What level do gymnasts learn a Beam Back Handspring?

Gymnasts usually learn a Beam Back Handspring between Levels 6 and 7. That is a typical range, and every gymnast and gym moves at a different pace.

How long does it take to learn a Beam Back Handspring?

About 8 weeks once a Back Walkover is solid, as a rough estimate. Starting from a Step-On Mount, the whole progression adds up to about 22 weeks. These are estimates; real timelines vary a lot from gymnast to gymnast.

What should my gymnast learn before a Beam Back Handspring?

Back Walkover comes directly before it. The full progression is Step-On Mount, then Beam Handstand, then Beam Cartwheel, then Back Walkover, then Beam Back Handspring. Helpful but not required: Back Handspring.

What are the most common deductions on a Beam Back Handspring?

The ones to watch for are Bent Arms (usually about 0.1), Balance Check (usually about 0.1), Pike in Body (up to 0.20) and Body Alignment (usually about 0.1). Judges scale each deduction by how noticeable it is.

Is a Beam Back Handspring scary to learn?

It can be. Stickd rates its fear factor 5 out of 5 because it involves going backward without being able to see where you're headed, acro on the narrow beam and height off the ground. Techniques like Box Breathing and Power Cue Words help gymnasts build confidence.

How to do a Beam Back Handspring

A Beam Back Handspring is an acro skill on balance beam that gymnasts usually learn between Levels 6 and 7, once a Back Walkover is solid.

Also called: BHS on beam, back handspring on beam.

Quick facts

Apparatus	Balance Beam
Typical level (estimate)	Levels 6-7
Difficulty (Stickd rating)	8/10
Time to learn after the prerequisite (estimate)	About 8 weeks
Whole progression (estimate)	About 22 weeks from a Step-On Mount
Fear factor (Stickd rating)	5/5

Levels, ratings and timelines are Stickd estimates for planning, not USAG requirements.

What to learn before a Beam Back Handspring

Work through these skills in order. Each one is a required step toward a Beam Back Handspring.

Step-On Mount (Levels 1-2)
Beam Handstand (Levels 3-4)
Beam Cartwheel (Levels 3-4)
Back Walkover (Levels 4-5)

Helpful but not required

Back Handspring

Step-by-step progression

The path to a Beam Back Handspring has 5 steps. Week counts are typical estimates for regular training.

1
Step-On Mount
Learn a Step-On Mount until it is solid, usually between Levels 1 and 2. About 1 week (estimate).
2
Beam Handstand
Learn a Beam Handstand until it is solid, usually between Levels 3 and 4. About 4 weeks (estimate).
3
Beam Cartwheel
Learn a Beam Cartwheel until it is solid, usually between Levels 3 and 4. About 4 weeks (estimate).
4
Back Walkover
Learn a Back Walkover until it is solid, usually between Levels 4 and 5. About 5 weeks (estimate).
5
Beam Back Handspring
Learn a Beam Back Handspring. Allow about 8 weeks once the step before it is solid (estimate).

Drills that build a Beam Back Handspring

Technique focus areas: Snap down.

What good form looks like

Backward spring with hands on beam then feet.

shoulders: open
elbows: straight
wrists: extended
hips: extended
knees: straight

Common deductions on a Beam Back Handspring

Deduction	What it means	Typically
Bent Arms	Arms not fully extended when they should be straight	0.1
Balance Check	Wobble or pause to regain balance on beam	0.1
Pike in Body	Hip angle showing pike when straight position required	up to 0.20
Body Alignment	Body not in proper line (arch, pike, or lean)	0.1

Typical values; judges scale each deduction by how noticeable it is, and the judges' score is the official one.

Fear and confidence

Stickd rates a Beam Back Handspring 5 out of 5 for fear. It involves going backward without being able to see where you're headed, acro on the narrow beam, height off the ground. Feeling nervous about it is normal, and confidence usually builds step by step through the progression above.

Mental techniques that help

Box Breathing
A 4-count breathing pattern to calm your nervous system before attempting a scary skill.
Power Cue Words
Choose 1-2 words that trigger your best performance state and say them before each attempt.
Fear Ladder
Break the scary skill into a ladder of progressively challenging steps.

Skills a Beam Back Handspring unlocks

Beam Back Tuck (Balance Beam, Levels 7-8)

Watch an example

Watch a Beam Back Handspring tutorial on YouTube (opens in a new tab).

Frequently asked questions

What level do gymnasts learn a Beam Back Handspring?: Gymnasts usually learn a Beam Back Handspring between Levels 6 and 7. That is a typical range, and every gymnast and gym moves at a different pace.
How long does it take to learn a Beam Back Handspring?: About 8 weeks once a Back Walkover is solid, as a rough estimate. Starting from a Step-On Mount, the whole progression adds up to about 22 weeks. These are estimates; real timelines vary a lot from gymnast to gymnast.
What should my gymnast learn before a Beam Back Handspring?: Back Walkover comes directly before it. The full progression is Step-On Mount, then Beam Handstand, then Beam Cartwheel, then Back Walkover, then Beam Back Handspring. Helpful but not required: Back Handspring.
What are the most common deductions on a Beam Back Handspring?: The ones to watch for are Bent Arms (usually about 0.1), Balance Check (usually about 0.1), Pike in Body (up to 0.20) and Body Alignment (usually about 0.1). Judges scale each deduction by how noticeable it is.
Is a Beam Back Handspring scary to learn?: It can be. Stickd rates its fear factor 5 out of 5 because it involves going backward without being able to see where you're headed, acro on the narrow beam and height off the ground. Techniques like Box Breathing and Power Cue Words help gymnasts build confidence.