Franklin Sports Gymnastics Balance Beam

I picked up the Franklin sports balance beam as part of an effort to get back in shape. I did competative balance beam as a teen and thought it would be fun and also help me work on skills other types of exercise do not. Now, if this is the reason you are looking at it, you might give it a higher rating. My assumption is that most people are looking for something more. It is something I would have loved as a kid, but there are some real problems with it in comparison to a real balance beam. The most obvious is that it is flat on the floor. That eliminates a lot of potential moves. I could not have practiced even my elementary routine on this (half) beam. A problem that I had not anticipated until I set it up and tried it is that it is foam. That makes it a bit easier for little feet to grip, but also does not give you the feedback a real beam does. In ways masking out an area on the floor would be more realistic (because it is hard, not giving like foam). On the pro side, it's being close to the floor means that injuries should be less common and less severe. On the other hand, what prevented me from setting it up for a while is that I did not have crash mats (and do have a hard stone floor). It is light, easy to set up and move, and to store. It could be used outside on a lawn which would provide decent cushioning, for a fall from 2". It might satisfy a young child who had never been on a real balance beam, but for anyone who has, the differences are readily apparent. Having this at home would not have spared my having to go to the gym to practice. I think it is an interesting piece of equipment and good for learning or practicing balance but between the height, length and the fact that it is foam, which your feet actually sink in when you stand on it.... it bears almost no resemblance to a real balance beam. I would rate it 4 stars for seniors or toddlers to practice balance 1 or 2 stars for a child who is interested in learning or practicing balance beam, 0-1 for someone who wants it to practice for competition. Pros: inexpensive Light weight: easy to move and to store Lower height means injuries less likely Velcro connections for crash mats Cons Half the length of a real beam Sitting on the floor eliminates a lot of elementary moves a beginner would learn/ want to practice While there is velcro to attach to a crash mat, those mats are higher/ deeper than the beam itself! Because it is light weight it is easy to move/ store. That also means it can slip on a hard floor The foam is completely unrealistic. It gives under your feet, which no other beam I have used does. While Franklin has pictures of girls doing handstands on it, that is very difficult because it is foam. You grip it in a different way than wood, and it is springy. In short, it is nothing like a real beam, and kids who use it to practice for their school team, e.g. would probably be better off not practicing than practicing on something that gives different feedback, and requires a different grip If my dog ever finds it, it will not last 5 minutes. I would say that is also true for a cat, or hamster.