For those reading without prior experience as a gymnast, the thought of trying to sit, stand, walk or even breathe on a balance beam that’s four inches wide without stumbling might bring some fear.
How about compiling a routine with acrobatic skills, turns, jumps and dismounts? For most of us, that’s likely far from imaginable. It’s a narrative that gymnasts of all skill levels are told quite often, and most of them laugh it off. They all know of the difficulties, but it gives artistic gymnasts a channel to display their elegance and skills.
Then there’s Rachel Baumann, the Georgia freshman who takes her adoration of a beam routine to the next level for those very reasons.