Floor Tumbling Requirements for MDL Level A & B

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

I was wondering if anyone was familiar with the floor tumbling requirements or "acro flight series" as worded on the MDL Divisions website. For Level A, it clearly states "front handspring, roundoff back handspring..." and for Level B it states "...2 elements acro flight series with one forward element, 3 element acro flight series...". My question is whether this is a mixture of backward tumbling and forward tumbling or if it can all be forward tumbling (especially for Level B). And for Level A, can you substitute the ROBHS for another skill such as a front tuck?

I'm just curious as to how flexible these rules are in creating floor routines.
 
I am not currently familiar with the requirements, although if there's a full copy you can direct me to, I'm happy to interpret them.

How I would interpret that is that Level A is being considered more "compulsory" and level B has more flexibility. Right now from the excerpt you've posted (there may be additional difficulty restrictions) there doesn't seem to be any reason to believe there's a forward/backward requirement other than the 2 acro pass with at least one forward element.

But where they may get you is compositional deductions for no back acro with flight, and also if they have a rule like USAG about the third skill (same shape) not counting. In that case it would be very hard for a compulsory level gymnast to meet those requirements without needing to repeat one skill more than twice (even though a FHS step out and FHS two feet are different shapes). If she could do a bounder at the end of a series, maybe, or FHS bounder, then FHS step out, step out, two feet. Those are pretty hard for a L5ish level though. Maybe she could do front tuck into a dive roll, if there's no requirement the acro element pass through HS, that's technically an acro element I guess.
 
On that page it doesn't seem like Level B has a specific back flight acro requirement, but Level C has RO BHS to salto, so I wonder. Of course, individual gyms/coaches will probably have their own requirements for the elements they want to see as well. My guess is that the intention of level B, based on the requirements for all events, is to provide a level "between" level and level 6, while level A is "between" 4 and 5. That way girls who aren't quite progressing in the USAG system due to certain problems (for example, level A is "mostly harder" than USAG level 4 by requirements, but does not require a kip on bars - though does lower SV for pullover - much less two). So a girl missing the kip out of 4 could compete this level before doing USAG 5, say in the spring with optional routines. That's not the only way MDL can be used of course, but just one way based on the way the requirements have been set. I'm not sure how mobility through the levels goes, I'm guessing there is some mobility.

Also since these are listed as skill requirements I doubt substitutions are allowed. You can see where some substitutions are noted, i.e. kip or pullover with lower SV, cartwheel or BWO in level A beam. If not noted, any substitutions won't fulfill requirements. Also, because level A spells out the acro skills (front handspring and RO BHS), my initial assumption would be those are intended both as requirements and acro difficulty restrictions, so a front tuck would not be allowed (would void the routine or receive a significant deduction). Otherwise I would guess they would leave open "acro skill with flight" but that doesn't seem to be their intention at that level.
 
Thank you so much gymdog for clarifying for me. I thought that the Levl B floor skills were somewhat vague with the requirements in that I am curious if a RO arabian would be allowed for the 2 element flight series pass and a cartwheel front handspring step out front hand spring would be accepted for the 3 element flight series pass. Makes you wonder if it is POSSIBLE do avoid the ROBHS. Just a thought...
 
im on MDL (level B) and i do fronhandspring fronthandspring and roundoff back handspring back tuck. so i think you need a front tumbling pass with at least 2 elements and you need a back pass with at least 3 elements. so you can do front handspring front handspring or front handspring roundoff. and for back you can do roundoff back handspring back handspring or roundoff backhandspring back tuck or something like that. and there are many other combinations.
 
im on MDL (level B) and i do fronhandspring fronthandspring and roundoff back handspring back tuck. so i think you need a front tumbling pass with at least 2 elements and you need a back pass with at least 3 elements. so you can do front handspring front handspring or front handspring roundoff. and for back you can do roundoff back handspring back handspring or roundoff backhandspring back tuck or something like that. and there are many other combinations.

Thanks MDLgymnast! And welcome to the Chalk Bucket. This is my dd's 1st year in gymnastics (Level 4 this season) so I still have a lot to learn about all of this!!!
 
this is my first year too. i think i saw you daughter at the meet this weekend. i was the session after her. how did she do?
 
this is my first year too. i think i saw you daughter at the meet this weekend. i was the session after her. how did she do?

She did pretty well, not her best, but I think she did well. She had a fall off beam (1st fall of the season at a comp) so that was very hard for her. But I was extremely proud of her how she got back up and finished her beam routine strong. How did you do?
 

New Posts

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

Gymnaverse :: Recent Activity

College Gym News

New Posts

Back