Since there are literally hundreds of different balance beams found on the internet, I made this video to help you differentiate between all of them and enable you to purchase the gymnastics beam best suited for your situation.
Click Here to see how we've really simplified the selection of Home Use Beams down to focus strictly on providing the highest quality and safest beams on the market.
Our Foam Balance Beams are considered Beginner Balance Beams. These two beams are identical except that one is grey and the other is pink and bears Olympic Champion, Nastia Liukin's signature screen-printed on the surface. As the name suggests, these beams are made out of a firm polyethylene foam. The top surface is 4" wide, and then tapers out to a base that is approximately 6" wide to provide stability. The thickness of the foam is 2" and is firm enough for the gymnast to walk across and perform basic tumbling and dance skills and leaps.
The Junior Balance Beams are a step up from the Beginner Beams in that these beams are manufactured with a wood core as opposed to foam. They are covered with a padded suede very similar to what you find on competitive balance beams. The working surface of these beams is also 4" wide and the top of the beam is approximately 5-1/2" off the ground. You'll also notice that these beams have 3 support legs underneath, making them much more stable and durable than other brands that you will find on the market. You'll see that there are 2 lengths to choose from on the Junior Balance Beams – the 8' length and the 10' length. It is important to realize that the 8' beam can ship via Fedex for around $35-$45 dollars anywhere in the continental US. However, the 10' Junior Beam is too long to ship via FedEx or UPS, so it must ship via a trucking company. This will typically cost about $120 – $200 depending on where in the US you live.
Training Balance Beams are the last type of balance beams American Gymnast sells for home use. For this, see our AG Low Padded Balance Beam, which is 12' long, 12" high to the top of the beam, and is manufactured with a steel core, making it the most durable of our Home Use Balance Beams. This beam would be best suited for girls that are already competing and want a solid balance beam that can accommodate all of their leaps and tumbling and dance skills. This beam also must ship motor freight, but is generally pretty reasonable to ship for around $140 – $200 depending on where you live in the US.
Of course, occasionally we have customers that want a full-length 16-1/2' long competitive style balance beam for home use. And yes, we sell those too … but we have them listed under our more general category here, since it is usually coaches or gym owners that are purchasing those.
If you ever have questions or don't see exactly what you are looking for, don't hesitate to pick up the phone and give us a call (1-877-789-2267), or just Instant Message our online support staff.
Thanks for shopping with American Gymnast. It's more than a name. It's who we are!
What's the Best Way to Mat Your Balance Beams?