FIG Rules | WAG Code of Points - BB - Devaluation of Element #5.513 (D)

The FIG has a YouTube channel these days and has been uploading videos showing some of it's devaluations. The element number 5.513 has been by far the element every gymnast has added to their balance beam routine - almost every. Element 5.513 is a salto backward stretched with both legs together, also commonly referred to as a layout on beam. It is valued in the CoP's as an E element but will be devalued to a D element if the gymnasts is deemed to deviated from the requirements of the element.

The move was emblematic of the Chinese gymnasts in the 90s and performed by almost every nation now. The emergence of the layout on beam can surely be attributed to the modification of the CoP after the 2012 Olympic games. The newest CoP added a whole new method of determining connection values and series bonuses that weren't around before. Before a gymnast that wanted to win a beam title needed to either have a highly valued element or an extremely complicated routine, an arabian or a full-twisting back tuck. The complexity used to fall on the judges hands as the rules weren't very clear on what a connection was, which lead to many controversial 'fantom' tenths being rewarded - best case of this was Nastia Liukin's balance beam routine in the 2008 All Around final.


In FIG's video release they show a lot of gymnasts that have legs separated going into the jump and don't float down but rather pull their body's down in a piked form. The gymnasts are clearly 'cheating' the jump and are making it easier for themselves to land. A gymnast should try and get as most height and let the jump float on down instead of forcing it down. If you take a look at all of the examples you will see just how evident it is.

The sad thing is that there are only a handful of gymnast out there that are performing the element how it is supposed to be done. I can think of Maria Kharenkova, Angelina Melnikova and Anastasia Grishina but not many others.

Example of a well executed layout at around the 22 second mark the element is being performed.