To the outside world, Balance Beam is often seen as the hardest event in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics. To non-gymnasts, even just walking on a 4-inch wide surface raised from the ground seems scary, nevermind actually performing dance and acrobatic skills on it.

Gymnasts themselves get over the 4-inch wide part at an early age. At the elite level, there are much more important things for a gymnast to think about, such as whether her pause between skills was too long to count for bonus connection points, or if her split hit a full 180 degrees during her leap.

An elite gymnast, along with her coach, will carefully plan out her routine to achieve the highest possible Difficulty score (“D-score”) given her abilities, keeping in mind that these skills need to be performed cleanly in order to also achieve a high execution score (“E-score”).

The meaning behind the D-score is well known to most of us who follow elite gymnastics, but what exactly makes up the D-score? Is it every single element? What about connections? Rather than combing through the 200+ page Code of Points, check out my summary below to learn about the nitty gritty.

The “Must Haves”

The most basic element to keep in mind is the Composition Requirements (CR). The CR for Beam, Floor and Bars actually total the same number = 2.5 points. In order to earn the 2.5 points, a gymnast must include certain things in her routine. For Balance Beam, the gymnast must connect at least two dance elements, one being a leap where the split hits 180 degrees. Secondly, they must include a turn during the routine. There must be one acrobatic series consisting of at least two flight elements, and one must be a salto. The gymnast must perform acrobatic elements in different directions (sideways or forward, and backward). Lastly, they must include a dismount. Dismounts at D-level or higher are awarded the full 0.5 points, C-level slightly less, but A or B elements are awarded no points. At the elite level, gymnasts will almost always satisfy the CR unless there is a major error in the routine.

The Magic Number 8

It may be surprising to learn that not every skill competed during a gymnast’s routine will count toward their D-score (although some elements may be used to satisfy the CR, such as a full turn or leap series). Judges take only the 8 highest elements throughout a routine. Within the Code of Points, elements are given a letter value from A to H based on how difficult the skill is deemed to be. An “A” skill is ranked at the low end, worth only 0.1, and this goes up by 0.1 increments, with an “H” skill being worth 0.8 points.

On beam, the dismount is always included in the top 8, and only a maximum of five acrobatic elements may be counted, thereby encouraging gymnasts to include tough dance skills as well.

To provide an example, consider Simone Biles’ beam routine, which has the potential to score a whopping 6.5 D-score. Simone has a lot of difficult acrobatic moves in her routine, including her dismount (full twisting double tuck, an G-level skill). But at least three of her top 8 elements must be dance, so she includes some tough dance skills as well, the most notable example being her 2 ½ turn in a tuck stand, an E-level skill.

Connect it!

In addition to the CR and top 8 skills, Connection Value (CV) is also added in to the D-score. The more acrobatic and dance moves the gymnast can connect in one routine, the more points she will receive on her D-score. While maintaining connections is difficult on all three events where they are used, it could be argued that the Beam is where it is most tricky. Gymnasts are already performing tough skills on a 4-inch apparatus, where their balance and coordination is essential. To connect multiple elements makes this event even more tricky, though it can really give a gymnast an edge over a fellow competitor.

The Code of Points assigns a certain connection value depending on which skills are being connected. For instance, two C-level acrobatic elements in connection yields an extra 0.1, while a B+F acrobatic connection will yield an extra 0.2 points. This holds true for dance connections as well. Gymnasts receive even more CV if they connect 3 or more acrobatic elements in a row for what is called a “Series Bonus,” in addition to receiving any other connection value from the series. Back to Simone’s routine, when she performs her tumbling series of back handspring step-out followed by two back layouts w/ stepouts, she earns 0.1 Connection Value for connecting two C acrobatic elements (the layouts) but also receives the “Series Bonus” of 0.1 for connecting 3 in a row.

Putting it All Together - The Final D-score

To illustrate the make-up of the D-score, we can look at how Simone’s routine (from 2014 P&Gs) is shaped in terms of Composition Requirements, 8 Highest Elements, and Connection Value.

Simone fully satisfies the CR with her switch leap connected into a switch leap with ½ turn (leap series), her 2 ½ turn in tuck stand (turn), her back handspring stepout and two back layouts stepout series (acrobatic series), her aerial cartwheel (acrobatic elements in different directions), and, finally, her double twisting double tuck dismount. This gives her a total of 2.5 points.

Simone’s 8 highest elements, with a max of 5 acrobatic, are: her full twisting double tuck dismount (G), her free walkover (D), her aerial cartwheel (D), her front tuck (D), her back layout (C), her 2 ½ turn in tuck stand (E), her switch leap with a ½ turn (D), and her switch leap (C). Combined, this gives her a total of 3.4 points.

Lastly, Connection Value. As discussed above, Simone’s acrobatic series gives her 0.2 total from connection and series bonus. She also connects a free walkover into a split jump (+0.1), a switch leap into a switch leap with a ½ turn (+0.1), the switch leap w/ half turn into a back pike (0.1) and she gets an addition series bonus of 0.1 from her dismount (back handspring, back handspring, full twisting double tuck). Total connection value is 0.6

Totaling all three of these numbers together, you’re left with Simone’s D-score of 6.5.

 

Now, the next time you watch a beam routine, we hope you'll have some idea of what the D-score is all about!