The USAG Level 2 beam routine combines a mount, a single-leg kick-up, balances, a straight jump, leg swings and a side-handstand dismount. Two details distinguish it from Level 1: the arabesque has a one-second hold, and the dismount reaches a full vertical handstand.
The routine follows prescribed skills and choreography within the women’s 2021–2029 compulsory cycle. This guide explains the main sequence, important positions and selected deductions. USA Gymnastics provides the complete text and demonstrations through its compulsory materials.
Level 2 Beam Skills in Order
The following table groups the major movements into eight sections. Seated positions, steps, knee bends and arm movements connect them into the complete routine.
| Order | Major element or section |
|---|---|
| 1 | Jump to front-support mount |
| 2 | Single-leg kick-up to stand |
| 3 | Forward passé balance |
| 4 | Stretch jump |
| 5 | Arabesque |
| 6 | Forward leg swing and backward leg swing |
| 7 | Half pivot turn |
| 8 | Cartwheel to side-handstand dismount |
For a parent following the routine, these names provide useful landmarks. The movements between them still belong to the exercise; the table is not a substitute for the choreography.
The Level 2 Beam Routine Explained
1. Jump to Front-Support Mount
A mount gets the gymnast onto the beam. Level 2 begins with a jump to front support, showing straight arms and an extended body. The gymnast then turns a quarter turn into a straddle sit facing along the beam.
A mounting board or suitable raised surface may be used, but it must be removed promptly afterward.
The seated sequence continues through a tucked position and a brief single-leg V shape before the gymnast moves toward standing. These transitions lead into the kick-up rather than serving as separate, freely chosen poses.
2. Single-Leg Kick-Up to Stand
With her hands supporting her on the beam, the gymnast kicks one leg backward and upward, then pushes off with the supporting foot before stepping down.
There is no specified height requirement for either leg in this kick-up. It does not need to become a full handstand.
The absence of a height target does not remove the push-off action. Simply lifting one leg while keeping the other foot planted is not a complete description of the prescribed movement. The exercise finishes this element in an allowed closed-foot position or lunge.
This is different from the vertical handstand required in the dismount later in the routine.
3. Forward Passé Balance
In forward passé, the gymnast stands on one leg while bending the other knee in front, bringing the pointed free foot to the supporting knee.
The position is first shown with the supporting heel down. The gymnast then briefly rises onto the ball of that foot—called relevé—before lowering the heel again.
The instruction is to show a recognizable position, not to copy the two-second lock balance from Level 1. A familiar movement can appear at different levels without carrying the same hold requirement.
4. Stretch Jump
The stretch jump, also called a straight jump, takes off from two feet with the legs together and body extended. Both feet should land simultaneously.
Prescribed knee bends and rises come before the jump. A shallow knee bend is called a demi-plié; relevé raises the heels.
Those preparatory movements are part of the routine’s rhythm. The gymnast does not simply jump whenever she reaches this section.
The required airborne shape is straight, not tucked or split. The routine then continues through its specified landing and rise rather than ending the movement as soon as the feet touch the beam.
5. Arabesque
An arabesque is a one-leg balance with the straight free leg lifted behind the body. Level 2 requires the specified 30-degree minimum leg lift and a one-second hold.
Height and duration are separate requirements. For example, a gymnast might lift the leg sufficiently but lower it immediately. Another might hold steadily while keeping the leg too low. Those performances have different shortcomings.
For a viewer, the useful question is whether the position becomes clearly established before the routine continues.
6. Forward and Backward Leg Swings
This section includes movement in both directions: a forward swing and a backward swing. The backward swing has a 45-degree minimum leg-lift requirement.
Unlike the arabesque, the backward swing is a moving action rather than another one-second balance. The change of direction and continuity belong to the sequence.
A useful way to follow this section is to separate “hold” from “swing.” The arabesque establishes a position; the leg swings carry the routine onward.
7. Half Pivot Turn
The half pivot turn changes the gymnast’s direction by 180 degrees from the prescribed two-foot position. It is not a half turn performed while balancing on one foot in passé.
That distinction is easy to miss when a routine description says only “half turn.” Watch the supporting feet: they help identify whether the gymnast is performing a two-foot pivot or a one-foot turning balance.
8. Cartwheel to Side-Handstand Dismount
A dismount takes the gymnast from the beam to the landing mat. In Level 2, the cartwheel-style entry leads into a full side handstand, reaching vertical.
The hands contact the beam one after the other. Hand contact must also be maintained when the gymnast lands on the mat. This is a specific handstand-based exit, not a cartwheel that finishes back on the beam.
Level 2 does not add the quarter turn found in the Level 3 dismount. It also should not be assigned a one-second handstand hold simply because a later level requires one.
The distinction from the earlier kick-up is important: the kick-up has no set height target, while the dismount must reach vertical.
How Long Is the Level 2 Beam Routine?
The Level 2 beam routine has a 40-second maximum, with a warning at 30 seconds. The warning leaves ten seconds before the limit; it is not itself a penalty.
Timing begins when the gymnast’s feet leave the mounting surface and ends when she lands the dismount. Overtime carries a 0.10 deduction, subject to the official fraction-of-a-second allowance. Judges continue evaluating the whole exercise even when it exceeds the time limit.
Finishing quickly is not the same as completing the routine accurately. The one-second arabesque still needs its place in the exercise.
How Level 2 Beam Is Scored
The prescribed Level 2 beam routine has a 10.0 start value. Judges subtract applicable deductions rather than award extra difficulty points for performing harder, unlisted skills. (USA Gymnastics)
Staying on the beam does not guarantee a high score. A gymnast may avoid a fall while shortening a hold, missing a required position or losing control during a transition.
Selected Level 2 Deductions
These examples come from the Level 2 beam penalty table. They are not a complete judging sheet.
| Error | Deduction |
|---|---|
| Neither foot leaves the beam during the kick-up | 0.20 |
| Free leg is incorrectly positioned in passé | 0.10 |
| Stretch jump lands one foot before the other | 0.10 |
| Arabesque does not reach its minimum leg height | Up to 0.20 |
| Arabesque’s one-second hold is incomplete | Up to 0.10 |
| Backward swing does not reach its minimum height | Up to 0.10 |
| Side-handstand dismount does not reach vertical | Up to 0.30 |
| Hand contact is not maintained upon the dismount landing | 0.10 |
“Up to” identifies a maximum for that particular fault, not an automatic deduction of the full amount. Other applicable form, balance or landing errors can occur during the same element.
The kick-up row also needs to be read alongside the movement description. Its brief penalty wording does not replace the prescribed kick, supporting-foot push and step-down.
A Simple Scoring Example
Suppose a judge records 0.90 in total deductions for a complete routine evaluated from 10.00:
10.00 − 0.90 = 9.10
This is a hypothetical calculation, not an estimate of what a particular performance should receive. Identifying the faults and deciding their values is the judging task; the subtraction comes afterward.
What Happens After a Fall?
An ordinary fall carries a 0.50 deduction. When the gymnast falls off the beam, the routine clock stops. A separate 45-second remount period starts once she is standing or a necessary medical assessment is complete. The routine clock resumes with her first movement to continue after remounting.
A fall may also interrupt a required element, so counting falls alone is not enough to explain the final score.
Choreography and Official Demonstrations
USA Gymnastics’ W316 Compulsory Materials include the complete compulsory book and official videos for every event at each level. Registered users access the demonstrations through their USA Gymnastics profiles.
The written routine matters alongside the demonstration. It identifies the permitted choices, including details that a single example may not show. USAG expressly instructs readers to follow the written text when an illustration leaves uncertainty.
For families reviewing progress, three questions are useful: Was the next movement remembered? Was its shape recognizable? Could the gymnast finish it and continue with control? These are observation prompts, not an alternative judging system.
The kick-up and dismount should be learned with qualified coaching and suitable equipment. This article is intended to explain the routine, not teach inverted skills independently.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Old Must a Gymnast Be to Compete Level 2?
A gymnast must have reached her fifth birthday before entering Level 2 at a USA Gymnastics-sanctioned competition. The age requirement establishes eligibility, not readiness to perform the routine.
Does Every Gymnast Have to Compete Level 2?
No. USAG permits Levels 1–3 to be used for noncompetitive development, achievement testing or introductory competition. A sanctioned competitive season at every introductory level is not a national requirement.
Does Level 2 Beam Require a Split Leap?
No split leap appears in the prescribed major-element sequence. Level 2 uses a stretch jump and leg swings; those should not be replaced with a leap simply because the gymnast can perform one.
Can a Left-Dominant Gymnast Reverse the Routine?
Yes. The complete routine may be reversed. Individual elements may be reversed only where the official text specifically permits it; gymnasts cannot freely switch the side of every movement.