Level 2 Gymnastics Skills: Advance Your Home Routine

I’ve been practicing calisthenics for years, but around 12 months ago, I developed an interest in gymnastics.

I started with the basics and gradually incorporated more advanced techniques, like training with rings.

This article is for anyone who is just starting out and wants to build a strong foundation in gymnastics.

We’ll explore basic floor exercises, beam routines, and some introductory skills on uneven bars and vault techniques.

These are great for practicing both in the gym and at home.

If you’re just beginning your gymnastics journey, this guide will give you a great overview of the basics and a sneak peek into what comes next as you progress to Level 2 gymnastics.

 

An Overview of Key Competencies and Focus Areas

Level 2 Gymnastics Skills: Specific Competencies for Each Apparatus

In Level 2 gymnastics, young athletes begin to refine and expand their skills on four key apparatuses: floor exercises, beam, uneven bars, and vault.

This level is where things get exciting, as athletes transition from basic skills to more complex and technical routines.

Each apparatus offers its own unique challenges and learning opportunities.

I myself had to face many challenges to master some free body exercises, such as the handstand, and even dealt with some minor injuries along the way.

But with perseverance, I eventually mastered various skills.

If you enjoy this type of training, you’ll find it challenging but incredibly rewarding.

Alright, enough talk—let’s dive into what makes Level 2 so special!

 

1. Floor

Cartwheel:

• How to Perform:
  • Start standing, bend forward, and place one hand at a time on the ground while your legs lift into the air in a straddle position. Rotate your body smoothly, keeping your legs straight, and finish the cartwheel by standing up.

• Challenge:
  • The challenge is to maintain consistent body alignment, avoiding bending or swaying sideways. Requires arm strength and leg flexibility.

Handstand (Held for 1 Second):

• How to Perform:
  • Start standing, take a firm leap, and lift your legs vertically over your head, keeping your arms straight and close to your ears. Hold the position for at least one second before returning to standing.

• Challenge:
  • Balance and stability are crucial, as well as shoulder and core strength. Controlled entry and exit from the position are key.

Handstand Forward Roll:

• How to Perform:
  • Starting from a handstand, gently bend your elbows and roll forward, returning to your feet.

• Challenge: Good control of the handstand and the ability to smoothly transfer weight for a safe landing are necessary.

Backward Roll to Push-up Position:

• How to Perform:
  • Start standing, bend backward rolling onto your back, and push up until you reach a push-up position.

• Challenge:
  • Coordinating and controlling your body is crucial. Evenly distribute weight during the roll and use arm strength to reach the final position.

Bridge with Backward Kick:

• How to Perform:
  • Lying down, lift your pelvis from a bridge, and then kick backward with one leg.

• Challenge:
  • This exercise requires considerable flexibility of the back and legs, as well as strength and control to maintain the bridge position while performing the kick.

Split Jump with 60° Leg Separation:

• • How to Perform:
    • Perform a jump with a split in the air, achieving at least 60° leg separation.

• Challenge:
  • This jump requires good body control, along with flexibility, to execute a smooth and harmonious movement.

Leap with 90° Leg Separation:

• How to Perform:
  • Execute a forward leap with high leg separation.

• Challenge: In addition to flexibility, this movement requires precision in timing and control in landing.

180° Heel Turn in Passé Position:

• How to Perform:
  • Execute a complete turn on one foot, keeping the other in passé position.

• Challenge: The turn requires balance, precision, and body control, especially in maintaining the position of the raised foot during the turn.

 

 

 

2. Beam

Jump to Front Support:

• How to Perform:
  • Approach the beam and make a small jump, landing in a front support position. Your hands should be firmly placed on the beam while your legs remain suspended.

• Challenge:
  • Coordinating the jump and hand placement requires timing and precision, as well as body control during the landing.

30° Arabesque:

• How to Perform:
  • From a standing position, lift one leg behind you, keeping it straight, until reaching a 30-degree angle. Your torso remains upright, and the opposite arm to the lifted leg extends forward for balance.

• Challenge: Maintaining balance and correct posture while holding one leg lifted is the main challenge.

Pivot Turn:

• How to Perform:
  • Start in a standing position on the beam. Lift one foot and place it in passé (bent knee with the foot near the opposite knee) or near the ankle. On the other foot, perform a full 360-degree turn, keeping your body straight and the lifted foot stable.

• Challenge:
  • This exercise requires exceptional body control and intense concentration. Maintaining balance on a narrow surface like the beam while turning on one foot is a significant challenge. The ability to perform the movement smoothly and precisely is crucial.

Stretch Jump:

• How to Perform:
  • From a standing position, execute a vertical jump on the beam, extending both legs and arms. Land with control on the beam.

• Challenge:
  • The landing must be executed cleanly and precisely, maintaining balance throughout the entire jump.

Toe Walking:

• How to Perform:
  • Walk along the beam placing one toe in front of the other, keeping your arms spread for balance.

• Challenge:
  • The exercise requires precise body control and constant balance, ideal for improving posture and confidence on the beam.

Slide or Step Walk Backward:

• How to Perform:
  • In the slide, advance along the beam with smooth and controlled steps, keeping your body aligned and balanced. In the step backward, move backward with small and measured steps, always maintaining perfect body control.

• Challenge:
  • The main challenge in these movements is to maintain excellent posture and balance, especially considering the narrowness of the beam.

Lateral Leg Lift:

• How to Perform:
  • Standing on the beam, lift one leg to the side, keeping it straight, without losing balance.

• Challenge:
  • This movement requires strength in the supporting leg and control in the lifted leg, improving coordination and stability.

Split Jump:

• How to Perform:
  • Execute a vertical jump on the beam, spreading your legs in the air to form a split.

• Challenge:
  • Flexibility is important, but success with this jump also hinges on effective technique and accurate beam landings.

Basic Dismount:

• How to Perform:
  • Conclude your routine with a simple jump off the beam or a backward roll to dismount safely.

• Challenge:
  • This exercise teaches how to end the routine with control and safety, essential for a good score in competitions.

 

 

 

3. Uneven Bars

Glide Swing:

• How to Perform:
  • Start from a suspended position with your arms extended. Swing back and forth, keeping your body straight and legs together.

• Challenge:
  • Maintaining the body in a rigid position and controlling the oscillatory movement requires strength and coordination.

Pullover:

• How to Perform:
  • From a suspended position, use your arms to pull yourself up until your legs are over the lower bar, then rotate your body to sit on the bar.

• Challenge:
  • The challenge lies in using the core and arm strength to lift the body over the bar smoothly.

Cast:

• How to Perform:
  • While seated on the lower bar, push away with your hands and lift your body into a horizontal position before returning to the starting position.

• Challenge:
  • Shoulder and core strength are crucial for lifting and maintaining the body horizontally.

Back Hip Circle:

• How to Perform:
  • From the swinging motion, push your hips forward and rotate around the lower bar, maintaining contact with it through your hips, then return to the starting position.

• Challenge:
  • Requires good movement control and the ability to maintain tension throughout the body.

Underswing Dismount:

• How to Perform:
  • From the swing, push away from the lower bar and perform a backward jump to land on your feet.

• Challenge:
  • Calculating the right moment to push and the necessary force for a safe landing is the most difficult part.

Leg Cut Forward/Backward:

• How to Perform:
  • From a seated position on the lower bar, lift one leg and pass it over the bar, alternating between bringing it forward and backward. Maintain control and balance while performing the movement.

• Challenge:
  • This exercise helps develop coordination and fluidity in movements, as well as improving the ability to maintain balance in different positions.

Squat-on and Slide:

• How to Perform:
  • From a suspended position, do a small squat and sit on the lower bar. While seated, slide gently along the bar, keeping your arms extended.

• Challenge:
  • The challenge is to maintain control of your body and arms during the slide, avoiding falling or losing balance.

 

 

 

4. Vault

Handstand on a Mat Stack and Flat Back Fall:

• How to Perform:
  • Approach the runway and make a jump, placing your hands on the ground on a stack of mats, then push with your hands to lift your legs into the air until you reach a handstand position. Maintain the handstand for a moment before letting yourself fall flat back onto another mat placed behind you.

• Challenge:
  • The main challenge is coordinating the run and the jump with the correct hand placement. Core and shoulder strength are essential for lifting the legs into a handstand and maintaining body control. The falling phase requires attention to ensure a safe and controlled landing.

Straight Jump onto Mat Stack:

• How to Perform:
  • Begin with a running start toward a stack of mats. With a powerful and coordinated movement, leap vertically off the springboard, aiming to land squarely on top of the mats. The key is to use the momentum from the run to maximize the height of the jump.

• Challenge:
  • Harnessing the power from the run and converting it into a high, controlled jump is crucial. The gymnast must focus on executing the jump with a straight body line in the air and landing stably on the mats. Proper landing technique, with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent, is essential to absorb the impact.

Squat onto Mat Stack:

• How to Perform:
  • Similar to the straight jump, this exercise starts with a run-up. The gymnast jumps onto the stack of mats but, instead of landing upright, transitions into a squat position upon landing. The transition from the jump to the squat must be smooth and controlled, requiring the gymnast to adjust their body mid-air.

• Challenge:
  • This exercise tests the gymnast’s ability to transition smoothly from the jump to the squat position, requiring precise body control during a dynamic movement. Proper landing technique is essential to execute the squat with correct form and prevent injury. Additionally, it enhances leg strength and improves the gymnast’s ability to perform complex movements that demand coordination.

 

 

 

What Additional Skills and Techniques Should Level 2 Gymnasts Focus On?

In gymnastics, Level 2 marks a transitional phase where gymnasts begin to focus not only on developing basic skills but also on perfecting form. 

This stage shifts attention to skills that require greater flexibility.

In addition to consolidating skills learned at Level 1, more advanced acrobatics like somersaults and cartwheels, and more complex dance elements, are introduced at Level 2.

 

1. Form

Improving form is a key area of focus in Level 2.

Here are some tips on how to do it:

• Perfecting Posture:
  • Posture is essential in every aspect of gymnastics. Practice maintaining a straight back, relaxed shoulders, and an active core. Good posture is crucial for both the safety and aesthetics of the performance.

• The fluidity of Movements:
  • Work on smooth transitions between movements. This not only makes your routine more elegant but also helps prevent injuries.

• • Try linking different elements in continuous sequences, focusing on smoothness and naturalness.

• Precision of Positions:
  • Each movement and position should be executed with utmost precision. Practice perfecting every detail, from the tips of your toes to the position of your hands.

• • Repeat the same movements multiple times to build muscle memory and precision.

• Overall Harmony of the Routine:
  • Your routine should appear as a cohesive and harmonious ensemble of movements. Pay attention not only to the main elements but also to transitions and smaller details.

• • Watch recordings of your practices to identify areas for improvement and ensure you have a balanced and harmonious routine.

 

2. Flexibility

As a Level 2 gymnast, your goal, in addition to improving form, is to enhance flexibility.

This is crucial for executing advanced movements with elegance and fluidity.

Here’s how you can work on it more specifically:

3. Mounts, Jumps, and Acrobatic Skills

More Complex Mounts:

• At this level, mounts require a combination of jumping and agility. Examples can include a jump with a twist or a leap followed by an acrobatic element.

• Training should focus on the precision of the jump, body control during flight, and a safe, stable landing on the apparatus.

Additional Jumps:

• Besides split jumps, Level 2 gymnasts can work on jumps such as tuck jumps and Half Turns, Forward Jumps, and One-Footed Jumps, which help develop control and power.

• Training should focus on improving elevation, body control in the air, and precision in landing.

• Complementary exercises can include trampoline jumps, squat jumps, and agility work to improve jump reactivity and power.

 

Tuck Jumps: Description: Pulling both knees to the chest while in the air. Benefits: Improves jump power and the ability to execute compact movements. It’s also useful for developing coordination and spatial awareness. Half Turns: Description: During a jump, the gymnast performs a 180-degree rotation before landing. Benefits: This jump helps develop timing sense and body control in the air, introducing the basics for more complex rotations. Forward Jump: Description: A jump executed by pushing forward from the floor. Benefits: Improves leg strength and the ability to land in a controlled manner, essential for more advanced movements. One-Footed Jumps: Description: Jumps executed by alternating landing on one foot at a time. Benefits: These jumps improve balance and stability, as well as strengthen each leg individually. Trampoline Jumps: Description: Using a trampoline, gymnasts perform various types of jumps, including those with rotations or tucks. Benefits: They help develop jump power and air control. The trampoline also allows for practicing more complex landings with a lower risk of injury. Squat Jump: Description: Starting from a squat position, the gymnast performs an explosive jump, landing back in a squat position. Benefits: Improves explosive leg strength and reactivity. It’s an excellent exercise for increasing jump power and the ability to absorb impact on landing. Agility Work: Description: Includes exercises like running with direction changes, lateral jumps, and other movements requiring quickness and agility. Benefits: These exercises improve speed, agility, and coordination, all key elements for gymnastics, especially in preparation for complex and fast-paced routines

 

Acrobatic Skills:

• Advanced Handstand Development: Focus on advanced aspects of the handstand, such as prolonged holding, controlled entry and exit, and improving body alignment to prepare for more advanced movements.

• Refining the Cartwheel: Work on the fluidity and precision of the cartwheel, aiming for a more controlled and less segmented movement.

• Introduction to Round-Off: If not already covered, this is a good skill to introduce, as the round-off is a step towards more complex acrobatics. Focus on the correct technique, including the landing phase.

• Back Flexibility and Bridge Work: Exercises like bridges and backbends not only improve back flexibility but also prepare gymnasts for acrobatic movements that require a flexible back.

• Strength Exercises for Acrobatics: Introduce specific exercises to build the strength needed to support more advanced acrobatic movements, such as back handsprings and somersaults.

Round-Off: Execution: The round-off begins with a short run-up. The gymnast performs a forward leap, placing one hand at a time on the ground (as in a cartwheel) but, unlike the cartwheel, the legs are joined in the air while the body turns 180 degrees. The movement ends with landing on both feet simultaneously, almost as if concluding a back jump. Key Points: Correct hand placement, coordinating the rotation, and landing with the legs together are essential for an effective round-off. Bridges: Execution: Start lying on your back with knees bent and feet planted on the ground, close to your seat. Place your hands on the ground near your ears with your fingers pointed towards your shoulders. Push with your hands and feet to lift your hips and arch your back, forming a bridge. Hold the position for a few seconds before returning to the starting position. Key Points: It’s important to maintain an even weight distribution between hands and feet, and push through the shoulders for a better chest opening. Backbends: Execution: Start standing with feet slightly apart. Slowly bend your knees while leaning your head and back backward, reaching the floor with your hands. Continue bending back to form a bridge or to a comfortable level. To return, bend your knees and use your core and leg muscles to stand up straight again. Key Points: Maintain a smooth and controlled movement, use core muscles to support the back, and ensure to warm up adequately before performing this exercise.

 

Advanced Dance Elements:

• Incorporating dance movements such as pirouettes, chaînés (series of rapid turns), and ballet steps to add grace and fluidity to routines.

• Working on musicality, expressiveness, and coordination by seamlessly integrating these dance movements with acrobatic elements.

 

In artistic gymnastics, integrating elements like pirouettes, chaînés, and ballet steps, commonly found in ballet, adds grace and fluidity to routines. This integration is particularly beneficial for female gymnasts, enhancing their routines with an artistic touch that becomes increasingly important at higher levels. Pirouettes Execution: A pirouette is a complete turn on one foot. The gymnast starts in a stable position, raises one foot positions it in passé (the foot near the knee of the other leg), and then rotates using the strength of the supporting foot. The body must remain upright and centered during the rotation. Benefits: Improves balance, coordination, and body control. This skill also helps develop fluidity in movements. Chaînés (Series of Rapid Turns) Execution: Chaînés are a series of rapid turns, performed one after the other. The gymnast moves forward, with arms in an open position, and legs alternating rapidly between an extended and bent position as the body turns. Benefits: Develop agility, control, and coordination. They are also useful for building endurance and improving the sense of rhythm. Ballet Steps Execution: Ballet steps can range from simple basic movements to more complex steps. For Level 2 gymnasts, basic steps like arabesques, attitudes, or balancés can be introduced. Benefits: These steps help develop grace, posture, and expressiveness in movement, as well as improve leg flexibility and strength.

 

How much training is required for Level 2 gymnasts?

 

3-5 Hours per Week:

• On average, you should aim to dedicate between 3 and 5 hours per week to training. This time should be evenly distributed across different days to avoid overloading and ensure adequate recovery.

Balance Between Learning and Practice:

• During each training session, balance your time between learning new skills and practicing those you already know. Make sure to allocate time to both technique and overall physical conditioning.

 

Final Thoughts

Try floor exercises in your living room.

Practice balance on a narrow strip of floor, like a beam.

Use home gym equipment to mimic bar and vault moves.

There’s a lot you can achieve in your own space.

Personally, I’ve found that adding gymnastics to my home routine has made a huge difference.

It’s easier, more convenient, and I’ve noticed steady progress.