6 Amazing Balance Beam Workers - Gymnastics

[@JennaLeigh]

I am ashamed to admit that I was not super familiar with Yang Bo's beam work before this video. I was absolutely enthralled watching her flexibility. Shannon Miller will always be my favorite gymnast ever, and Catalina Ponor's beam work is magical. Gutsu and Lysenko are forces in their own right. Awesome list!

[@Gymnastly]

Yang Bo has one element named after her, which is a beautiful split jump with her body arched and her head dropped back, you can see it on the 2:51 minute mark.

[@pappysprite]

This is Yang Bo's best recorded beam ever. She was phenomenal, but generally unlucky when she needed to hit the most. However, at the world cup, she deserved a 10 on this routine... kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqjFfZmLaNV9aM0

[@karaamundson3964]

I ADORE Yang Bo. Her jumps are outta this world.

[@JennaLeigh]

@@Gymnastly uber late reply, sorry! But I'm so glad you time stamped that! When I first saw it, it caught my eye and I thought "whoa- what was that??!?!" I kinda assumed it was a ring leap. She's amazing.

[@JennaLeigh]

@@pappysprite please accept my apologies for this late reply! Thank You for the further insight and context on Yang Bo. I have to agree with you- I think a 10 would have been well deserved on that routine!💖

[@cherylcheung5588]

What I love most about Catalina is she always gave her incredible dismount from her beam

[@Gymnastly]

She did and she even did a doble layout in practice.

[@staceymackinnon9366]

Wow, Shannon Miller is amazing! Her beam work looks to be the most solid and varied of all those featured.

[@Gymnastly]

She was awesome on beam.

[@saragrant9749]

She had a natural style and seemed so comfortable up there. The mark of any great balance beam worker!

[@smileypantscuppycake122]

Cata is my number one also. I just LOVE her style and complete mastery of every skill and nuance.

[@Gymnastly]

I miss her and I wish she hadn't retired.

[@carron979]

Right! ...Catalina is the queen of the Beam

[@Gymnastly]

Queen Cata!

[@noeldunsky]

Ponor made me cry in Athens 2004 - her beam there was so natural and flawless :)

[@Inyourlap]

Catalina! Come back one more time please!

[@anderwin7978]

UU NO is imposible.

[@georgiaa.9290]

She won the European beam championship 2017

[@Gymnastly]

Oh, I also wish that Cata came back!

[@adamtravis9380]

Surprised not to see Nastia or Shawn

[@Gymnastly]

When you make a video with just 6 amazing gymnasts on beam throughout history, you have to make sacrifices and leave some great gymnasts out. Anyway, you can see both Nastia and Shawn on many other montages I made, for example on my "6 Amazing US Gymnasts" video.

[@karaamundson3964]

I'm glad Shannon made the U.S. cut. She was so consistently strong, graceful, & innovative

[@cannsmith]

I always loved watching Nastia she was so different it was like she was dancing along the beam so smooth and elegant not as focused on power.

[@kp395]

I would really love to see Cata. competing for Tokyo. The olympic beam EF just doesnt make sense without her :\

[@Gymnastly]

I totally agree. I can't conceive a beam final without Catalina Ponor.

[@carron979]

yap! after all she retired and came back so many times...I hope the organizers will put a lot of pressure on her...just one more come back!!!not a big deal...

[@actorboy2]

Catalina Ponor and Shannon Miller are my favorite beam workers of all time! I understand the omission of Shawn Johnson though. While she is incredible, she really only had one routine over the course of 6 years ish. These ladies had long careers with many different routines and skill types.

[@noeldunsky]

For me the Balance Beam is the epitome of gymnastics as it combines it all: strength, flexibility, balance, fearlessness and nerves of steel...as so much as life itself. Beam work for me is a metaphor for life, as it is all about finding the balance and pushing through courageously...:)

[@Gymnastly]

Thanks so much for your beautiful comment, Noel; so eloquently put.

[@noeldunsky]

@@Gymnastly with pleasure! I actually have a mini-dream: to attend the finals in the Paris Olympics or at World's...:)

[@MrCARRIVERO]

Catalina the Queen 😍

[@Gymnastly]

Hail the Queen!

[@jerrybaena6161]

Oh Catalina, I also believe she's the queen of beam, she accomplished such mastery in this apparatus, she has a set up and confidence like no one else, almost no fear or respect for the beam. As 2019 came and she did gave no signals of coming back i thought it's over she retired forever, but now as Olympics are delayed one year more I don't know, maybe the stars are aligning for one more comeback. I believe she still has the hunger of competition, I pray to gym Gods for a miracle.

[@Gymnastly]

I hope those gym Gods hear you.

[@cambk7392]

What about Shawn Johnson ?

[@georgiaa.9290]

She’s good, but not spectacular

[@Gymnastly]

With a list of only 6, I had to leave some gymnasts out. But you can see Shawn Johnson in some other videos I made, for example, check out "6 Amazing US Gymnasts".

[@MANISHASINGH-sj2vz]

I missd her too ..i love her personality 😊

[@elisabethong38748]

@@georgiaa.9290 how dare you

[@aleckzanderburroughs1442]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽I LOVE Catalina Ponor‼️

[@shushunovafan4301]

Dudnik. Good video though, who doesn't love Yang Bo?

[@johanarteaga7622]

shushunovafan I know right. Yang Bo is staple to what a beam worker should be. The greatest on the beam

[@EdGringo78]

shushunovafan Me!! She’s the most overrated gymnast of all time, along with Alexandra Marinescu and Dominique Moceanu.

[@Gymnastly]

If overrating means being overscored, many people on this channel have pointed out Aly Raisman on uneven bars at the 2016 Rio Games (in qualifying).

[@cherylcheung5588]

There were a few phenomenal beam workers from old school China worth included in this video.. My Romanian queen of beam Catalina Ponor was untouchable when she was at her pinnacle of her gymnastic career... Look at her dismount in this video... Totally believably tough to perform :)

[@karaamundson3964]

Nonetheless, if I were to pick one of the many fantastic OG Chinese beam workers... Yang Bo all the way!

[@Gymnastly]

Yang Bo could have been a world champion on beam. She just needed to stick her dismount.

[@CarlitosJS]

CataQueen Ponor 👑

[@Gymnastly]

Beam 👑

[@humbertopena1038]

Yes! Ponor Queen ❤️

[@Gymnastly]

One of the greatest.

[@georgiaa.9290]

This would have been what u would have done, Great video. Catalina is da best

[@Gymnastly]

It was a shame that she retired, seen how Romania is doing, she could have made it to Tokyo 2020.

[@georgecatalinnicuta8559]

Catalina Ponor verry strong and flexibile same tine . No mistakes and dificult dismont .

[@cristinav5043]

yay for catalina!!! 🇷🇴

[@Gymnastly]

Very few other gymnasts have competed a 5-skills acrobatic series on beam.

[@saragrant9749]

Here’s the thing everyone- this is THIS PERSON’S choice of amazing beam workers. If you have others you like, make your own video with those athletes on it!! The challenge is, there have been so many incredible beam workers through time- Nadia, Daniela, Shawn J, Nastia, more Chinese gymnasts than I could list, a few Russians to boot- you could probably make a two hour video and still not get them all!

[@brianwhiterman8438]

Shawn Johnson should’ve absolulety have been on this list! I get it that she didn’t have the best flexibility, but she had a very long routine with lots and lots of tricks, and that turn with the leg up is one of the best i’ve ever seen... her beam work is one of the reasons I fell in live with the sport!

[@Gymnastly]

She's not on this one but you can check her out on my "6 Amazing US Gymnasts" video, showing some of her beam work.

[@karaamundson3964]

Shannon was the best of the U.S. for consistency, grace, & innovation.

[@jhonborges9199]

yes!!

[@Namastephie]

Why is Li Li left off of every list? She was amazing!

[@JennaLeigh]

For me personally Li Li always stands out more on bars.

[@Gymnastly]

Her work on bars was spectacular and innovative.

[@awesome7591]

i also like: Deng LinLin, Sui Lu, Simone biles, Shawn Johnson, Nastia lukin, Sanne Wavers

[@Gymnastly]

They are all awesome. Definitely room to make another "6 Amazing Beam Workers" video. I'll add your ideas to my video suggestions list, so stay tuned.

[@Sonrisa1981]

@@Gymnastly Sanne Wevers is special because she has such a different/unique style and is very graceful on BB. So I vote for her too: +1. And Shawn Johnson and Simone Biles also +1 from me. ;) Great video, with great gymnasts though, thanks!!

[@BegueBackspinner88]

Carly Patterson worked beam so effortlessly. Another less known would be Ludmilla Yezhova

[@Gymnastly]

She was not only amazing, but she used to do original combinations that nobody else did.

[@misoginainternalizadaopres7131]

Groshkova? Comaneci but no Filatova? Dudnik? Ana Porgras? I'm excited with the new chinese beamers tho!

[@karaamundson3964]

Lovely! Great soundtrack, too

[@Gymnastly]

I'm glad you like the music. It's from the Royalty Free Music Library KZbin channel: kzbin.info .

[@marcusljf8388]

Deng Linlin? Sui Lu?

[@Gymnastly]

I know, it was a very tough call, but with only a short list, somebody is always left out. However, they are featured on some of my other videos, such as 6 Amazing Chinese Gymnasts and 6 Amazing Balance Beam Connections, so you can see them there.

[@marcusljf8388]

Just Artistic Gymnastics OK, noted.

[@angelfuck.1203]

Great video! ❤

[@Gymnastly]

Thanks so much!

[@angelfuck.1203]

Just Artistic Gymnastics Youre welcome 😊

[@guillemgamell7945]

i somewhat the list would be exactly like this. if you extended it you couldn’t leave out Dudnik and Li Li. love that 5th, 4th, 3rd and 2nd are all from the same era. Barcelona Olympics had the best beam workers of all time!

[@Gymnastly]

I should make an Olesya Dudnik video tribute (just about Olesya) soon.

[@JennaLeigh]

Thank you! Barcelona Olympics were my first to really watch and study gymnastics, and my faves are mostly all from that era: Miller, Zmeskal, Dawes, Okino, Gutsu, Boginskaya, Onodi, Milosovich, Gogean, Bo, Kim....... just listing them here Im thinking "man....Barcelona really DID have the best BB workers!!"

[@Squarehammer1]

Miller

[@jojox9791]

6....so difficult to choose I'm sure, but love your selections

[@Gymnastly]

Thank you! (I'm trying to answer a few of the old comments I haven't responded to).

[@karaamundson3964]

Me too! A joy to watch

[@enchantedella6495]

The list says, 6 amazing beam workers. it doesn't say 6 best beam workers of all time. Just because you think Shawn Johnson is amazing doesn't mean she should be on this list

[@Gymnastly]

Thanks for your comment, Isabella. It shows that you totally get the point of the video.

[@Wwekiddd]

It’s a crime to not have Nastia Luikin on here!!!

[@Gymnastly]

Again, variety... Nastia, being one of my favorite gymnasts has featured in many of my videos. In fact, you should check out my Nastia Liukin Tribute video.

[@ilirvelja56]

nr 1 Ponor nr 2 Biles nr 3 Liukin nr4 Corbut nr5 Johnson nr6 Miler Best balance beam workers

[@carolegastin2495]

Superbe 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@pappysprite]

Gutsu's beam routine was so ahead of it's time. She really was remarkable, especially with the standing full. Another absolute phenomenal beam worker was Dudnik. This routine deserved a 10. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKWqnKVtnJ6SZpo

[@Gymnastly]

I love Dudnik, she was great in all the events, not only on beam. You can check her out on my "6 Amazing Soviet Gymnasts" video.

[@uwuwuwuwuwu4160]

they have to put Shawn Johnson too

[@Gymnastly]

Keep an eye out for the next 6 Amazing Balance Beam Workers and you'll see whether Shawn Johnson makes it.

[@cocobeebe]

It's Yang for me.

[@sallydaniel1023]

Mo Huilan is another great beam worker

[@Gymnastly]

She was.

[@jhonborges9199]

Shawn Jhonson vendo essa lista '-'

[@Gymnastly]

I hope she doesn't get upset, she features in many other videos I've made.

[@ivanterrones2692]

Daniela Silivas instead of Lysenko

[@sallydaniel1023]

Or Dobre

[@jadeyukiful]

Buen video y no veo necesidad de nombrar a Johnson

[@anderwin7978]

Es muy cierto.

[@anderwin7978]

Tal vez ,podría ser Nastia Liukin.

[@Gymnastly]

Cuando haces una lista de sólo 6 gimnastas, tienes que dejar alguna gimnasta fuera que merecería estar en la lista.

[@elisabethong38748]

Shawn?

[@Gymnastly]

A great beam worker indeed. With only 6 gymnasts in the video, someone had to be left out, though.

[@chercher304]

I would have put sui lu here

[@SkippyTheCat22]

And Svetlana Boginskaia?

[@Gymnastly]

When you make a list about only 6 gymnasts, you always have to leave out someone as fantastic as Boguinskaia.

[@paduitjasons.1755]

not even close to Shawn

[@erinjohnson1124]

Shawn Johnson not in this lineup when her Olympic beam performances were literally perfect? Video null and void now. 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@sarahderek2316]

These are clearly the video maker's favorite beam workers, not the most perfect or the best.

[@Gymnastly]

Exactly, this is my list of 6 favorites. But for Shawn Johnson, anybody can check out my "6 Amazing US Gymnasts" video.

[@karaamundson3964]

Every beam great has her strengths and weaknesses. Shawn rarely faltered on the beam, though her landings were pretty much never without deductions. I love Shannon because she was equally consistent but exceptionally graceful and innovative as well.