Women’s gymnastics is a marquee sport at the Summer Olympics, but otherwise doesn’t get much attention outside a dedicated group of fans.
I’m one of those fans, as well as a former (decidedly not Olympic-caliber) gymnast, and I’m here to help you watch with a more discerning eye. Do you want to know what’s required on each apparatus? Which skills are hardest? How to tell good routines from great? You’re in the right place.
Here, we will look at the balance beam — starting with the basics and then moving into technical details. You can choose a quick primer or go as deep as you want.