Looking for the best gymnastics beam for home use? We’ve got you covered with everything you need to know! From stability to safety, this guide breaks down the top picks to help you find the perfect fit for your gymnast.
Undoubtedly the best beam currently available is the Laser Beam PRO. It feels like a real beam and has brightly coloured lines to help gymnasts orientate themselves whilst practicing. It’s made by Tumbl Trak, a trusted company that sells worldwide which is why there are two beams by Tumbl Trak recommended by us.
However the Laser Beam is expensive so if you are looking for something on a smaller budget and will fold away after use, then the Marfula Folding Beam is for you.
Check out our full recommendations below.
Considerations
A gymnastics beam for home can be an awesome choice but before making a decision on which one is right for you, consider:
- How much space do you have?
- Where you will store it?
- The size and ability of the person who will use it.
- If you will need additional safety matting.
If you have the space, I’d recommend going for at least an 8 feet long Beam as this will suffice for most gymnasts at home. Anything less than 8 feet could become too small as your gymnast advances. If you do opt for less than 8 feet try to find something that can be extended easily either by velcro or something similar.
Best Beam for Home Use: Laser Beam PRO
The best gymnastics beam for home use is the Laser Beam PRO because of two main features:
- It is suede so replicates the feel of a real beam in the gym
- It is wider than a competition beam and has bright lines that clearly show where the edge of a competition beam would be
Although the Laser Beam Pro isn’t designed to be more than a couple of inches from the floor, the length and feel help build confidence and develop more advanced skills safely. The distinctive colored lines help gymnasts spot their landings and develop better spatial awareness.
Tumbl Trak equipment is found in gym facilities around the world, including here at Synergy Gymnastics, so you know you are getting a product that is used by professionals. The Laser Beam is a solid wood beam wrapped in foam to cushion landings. It is then finished with a suede surface to replicate professional balance beams.
The Laser Beam Lite version is shorter at 8 feet long but is a great pick if you don’t have room for the full 16-foot Pro version. Two Lite version beams can be joined together to create a full-size FIG competition-length beam.
Best Folding Beam: Marfula
At around $50 this is your best choice in terms of low cost. In the past, I’ve been weary of buying Gymnastics products via Amazon but the Marfula Beam is well-made and has one year guarantee. Their customer service is efficient as well.
Even though it’s on the cheaper side, there is still an anti-slip surface on the bottom (an essential feature) and overall it’s well-made. A rating of 4.7 out of 5 from over 400 reviews is reassuring too. The top is made with Vinyl which makes it easy to clean (we have started using Vinyl mats in the gym for the same reason).
There are 6, 8, 9 and feet versions, all with velcro ends to enable them to connect up and extend safely. The carry bag is a nice touch as well.
Best Extendable Beam: Tumbl Trak Brianna
The Tumbl Trak Brianna Beam is a perfect choice if you need something that can be extended (or shortened) easily. The velcro flap at each end reveals a slot to fit a wooden dowel. Once connected, the flaps then cleverly give the look of one long beam.
This is ideal if you’re starting out with an 8-foot beam but need more length in later years. Simply buy another Brianna and you then have your full-length 16-foot beam.
Even when connecting multiple beams, they are really sturdy thanks to the large, padded stands. This makes it suitable for intermediate and more advanced skills.
Best Adjustable Balance Beam: Fbsport
The Fbsport Adjustable is a great beam for when you want to future-proof your purchase. By adjusting between 18-24 inches gymnasts will be able to increase height as their confidence grows. This beam can also be set up as a floor beam by switching the adjustable risers with lower floor stands but this will take a few minutes and some tools to unscrew and switch over the legs so you won’t want to do that too often.
Once it’s in the high mode it feels strong and sturdy and the feet prevent it from slipping. At 8 feet long it’s half the length of a beam you’ll find in the gym. You’ve also got the choice of four colors to pick from which is cool.
Get a 10% discount at FB Sport with the code SYNERGY10
Best Floor Beam: Z-Athletic Beam Mat
If you are looking for something even lower than a beam, a floor mat with a printed beamline is ideal. The advantage for younger or newer gymnasts is that there is zero danger of slipping off. The mat will still act as a great guide for keeping a cartwheel, roll or walkover in a straight line.
Many of these types of mats are reversible as they will have prints on either side. For example, the Z-Athletic Mat has cartwheel hand and feet layouts. I’ve also seen some with Hopscotch marked out.
Because of the size, these mats are great for up to age 6 or 7. I find many gymnasts get too tall after that. You could join two mats together, but I’ve not come across any that are purposely designed to join up with velcro.
Best Gymnastics Beam for Storage: Z-Athletic
Anyone familiar with gymnastics floors will recognize that the Z-Athletic Roll Up Beam is simply a narrow strip of full-size roll-up floor found in many gyms. The flexible foam allows it to roll up when not in use, saving plenty of space and making it easy to carry.
This is a good beam for beginners who need to work on traveling steps or static balances. But it’s not so great for more advanced skills as the beam can move and lift at the ends. You could attach tape or velcro underneath to stop this from happening but I wouldn’t recommend it – I’d probably invest in a foam beam instead.
At around $85, this isn’t the cheapest option but is certainly the best for storage.
9 Reasons to Practice Beam at Home
Practicing gymnastics at home can be tricky and potentially risky if it’s not done right. In fact many elite gymnasts are told not to practice at home for risk of injury. However training the Balance Beam at home can be hugely beneficial for a number of reasons.
1. Space saver
At only 4 inches wide and between 6 to 12 feet long, home balance beams only require a small space when being used. There should be plenty of space around the beam in case of a fall but even so, most people will have enough room somewhere to set up a beam safely.
Folding beams are very popular at home which makes storage even easier.
A full-size competition beam is just over 16 feet long and raised 4 feet in the air which would be tricky to replicate at home but by having a shorter and lower version at home, a gymnast can still make a lot of improvements in technique and execution.
The home balance beam, however, will suit pretty much every type of home, even ones with limited space.
2. Safe for home use
The most popular beams for home use are only raised a few inches off the ground. A typical foam beam will be between 2-3 inches in height reducing the chance of injury during a loss of balance or fall.
It also means you don’t need lots of additional matting underneath and around the beam, as you would see with a full-height beam.
There are slightly higher beams around for example the Fbsport Adjustable Beam which can go up to 24 inches from the floor. It is made from wood and covered in padded suede just like a regular beam you would find in the gym but at just half the height.
For the youngest gymnasts, a floor mat with a line is even lower in height (less than an inch) but still provides a good training aid for the home. Likewise, many air tracks for home use also have a solid line through the middle to replicate a beam. These are also great as they reduce the height and chance of serious injury.
3. Value for money
Gymnastics can be expensive BUT a home Balance Beam provides excellent value for money.
You can pick up a reasonable quality 8 ft foam beam on Amazon for around $35 – $40. Compared with the cost of a bar, trampoline or air track, the balance beam is one of the cheapest items in a home gymnastics setup. So if you are just starting out and are unsure whether the whole idea of home practice will work (or be forgotten about after five minutes!), a beam is the ideal way to find out without spending a lot of money.
My choice for a beam on a budget is the Marfula Folding Beam which can be found on Amazon for under $40.
4. Improve balance
Balance can be divided into two categories; static (holding/freezing in balance) and dynamic (moving whilst keeping balance).
Both will improve with extra training at home and there is plenty of crossover into other elements of Gymnastics. For example, the technique of holding a static balance will need the head forward, back straight and arms extended. We use exactly the same points when landing a vault or landing a dismount from the bars.
Examples of Static Balances to practice at home:
- One leg balance
- Arabesque
- Y-Scale
- Handstand
Examples of Dynamic Balances to practice at home:
- Traveling forwards, backward and sideways
- Dance sequences
- Leaps
- Jumps
- Acro skills
Most of these elements are relatively safe on a home balance beam except the more acrobatic skills such as cartwheels, walkovers or back handspring. I do not recommend trying these without professional guidance as poor technique can lead to serious injury.
5. Combinations are endless
Once you’ve got a bank of skills that can be confidently performed on the beam, the next step is to start linking them together to form a routine. Combinations of both dynamic and static type skills can be combined in any order you like.
Get creative!
You could try and link a forward roll into a split leap or a full-turn jump.
Have you tried to link a back walkover into a spin?
Gymnasts already working towards competitions may have been given set routines to practice and it’s still a good idea to dedicate a large portion of time to that. However, sometimes it’s good just to try something new or to focus on something different for a while so that your mind doesn’t get overwhelmed.
6. Success is easy to spot
Working on the beam doesn’t require a whole lot of experience to spot success.
Because success = staying on!
Sure there are a lot of techniques to master and I’m not pretending it’s an easy piece of apparatus to get good at. I actually think it’s the hardest to master out of any apparatus – male or female. But if you are staying on the beam consistently whilst performing a skill that was tricky a few months ago, you don’t need an expert to tell you improvements have happened.
At some point, you will need the advice of a professional coach if you want to advance further, but as a parent trying to offer support, it’s great to be able to spot success and say ‘Well done!’. Let’s face it, with many other elements of gymnastics, parents can be unsure if something is being done correctly or not and we rely on the coach’s opinion and feedback.
7. Confidence builder
Improving at Gymnastics is all about the repetition of practice and the awesome thing about having a beam at home is that a gymnast can build their confidence by repeating a skill time and time again at a safer, lower height.
The plan is always to then move it up to the next height on the competition-sized beam in the real gym and to link it into a routine.
The Laser Beam and Laser Beam Lite are fantastic for growing a gymnast’s confidence as they mark out the width of a competition beam on a slightly wider version. This beam is not only used at home but in professional gyms around the world.
As a coach, it is easy to spot the gymnasts who are putting in the extra repetitions both at home and in the gym – and they are the ones who have the best chance of being confident and making progress. I don’t recommend being a completely self-taught gymnast and would encourage anyone thinking of learning gymnastics to get professional guidance at some point.
8. Longevity
As your gymnast grows in height, ability and confidence the equipment they use will need to grow in size as well. Look out for foam beams that have velcro at either end meaning they can be extended to 6, 8, 12 feet or even the full length of 16 feet.
Foam beams can’t be raised any further up from the floor so if you are looking for a beam that can be adjusted in height, you would need to consider something like the Tumble Trak Addie Beam which has optional leg raisers taking it up to 12 inches from the ground.
By future-proofing your beam you will save money in the long term and ensure your gymnast is not held back from working on new, harder skills.
9. Easy to Move
Pretty much any type of home balance beam is easy to move. Most are lightweight and the foldable ones are super easy to pack up and move. So if the weather is great outside, it will only take a moment to set up your session in the garden.
Need to move to another room – no problem, you’ll be back up and running in seconds!
Conclusion
In conclusion, finding the perfect gymnastics beam for home can significantly elevate your training experience. We have explored a range of top-rated options that provide stability, durability, and safety. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gymnast, investing in a high-quality beam will enable you to practice and perfect your skills right from the comfort of your own home. Choose the beam that suits your needs and take your gymnastics journey to new heights.
Remember, consistency and dedication are key, and with the right beam, you can unleash your full potential. Happy practicing!
FAQs
Are folding balance beams any good?
Yes, folding balance beams can be excellent for home practice. They offer convenience, portability, and easy storage. Made with high-density foam and a non-slip surface, they closely mimic the feel of a competition beam, allowing gymnasts to practice their routines safely. However, it’s crucial to choose a folding beam with sturdy construction and a reliable locking mechanism to ensure stability during use.
How can I improve my beam skills?
Improving your beam skills at home involves consistent practice, focused drills, and strength conditioning:
- Regular Practice: Set aside dedicated time every day or several times a week to practice on your home balance beam.
- Master the Basics: Before attempting advanced moves, ensure that you are confident with basic skills like mounts, turns, and leaps.
- Focused Drills: Work on specific drills to improve balance, alignment, and precision. For instance, practice walking on the beam with a book on your head to enhance stability and posture.
- Strength Conditioning: Strengthen your core, legs, and arms with exercises like planks, squats, and push-ups. A strong body foundation helps with better control on the beam.
- Watch & Learn: Analyze videos of professional gymnasts to understand the techniques and movements. This can provide insights into areas of improvement.
- Seek Feedback: If possible, record your routines and review them. You can also ask a coach or an experienced gymnast for feedback.
What age is a balance beam good for?
Balance beams can be introduced to children as young as two or three years old, using beams that are low to the ground and well-padded. At this age, the beam helps develop basic motor skills, balance, and coordination.
As children grow and their skills advance, they can transition to higher and more professional beams. However, it’s essential to ensure that the beam’s height and difficulty level are appropriate for the gymnast’s age, skill, and confidence level. Adult gymnasts and enthusiasts can also benefit from practicing on balance beams at home.
Always ensure safety by using mats and having supervision, especially for younger children or beginners.
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