Not originally designed for competition
Level 4 is the first official level of mandatory competition in the USA Gymnastics competitive system. The Level 4 Vault and Bars, Beams and Floor routines are substantially similar to routines from the previous compulsory 8-year cycle, which ended in 2005. During that cycle, Level 4 was upgraded to official competition status and gymnasts were allowed them to enter USAG compete all the way to the state championships. But routines and especially vaulting were originally designed simply as training devices, not for competition.
The Level 4 Vault Carpet
This is most obvious with the level 4 vault – a somersault over a large pile of mats. To add this “vault” to regular competitions, a new piece of equipment had to be designed and provided in competitions completely separate from the normal vaulting horse/table. And unlike any other vault at any other level, gymnasts do not land on their feet on the level 4 vault, which requires a whole new approach to judging the vault.
You don’t have to compete level 4
Another common misconception is that gymnasts are required to compete at Level 4 before they can compete at Level 5. There is no competitive Level 4 requirement before competing at Level 5. The only requirement for Level 5 is that gymnasts must pass a skills assessment from a skills evaluator with a score of at least 75%. You don’t have to compete in Level 4! It is not required!
Level 4 skills are almost never used at higher levels of proficiency
Level 4 skills, especially slash skills, are almost never used at the higher optional levels of proficiency. There are 12 skills in the level 4 barre routine and none of them are ever used in optional barre routines, except for casts. In beam and floor, the situation is somewhat better. About half of the skills are direct progressions to harder skills that can be used later, but that also means half of them aren’t.
Most level 4 skills lead nowhere
Since the vault, all of the slash skills, and about half of the slash and floor skills are not used later at higher levels of proficiency, it’s obvious that most of the Tier 4 skills are never used again. in the competition.
Level 4 has been watered down
During the previous mandatory 8-year cycle, level 4 gymnasts were allowed to attempt to compete in a kip on bars. Starting this year, you must be a level 5 gymnast to kip in competition. Level 4 gymnasts no longer need to do a true cross handstand in the barre routine, just a ¾ handstand. The handstand time requirement on beam disassembly is also less than the last mandatory cycle. In short, USA Gymnastics has made Level 4 routines easy.
Why?
By now you must be wondering why USA Gymnastics has made all these Level 4 changes. The answer is quite simple and even justifiable. They are trying to make the sport more available to more gymnasts. By lowering the competition entry level, more gymnasts can participate in the USA Gymnastics competitive system. This is not necessarily a bad thing for the sport. It increases the financial base of USA Gymnastics and the number of gymnasts who compete by a very significant percentage. Some of those gymnasts may eventually rise to the top of the sport.
What does this all mean?
But parents and gymnasts alike should know that there are other paths to becoming a top-level gymnast besides competing at Level 4. In fact, most of the gymnasts you see on TV were probably never Level 4 gymnasts. your goal is to become a high level elite or elite gymnast, then you need to know the other paths that are most likely to achieve it.
count the years
Really good gyms and training programs create high-level elite and optional gymnasts in 3-5 years of daily training. That’s fewer years than it would take to go from level 4 to level 10 (at one level per year), and they’re working on harder skills earlier in their career (which is usually a good thing). For gymnasts on the Level 10/Elite track, competing at Level 4 can be a loss of a year of their gymnastic career.
Special Elite strength and skill development programs available
Elite and level 10 gymnasts often use programs like the USA Gymnastics TOP program and the USAIGC (Association of Independent Gymnastics Clubs of America) STEP program and competitions or their own version of this type of program. programs. The TOP and STEP programs focus first on building strength and flexibility and then on teaching high-level optional skill progressions.
TOP and STEP programs work for all gymnasts
The truth is that these types of programs that develop gymnastics strength and flexibility and work on high-level skills and their progressions are truly the best training system for all types and levels of gymnasts. However, it is possible to participate in these programs and compete at a mandatory level to gain competition experience. But it is by far more important to a gymnast’s career to develop strength, flexibility and begin training in the appropriate higher level skill progressions.