Value deduction, with no Value Part credit and no Special Requirement credit for that element.

For Levels 6–7 specifically:

• If a restricted element is attempted incomplete and receives no VP credit, it may not be repeated later in the routine.

Bottom line:
Beam is not the place to “try out” big skills at meets. If a skill isn’t clearly legal and consistently creditable, it can cost far more than it gains.

Level 6 Beam Requirements

Level 6 is the first optional level where routines still begin from a 10.0, but judges expect to see intentional routine structure, not just isolated skills.

The goal: show a clear acro idea, a real leap, a controlled turn, and a confident dismount.

Level 6 Special Requirements (Beam)

A Level 6 routine must include all four:

1. Non-flight acro series OR one acro flight element (isolated or connected), mount/dismount do not count for this SR.
2. One leap/jump showing 180° split (cross or side split), isolated or in a series.
3. One 360° turn on one foot (Group 3), isolated or in a series.
4. Aerial or salto dismount (minimum A).

What Level 6 routines usually look like (practical build)

A “safe” Level 6 routine is typically built like this:

• Mount (simple, consistent)
• Non-flight series (example style: walkover/cartwheel-type connections)
• 180° leap/jump placed where the gymnast can hit split position confidently
• 360° turn placed earlier (before legs get shaky)
• Dismount with a clear salto/aerial action, landed under control

Level 7 Beam Requirements

Level 7 is where beam starts to feel like true optional beam. You now need both an acro series and a separate flight element.

Level 7 Special Requirements (Beam)

1a) Acro series (with or without flight) — excludes mount/dismount
AND
1b) One acro flight element (isolated or connected) — excludes mount/dismount

2. One leap or jump with a 180° split
3. One 360° turn on one foot
4. Aerial or salto dismount (minimum A)

What judges are quietly rewarding at Level 7

Level 7 scoring swings hard on:

• whether the acro series is continuous (no hesitation),
• whether the flight element looks like a real flight (not a survival skill),
• and whether the gymnast can keep rhythm after balance checks.

Level 8 Beam Requirements

Level 8 is a major turning point.

• Routines still start from 10.0
• Composition is now evaluated

This is where routines must begin to look like Level 8, not upgraded Level 7.

Level 8 Special Requirements (Beam)

USAG groups Levels 8–10 together for beam SRs, but the series and dismount minimums differ.

Level 8 requires:

1. Acro series (excluding mount/dismount)
   • Level 8: minimum two elements, one with flight
2. One leap or jump requiring 180° cross or side split
3. Minimum 360° turn on one foot (Group 3)
4. Aerial/salto dismount (Level-specific minimum)

Allowable difficulty starts to matter

At Level 8, USAG defines:

• Which difficulty values are allowed
• How higher-value skills may be credited down
• Which skills become restricted

Practical meaning:
Level 8 routines should show multiple meaningful elements, not just one “big” skill added to a Level 7 routine. This is exactly what composition deductions are designed to enforce.

Level 9 Beam Requirements

Level 9 routines start from a 9.70 SV and push further into flight, connection strategy, and routine flow.

Level 9 Special Requirements (Beam)

1. Acro series (excluding mount/dismount)
   – Minimum two directly connected flight elements
2. One leap or jump with a 180° split
3. One 360° turn on one foot
4. Aerial or salto dismount (Level 9 minimum)

Connection value at Level 9

Connection Value (CV) becomes a strategic tool, not a requirement. Well-built routines earn CV cleanly without sacrificing rhythm or balance.

Strong Level 9 routines:

• Hit SRs cleanly
• Avoid pauses in acro series
• Earn CV intentionally, not desperately

Level 10 Beam Requirements

Level 10 starts from a 9.50 SV, but offers the most freedom in skill choice, and the highest expectations.

Level 10 Special Requirements (Beam)

1. Acro series (excluding mount/dismount)
   • Level 10: minimum two directly connected flight elements, plus a minimum “C” flight element (with or without hands) OR a specific alternative pathway described in the Code.
2. 180° leap/jump
3. 360° turn on one foot
4. Aerial/salto dismount (level-specific minimum)

Level 10 connection value guidance

USAG’s Level 9–10 appendix includes Level 10 connection value notes (including when turn/flight requirements apply within certain connection categories).

Composition expectations (Levels 8–10): why “up to the competitive level” matters

From Level 8 onward, judges evaluate how a routine is built, not just whether it checks boxes.

Routines considered too easy for the level may lose:

• Up to 0.20 for dance composition (leaps, jumps, turns)
• Up to 0.20 for acro composition (series, flight elements, overall acro choice)
• Up to 0.10 if the dismount is not considered appropriate for the level

These are composition deductions, not execution deductions, and they apply even if all Special Requirements are technically met.

What “not up to level” looks like in real routines

• Too many low-value dance elements
• Overuse of safe, basic acro choices
• A weak or isolated dismount that lacks amplitude or connection

Parent-friendly takeaway:
A gymnast can hit all four Special Requirements and still lose tenths if the routine is built too conservatively. From Level 8 on, USAG gives judges a clear framework to reward routines that show progression, and deduct those that don’t.

Sources & reference URLs

• USA Gymnastics – 2022–26 Optional Code of Points hub (appendices, replacement pages, updates)
• USA Gymnastics (PDF) – Replacement pages (DP Optional COP), includes beam SR + allowable difficulty summaries
• USA Gymnastics (PDF) – Appendix 7 (Level 6–8 cheat sheet; includes Level 6–8 beam SR summaries)
• USA Gymnastics (PDF) – Appendix 8 (Level 9–10 cheat sheet; connection value guidance)
• USA Gymnastics (PDF) – Appendix 15 (Levels 8–10 compositional deduction guidelines, including beam)
• USA Gymnastics – Women’s Development overview (notes composition evaluated at Levels 8–10)