What skills make up a great Level 10 beam routine? At Level 10, the requirements are much more rigorous than other levels. Judges have deductions available, called composition deductions, to reward gymnasts who perform higher level skills. In 2018, those deductions became a LOT more specific… and a lot more confusing. Modeled after the collegiate composition deductions, skills with specific values are required to avoid deductions. So what’s the best way to construct a routine to avoid these composition deductions? I’ll offer plenty of examples today. I’ll also review some additional composition deductions that can be applied for the construction of a Level 10 beam routine.
This is the third in a series of three posts, Making Sense of Beam Composition. Check out the Level 8 and Level 9 posts too!
Value Parts for a Level 10 Beam Routine
When a coach and gymnast are constructing a routine, they must first consider the skills that are allowable for the gymnast’s level. For those who are unfamiliar, skills in the J.O Program are valued A through E, with A skills being the easiest, and E skills the most difficult. Level 10 is the only level in which gymnasts are allowed to perform unlimited D and E skills, and in fact, they are encouraged to perform these skills to avoid composition deductions. In addition, Level 10 gymnasts can get bonus points for performing difficult skills, and combinations of difficult skills. To receive the highest score, gymnasts should perform skills that meet the composition requirements, earn them bonus points, and that they can perform with the least amount of deductions.
When considering composition deductions, there are three different “Up to the Level” compositional categories: Acro, Dance, and Dismount. Gymnasts must perform skills that go beyond the level of the basic Special Requirements, in order to receive no deduction for composition. Here are some examples:
Acro Composition Deductions in a Level 10 Beam Routine
The Acro Special Requirement at Level 10 has two options:
- a two-element series with both elements containing flight and one C-valued element; OR
- a two-element series with an E and an A non-flight element from group 7.
To receive no compositional deductions in the acro category, a Level 10 gymnast’s routine must include one of the following formulas for acro skills:
- Flight series with C salto; additional D/E flight; additional C salto or D/E flight
- Flight series x3 with C element; additional D/E flight; additional C salto or D/E flight
- Flight series with 2 C saltos; additional D/E flight
- Flight series with D/E flight; additional D/E flight
The maximum deduction of 0.20 would be taken if:
- There is no acro series
- There is an acro series without a salto or aerial
- No additional C or more difficult salto is performed
- Gymnast performs only an isolated C salto or less difficult
Dismounts are not considered acro elements for the purposes of composition, but acro skills on the beam leading into the dismount would be considered for the acro compositional category.
Examples:
- Roundoff, layout stepout (B+C salto series)
Front tuck (E)
Back tuck (C)
NO deduction - Back handspring, back handspring, one arm back handspring (B+B+C series)
Front tuck off one foot (front toss) (D)
Aerial cartwheel (D)
NO deduction - Back handspring, layout stepout, layout stepout (B+C+C salto series)
Side somi (D)
NO deduction - Aerial walkover, back handspring (D+B series)
Front pike (E)
NO deduction - Back handspring, back tuck (B+C salto series)
Front tuck (E)
0.05 deduction - Roundoff, back layout to two feet (B+E series)
Layout stepout (C)
0.05 deduction - Back handspring, layout stepout (B+C salto)
Back tuck (C)
0.10 deduction - Front handspring stepout, one arm front handspring (B+C series without salto)
Front pike (E)
Back tuck (C)
0.10 deduction - Aerial cartwheel, roundoff (D+B series)
Back handspring (B flight)
0.10 deduction - Back handspring, back pike (B+C salto series)
0.15 deduction - Back handspring, one arm back handspring (B+C series without salto)
Aerial cartwheel to scale (E)
0.15 deduction - Back handspring, back tuck 1/1 (B+E flight series)
No other acro in the routine
0.15 deduction - Front handspring stepout, fall, aerial cartwheel (B, D, no series)
Gainer layout stepout (D)
Roundoff (B)
0.15 deduction - Front aerial, stop, back handspring (D, B, no series)
Back tuck (C)
0.15 deduction - Back handspring, one arm back handspring (B+C series without salto)
Roundoff (B)
0.20 deduction - Back tuck, stop, back tuck (C, no VP, no series)
Back handspring (B)
0.20 deduction
Dance Composition Deductions in a Level 10 Beam Routine
To avoid deductions in the dance category, the gymnast must perform three C dance elements OR 2 D/E dance elements. The maximum deduction of 0.20 will be taken if the gymnast performs only one C or 2 B dance elements, and the rest are A dance elements. Here are some examples of different skills that could be used in a Level 10 routine, and the composition deduction that would accompany that combination of skills. When determining Up to the Level deductions, it is not necessary for the dance skills to be in combination. However, if the gymnast does not combine two dance skills from groups 1, 2, or 3 at some point in her routine, she will incur a 0.20 composition deduction for lacking a dance series.
Examples:
- Switch leap (C)
Tuck jump ¾ (C)
Split jump ½ in cross position (C)
NO deduction - Cat leap, switch-side leap (A+D)
Tuck jump 1/1 (D)
NO deduction - Split jump (B)
Straddle jump ¼ facing side (C)
Jump full turn (C)
0.05 deduction - Switch leap, beat jump (C+A)
Double turn (D)
0.05 deduction - Straddle jump facing side (C)
Split jump facing side (C)
0.10 deduction - Straddle jump in cross position (B)
Sheep jump (D)
0.10 deduction - Split jump ¼ (B)
Pike jump in side position (C)
0.15 deduction - Cat leap, switch-1/2 (A+E)
Full turn (A)
0.15 deduction - Switch leap, sissonne (C+A)
Tuck jump, beat jump (A+A)
0.20 deduction - Split leap (B)
Straight jump ¾ (B)
0.20 deduction
Dismount Composition Deductions in a Level 10 Beam Routine
For no deduction in the dismount category, the gymnast must perform a D/E dismount, or a B acro skill connected to an C dismount, or a C dance skill connected to a C dismount. If the gymnast performs an isolated C dismount or less difficult, or a C acro/dance skill connected to a B dismount, she will receive the maximum deduction of 0.10.
Examples:
- Gainer back layout double full off side (D)
NO deduction - Roundoff, back layout 1 ½ (B acro + C dismount)
NO deduction - Switch leap, gainer back pike off end (C dance + C dismount)
NO deduction - Cartwheel, gainer back layout full off side (A acro +C dismount)
0.05 deduction - Aerial cartwheel, back layout full (D acro +B dismount)
0.05 deduction - Back handspring stepout, one arm back handspring, back layout full (C series + B dismount)
0.05 deduction - Split leap, gainer back pike off end (B dance + C dismount)
0.05 deduction - Front layout full (C)
0.10 deduction - One arm back handspring, back layout ½ (C acro + B dismount)
0.10 deduction - Roundoff, Arabian salto (B acro + B dismount)
0.10 deduction - Switch leap, gainer back tuck off end (C dance + B dismount)
0.10 deduction
Additional Beam Composition Deductions
In addition to the “Up to the level” deductions, there are several other categories judges are looking for during each beam routine.
- Missing a dance series of at least two elements: 0.20
- Missing acro elements in 2 directions: forward/sideward and backward: 0.10 (0.05 if dismount is the only acro in that direction)
- More than 2 straddle jumps or tuck/wolf jumps: 0.10
- More than one straight leg pivot turn: 0.10
- Failure to perform choreography in two directions (forward, sideward, and backward): 0.05 each
- Failure to perform level changes (high, semi, low): Up to 0.10
- Spatial use of entire length of beam: Up to 0.10
These examples are certainly not all-encompassing, as Level 10 gymnasts can use any skill listed in the Code of Points to construct their beam routines. If each of these compositional categories are met with skills that fit the gymnast’s strengths, the routine will have great scoring potential! Do you have any favorite Level 10 beam skills or combinations I didn’t list here?
Further Reading
The Ideal Composition for a Level 10 Bar Routine
Making Sense of Composition: Level 10 Floor
Making Sense of Composition: Level 8 Beam
Making Sense of Composition: Level 9 Beam
References
USA Gymnastics Development Program Code of Points, 2022-2026.
