The balance beam dismount is the final element of a gymnast’s routine on the beam. It is typically a jump or a flip performed off the beam to conclude the performance. A clean and powerful dismount can significantly enhance a gymnast’s final score, while a sloppy or poorly executed dismount can result in deductions.
To perform a successful balance beam dismount, a gymnast needs to focus on a few key skills:
- Strong Push-Off: The gymnast must push off the beam with enough force to generate height, using their legs and arms.
- Controlled Rotation: Depending on the dismount, the gymnast may need to perform flips or twists. This requires good body control to rotate smoothly in the air.
- Air Awareness: The gymnast needs to know where their body is in the air to land correctly. This involves staying tight during flips or twists and being aware of when to prepare for landing.
- Proper Landing: The gymnast must land with both feet firmly on the ground, keeping the body aligned and balanced. The goal is to stick the landing without wobbling or stepping.
Overall, it’s about combining strength, timing, and control to execute the dismount cleanly and confidently.
In gymnastics, balance beam dismounts vary in difficulty depending on the level of the gymnast. Here’s a breakdown of common balance beam dismounts, sorted by gymnastics levels:
Contents
Level 1-3 Dismounts (Beginner to Early Intermediate)
At these levels, the dismounts tend to be simpler and focus on building the basic skills needed for more complex moves later on.
1. Straight Jump or Basic Dismount
- Difficulty: Low
- Skill Level: Level 1-2
In the straight jump dismount, the gymnast jumps off the beam with arms extended overhead and legs straight.
The goal is to maintain a neutral body position while keeping the body aligned, ensuring the gymnast jumps cleanly off the beam and lands on both feet without losing balance. This dismount introduces the gymnast to the basic mechanics of jumping off the beam, emphasizing proper alignment and controlled landing.
2. Tuck Jump Dismount
- Difficulty: Low to Intermediate
- Skill Level: Level 2-3
The tuck jump dismount involves a jump off the beam, with the gymnast pulling their knees toward their chest into a tucked position mid-air. After completing the tuck, they extend their body to prepare for landing.
This move teaches gymnasts to control their bodies in the air and reinforces the core strength required for more complex flips. It also encourages the gymnasts to maintain timing and alignment as they prepare for the landing.
3. Side Dismount
- Difficulty: Low
- Skill Level: Level 3
The side dismount requires the gymnast to rotate their body sideways while jumping off the beam. After turning to the side, the gymnast performs a small hop or jump, landing on both feet.
This dismount helps gymnasts develop spatial awareness and confidence in jumping off the beam in various directions. It also reinforces proper body positioning, balance, and control when transitioning from one movement to another.
Level 4-5 Dismounts (Intermediate to Advanced)
Gymnasts at these levels have mastered the basics and can start incorporating more complex moves, including flips and rotation.
1. Back Handspring Dismount
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Skill Level: Level 4-5
The back handspring dismount starts with the gymnast performing a back handspring off the beam. The gymnast pushes off with their hands, flips backward, and lands on their feet.
This move challenges the gymnast to master backward rotation and body control in the air. It requires significant strength in the arms, shoulders, and core, as well as the ability to generate enough speed to rotate and land cleanly. The back handspring is an essential acrobatic skill that demonstrates both power and technique.
2. Back Tuck Dismount (Backflip)
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Skill Level: Level 4-5
The back tuck dismount involves performing a backflip off the beam. After jumping, the gymnast pulls their knees to their chest to rotate quickly, completing the flip before landing.
This dismount adds a full backflip to the gymnast’s repertoire, requiring precise control over the rotation and body position.
The gymnast needs to generate enough height to complete the flip and land on both feet with balance and stability. The back tuck is visually impressive and helps develop the strength and coordination required for more advanced acrobatic moves.
3. Back Handspring to Back Tuck Dismount
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Skill Level: Level 5
This dismount combines two acrobatic skills: a back handspring followed by a back tuck. The gymnast performs a back handspring to generate momentum, then transitions into a back tuck (backflip).
This combination of skills requires excellent timing and body control to execute smoothly. The gymnast must transition quickly between the back handspring and the back tuck, maintaining body alignment and rotation throughout the move. It demonstrates advanced acrobatic ability, strength, and timing.
Level 6-8 Dismounts (Advanced)
At this level, gymnasts are expected to execute more difficult and acrobatic dismounts, including multiple flips or twists.
1. Layout Dismount
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Skill Level: Level 6-8
The layout dismount is a backflip where the gymnast maintains a straight body position throughout the rotation, with arms and legs fully extended.
Unlike the back tuck, the gymnast does not pull their knees into their chest but instead keeps their body extended, requiring more strength and control to maintain the extended position.
This dismount demands greater body control and stability in the air, as the gymnast must rotate smoothly without tucking. A clean layout flip showcases precision, strength, and the gymnast’s ability to control their body in the air.
2. Twist Dismounts (Full Twist or Double Twist)
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Skill Level: Level 7-8
In a twist dismount, the gymnast adds a horizontal twist to the backflip. The full twist involves one complete rotation (360°) while the double twist requires two full rotations (720°). As the gymnast performs the backflip, they initiate the twist using their body’s momentum.
The challenge here is maintaining control over both the vertical flip and horizontal twist, which requires exceptional coordination and air awareness.
The gymnast must time the twist perfectly to complete the rotation and land on both feet. Twist dismounts are visually striking and demonstrate advanced acrobatic ability.
Simone Biles’ Beam Dismount
While Biles has performed a variety of dismounts, one of the most iconic and complex is the double-twisting double backflip dismount, or “double-double” as it is often called. This is one of the most difficult dismounts in gymnastics, requiring not only immense strength and control but also perfect timing and air awareness.
A double-twisting double backflip involves two backflips (somersaults) and two full twists (720°) in the air.
- Two backflips (somersaults): After pushing off the beam, Biles executes two complete backflips in mid-air, a complex maneuver requiring immense strength and control.
- Two full twists (720°): As Biles completes the backflips, she also performs two full twists around her vertical axis, rotating her body a full 720° before landing.
Simone Biles first performed double-double at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, during the women’s balance beam final on August 3, 2021.
Details of the Performance:
- Event: 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Women’s Balance Beam Final
- Date: August 3, 2021
- Difficulty: The double-twisting double backflip dismount is considered a difficulty level of 6.6 in the gymnastics code of points, which is extremely high, especially for the balance beam. This is one of the highest difficulty values assigned to any beam dismount in gymnastics.
While Biles had previously executed this move in training, she had not done so in a major competition until the Tokyo Olympics. Despite the complexity, Biles made it look effortless, with her flawless technique allowing her to receive one of the highest execution scores as well.
Suni Lee’s Balance Beam Dismount
While Suni Lee has performed a variety of dismounts, one of her most iconic and impressive is the Back Layout Dismount. This dismount is known for its precision and elegance, combining strength, control, and perfect execution.
A back layout dismount involves a back handspring followed by a back layout flip.
- Back handspring: The gymnast pushes off the beam and performs a back handspring, a quick and powerful flip backward from a standing position. This move generates the necessary height and momentum for the following back layout.
- Back layout flip: Immediately after the back handspring, Lee continues into a back layout flip, keeping her body fully extended (no tuck) as she flips backward in the air. The goal is to maintain a straight body throughout the flip, ensuring a clean, controlled rotation.
Suni Lee first performed this back layout dismount in major international competition during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she earned gold in the women’s balance beam final.
Details of the Performance:
- Event: 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Women’s Balance Beam Final
- Date: August 3, 2021
- Difficulty: The back layout dismount is considered to have a high level of difficulty, with a difficulty value of 5.2 in the gymnastics code of points. While not as difficult as some of the more complex dismounts like the double-twisting double backflip, it still requires immense strength, precision, and perfect execution.
While Lee had used the back layout dismount in previous competitions, her flawless execution during the Tokyo Olympics stood out. Despite the complexity of the move, Lee made it appear effortless, landing with perfect form and earning one of the highest execution scores in the competition.
How to Stick Your Landing
Sticking your landing in gymnastics, especially on the balance beam, requires a combination of technique, strength, and mental focus. Here are the key steps to help you stick your landing:
1. Control Your Speed and Momentum
- Before the dismount or final move, make sure you are not rushing or too fast. Focus on controlling your speed so that you can land in a stable and balanced position. If you’ve performed a flip or twist, slow down the rotation as you approach the landing.
2. Spot the Landing Early
- As you rotate or flip, keep your eyes open and look ahead. Spotting the ground early helps you orient yourself and adjust if needed. This is especially important after flips or twists, so you know when and where to land.
3. Body Alignment
- Keep your body aligned—arms extended and legs straight during flips or jumps. This makes it easier to control the landing and avoid unbalanced positions that can lead to stepping or stumbling.
4. Absorb the Landing
- As you land, slightly bend your knees to absorb the shock. This helps reduce the impact on your joints and allows for better control. The key is to keep your legs slightly bent without losing your balance or stability.
5. Keep Your Center of Gravity Over Your Feet
- It’s important to land with your body weight centered over your feet. If you land too far forward or backward, you’ll likely step to regain balance. Engage your core and focus on maintaining a straight line from your head to your feet.
6. Quick and Precise Foot Placement
- Your feet should land firmly and flat on the ground. They should not be too wide apart or too close together. Avoid the tendency to “pigeon-toe” or point your feet too much; they should be positioned in a natural, straight alignment to keep your balance intact.
6. Use Your Arms for Balance
- Your arms should be held out in front of you or slightly to the sides, depending on the move. They can help you stabilize and adjust your position when you land. Keep your arms active, but avoid swinging them wildly as this can throw you off balance.
7. Absence of a Step or Wobble
- Once your feet are on the ground, try to freeze in that position for a moment. The goal is to land without any movement. Don’t take a step or shift your weight, as even a small movement can affect your score. The cleaner the landing, the better.
After sticking the landing, make sure you complete your routine with confidence. Straighten your body, look ahead, and show control. A clean and solid finish, whether it’s with a salute or another movement, leaves a good impression and shows your mastery of the dismount.
