The USAG Level 4 beam routine combines a cartwheel, a half turn, connected jumps, a held handstand, a scale and a split leap. It finishes with a side-handstand dismount that includes a one-second hold and a quarter turn. These requirements distinguish it from both the Level 3 and Level 5 exercises.
Level 4 uses a prescribed routine within the women’s 2021–2029 compulsory cycle. The gymnast follows the established skills and choreography rather than arranging her own exercise. USA Gymnastics continues to identify Levels 1–5 with this compulsory cycle, separately from the optional program.
This guide explains the major skills, their order and key requirements. The official USAG materials provide the complete choreography and permitted variations.
Level 4 Beam Skills in Order
The following table groups the routine into eight main sections. The stretch jump and split jump are separate skills performed as a connected pair. Steps, poses and arm movements connect the remaining sections.
| Order | Major element or section | Key requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Front-support fish-pose mount | Prescribed supported shape and transition toward standing |
| 2 | Cartwheel | Pass through vertical and return to the beam |
| 3 | Half turn in forward passé | Complete 180° without heel-snap technique |
| 4 | Stretch jump connected to split jump | Show a straight jump followed by a minimum 120° split jump |
| 5 | Cross handstand | Reach vertical with legs together and hold one second |
| 6 | Scale | Lift the free leg to at least horizontal and hold one second |
| 7 | Straight-leg leap | Show at least 120° of leg separation |
| 8 | Cartwheel to side-handstand dismount | Reach vertical, hold one second and complete the quarter turn |
A skill list makes the routine easier to recognize, but it does not show every movement needed to perform the complete exercise.
The Level 4 Beam Routine Explained
1. Front-Support Fish-Pose Mount
A mount gets the gymnast onto the beam. Level 4 begins in front support with straight arms and an extended body. One knee bends backward while the knees remain together, creating the fish pose.
The gymnast then moves through seated and kneeling positions toward standing. The supported fish shape belongs to the mount; it is not a kneeling balance performed afterward.
The official starting position is approximately at the beam’s center, with spacing arranged for the later choreography. A general instruction to begin at either end would not accurately describe this exercise.
2. Cartwheel
The cartwheel travels sideways through an inverted position, with one hand contacting the beam before the other. The feet return to the beam in sequence.
This is a complete on-beam element. It is separate from both the cross handstand later in the routine and the cartwheel-style entry used for the dismount.
The distinction is easiest to follow by watching the finish. The opening cartwheel returns the gymnast to standing on the beam; the dismount eventually takes her to the mat.
3. Half Turn in Forward Passé
In forward passé, the gymnast balances on one leg while bending the other knee in front, bringing the pointed free foot toward the supporting knee. The Level 4 turn rotates 180 degrees, or half a revolution.
Although Level 3 also has a half passé turn, the technique changes. Level 4 does not use heel-snap technique; its penalty table identifies that technique as a fault.
The rotation and the method of turning are separate requirements. Completing half a revolution does not make every turning technique acceptable, and adding another half revolution would change the prescribed skill.
4. Stretch Jump Connected to Split Jump
The first jump is a stretch jump, with the body extended and legs together. It connects to a split jump, which opens the legs forward and backward to at least 120 degrees.
Both jumps use two-foot takeoffs and landings. The change of shape—from straight to split—is what distinguishes this pair from Level 3’s two stretch jumps.
The 120-degree requirement measures the separation between the legs in flight. It is not a requirement for each leg to rise 120 degrees above the beam.
Performing both jumps somewhere in the routine is not enough: they must form the prescribed connection.
5. Cross Handstand
The cross handstand requires a vertical position with the legs joined and a one-second hold. “Cross” describes the skill’s orientation on the apparatus, not crossed arms or legs.
The prescribed hand placement is side by side rather than staggered. This differs from the successive hand contacts used during the cartwheel.
Reaching vertical and holding it are separate tasks. A gymnast might show a good vertical line but come down immediately. Another might balance for a second without reaching the intended position. Those attempts have different shortcomings.
6. Scale
A scale is a one-leg balance in which the free leg extends behind the body while the torso inclines forward.
At Level 4, the raised leg must reach at least horizontal, and the position must be held for one second. Here, horizontal describes the leg’s position relative to the floor and beam—not a split angle between the legs.
The shape and duration both matter. Holding a low leg position for longer does not compensate for missing the required height.
7. Straight-Leg Leap
The straight-leg leap takes off from one foot and lands on the other, showing at least 120 degrees of leg separation in the air.
The lead leg remains straight during the prescribed takeoff. After landing, the gymnast briefly shows a low arabesque position, with the free leg extended behind, before continuing.
The leap and split jump share a minimum split angle, but they have different takeoffs and landings. The leap starts from one foot; the jump starts from two.
The landing pause also differs from the earlier scale’s one-second hold. These are separate instructions within separate movements.
8. Cartwheel to Side Handstand With Quarter-Turn Dismount
The dismount contains three important parts: a cartwheel-style entry into a vertical side handstand, a one-second hold, and a quarter turn of 90 degrees during the prescribed exit to the mat.
The gymnast must maintain hand contact until her body passes the beam’s horizontal plane during the descent. Reaching the handstand does not, by itself, complete the dismount.
A description such as “handstand and land” leaves out both the hold and the turn. The on-beam cross handstand and the dismount handstand each have their own one-second requirement.
This dismount should be learned with qualified coaching and suitable landing protection. A written guide helps readers recognize its phases; it does not replace supervised instruction.
How Long Is the Level 4 Beam Routine?
The Level 4 beam routine has a 1 minute 5 second maximum, with a warning at 55 seconds. The warning leaves ten seconds before the limit and is not itself a penalty.
Timing starts when the gymnast’s feet leave the mounting board or mat 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 exercise after the maximum time.
Finishing quickly is not the same as completing the routine accurately. The required handstand and scale holds still need their place in the exercise.
How Level 4 Beam Is Scored
The prescribed Level 4 beam routine has a 10.0 start value. Judges subtract applicable deductions for errors rather than award extra difficulty points for adding harder movements.
Staying on the beam is only one part of the performance. A short hold, incomplete position or broken connection can affect the score without a fall.
Selected Level 4 Deductions
The following examples come from the Level 4 beam penalty tables. They are not a complete judging sheet.
| Error | Deduction |
|---|---|
| Cartwheel does not pass through vertical | Up to 0.30 |
| Heel-snap technique is used in the passé turn | 0.30 |
| Stretch-jump–split-jump connection is broken | 0.05 |
| Cross handstand’s one-second hold is incomplete | Up to 0.10 |
| Scale leg does not reach horizontal | Up to 0.20 |
| Scale’s one-second hold is incomplete | Up to 0.10 |
| Dismount handstand’s one-second hold is incomplete | Up to 0.10 |
| Dismount quarter turn is omitted | 0.20 |
“Up to” identifies a maximum for the named fault, not an automatic deduction of the full amount. Other applicable execution errors may occur during the same element.
A Broken Connection Is Different From a Slight Hesitation
The compulsory rules distinguish insufficient continuity from a broken dance connection. Insufficient continuity alone has no deduction, while a broken connection carries 0.05.
Examples of a break include stopping, losing balance or adding a step between the jumps. The rules also address fully straightening the legs after the first landing and bending them again to initiate the next jump. A slight change in tempo should not automatically be treated as a broken connection.
Required Holds Are Different From Concentration Pauses
A prescribed balance hold belongs in the routine. An unplanned pause before attempting a skill is different.
The general beam rules list 0.10 for a two-second concentration pause and 0.20 for a pause longer than two seconds. These penalties should not be confused with the one-second positions the exercise requires.
A Simple Scoring Example
Suppose a judge records 0.95 in total deductions for a complete routine evaluated from 10.00:
10.00 − 0.95 = 9.05
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.
What Happens After a Fall?
An ordinary fall carries a 0.50 deduction. Incomplete skills may have additional consequences, so counting falls alone does not explain the final score.
After a fall off the beam, the routine clock stops. A separate 45-second fall period begins once the gymnast is standing or a necessary medical assessment is complete. Routine timing resumes with her first movement to continue after remounting.
Choreography and Official Demonstrations
USA Gymnastics’ W316 Compulsory Materials provide the complete compulsory book and official demonstration videos for every event at each level. Registered users access the videos through their USA Gymnastics profiles.
The major-element table in this article leaves out connecting steps, poses and arm movements. Those details still belong to the routine. USAG’s movement text also explains that illustrations do not show every permitted choice; when an illustration is unclear, the written instructions take priority.
For families reviewing a performance, watching one section at a time can help. On one viewing, follow the jumps and leap. On another, look at the cartwheel, handstand and dismount. This makes the differences easier to recognize without trying to assign a deduction to every movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Old Must a Gymnast Be to Compete Level 4?
A gymnast must have reached her seventh birthday to meet the national Level 4 minimum-age requirement under the 2026–27 USAG rules. This is an eligibility minimum, not an age by which every child should master the routine.
Does Level 4 Beam Require a Back Walkover or Back Handspring?
Neither replaces the prescribed cartwheel and cross handstand. Level 4 does not provide the acrobatic choice found in the Level 5 exercise.
Can a Left-Dominant Gymnast Reverse the Routine?
Yes. The complete exercise may be reversed. Individual elements may be reversed only where the official text permits it; gymnasts cannot freely switch the side of every movement. (USA Gymnastics)
What Changes in Level 5 Beam?
Level 5 introduces a full passé turn, larger 150-degree dance shapes, an approved acrobatic choice and a back-tuck dismount. The scale also requires the free leg to rise above horizontal rather than merely reach it.
Those changes do not make Level 4’s smaller details less important. Its holds, connections and dismount phases remain part of the exercise being evaluated.