LEVEL ONE GYMNASTICS SKILLS

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FLOOR
In Level 1, a gymnast learns forward and
backward tucked rolls, cartwheels and bridges.
She must master the candlestick, which requires
resting on the back of her shoulders, her legs
together, feet pointed to the ceiling. Also required
are leg swings, tuck jumps --
bring the knees to
the chest -- and coupe walks. In coupe walks, a
gymnast walks on her toes, bringing the toes of
one foot to the ankle of the opposite foot.

BEAM
In Level 1, a gymnast learns to mount the beam
by jumping to a front support with the beam at
her hips, and to dismount with a stretch jump,
meaning she stretches her body up as she jumps
with her arms above her head. A gymnast also
learns the tuck sit, with her knees at her chest.
She practices the coupe walks and candlestick on
the beam, as well as releve walks, which are
simply walking on the toes with the arms
outstretched above the head. Finally, she must
hold an arabesque, also known as a scale, by
standing on one foot while leaning forward,
extending the other leg behind her and
outstretching her arms at her sides.

VAULT
In Level 1, a gymnast doesn’t actually use the
vaulting table. Instead, she simply does a straight
jump onto a mat that is at least 8 inches high.

BARS
On bars, she performs a pullover -- pulling her
legs completely around the bar. In the Level 1
cast, she begins in a front support with her hips at
the bar and pushes her hips off the bar, driving
her legs behind her. In the back hip circle, she
begins with a cast and then returns to the bar,
and rolls her body backward around the bar. The
final progression is pushing off a cast as a way to
dismount. USA Gymnastics allows a minimal spot,
or assistance, on some Level 1 bar skills.