Balance Beam

A balance beam is an apparatus on which female gymnasts perform a routine in artistic gymnastics. Balance beams, whether an Olympic balance beam or a regular practice balance beam, are for females only. Men do not perform on balance beams as part of a competition at any level.

A gymnastics balance beam dimensions are as follows: 16’ and 3” long, 4” wide and around 4’ off the ground. Its construction is laminated wood covered with chamois. Its origins are not exactly known, however, according to legend, its country of origin is Uzbekistan, once part of the Soviet Union.

The story says gymnastic balance beams are the equivalent of Mohammed’s brother, Ali’s rope device. Ali led his men across a tightrope to defeat an enemy fortress. Since then, every village in Uzbekistan holds a rope-walking contest. Annually, the country holds a tightrope walking national championship. The balance beam, according to this tale, is the artistic gymnastic counterpart of the ropewalk.

A routine on a regular or Olympic balance beam must last between 70 and 90 seconds. A foam balance beam can act as a child’s practice balance beam for a basic balance beam routine. You can build a balance beam without great difficulty. Simply look up how to build a balance beam on the internet. You must be certain, however, that the measurements conform to the official standards if you wish to use it as a practice device for serious competitions.

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Gymnastics balance beams are not a simple apparatus upon which to work. It is a floor routine raised high off the ground restricted to the length and governed by the width of the beam. A gymnast must cover the length of a beam a minimum of six times. Each action must flow smoothly into the next. In balance beam routines, the gymnast must master and perform two “flight” elements. Flips, forward and backward, a body arch, somersaults, splits and layouts are but a few elements a gymnast must include as part of a balance beam routine.

The famous gymnasts Olga Korbut, Nadia Comaneci and Svetlana Khorkhina have had varying results on this most challenging of artistic gymnastic apparatus. At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Catalina Ponar of Romania took first place on the balance beam followed by Carly Patterson of the United States and Alexander Eremia of Romania. The extreme skill and daring these athletes show, merely enhances the complexity and danger the balance beam presents. In German, the balance beam is “Angst Baum” – the fear beam. It clearly deserves this name.