You'll probably need a few years before it's time to think about a level 5 team. I've been tumbling for about 11 years and JUST got my full. I'm not telling you it's impossible, because it's not! (I take FOREVER to learn tumbling skills) But you have to be realistic.
Skipping the basics like back bends, handstands and cartwheels seems like the easy way out, but in reality, it will only make your back handsprings, roundoffs, tucks and anything more advanced, (let's be blunt) really ugly and really difficult and really dangerous.
I can say this from personal experience. I never learned how to do walkovers, and I can barely do a backbend right now due to shoulder and back flexibility. This holds me back from my team because it really screws up my technique in my tumbling, especially standing. It's really upsetting to barely have level 4 standing tumbling when your entire team is doing standing hand hand fulls and double fulls. This is why I tell you to PLEASE practice your basics because I don't want you to be "that girl" who stands in the back like me while everyone tumbles. Make them perfect before you move on to anything else.
Don't be afraid to go to a beginner's tumbling class. A coach is the perfect person to show you drills, give you tips, and spot you on any skills that you need to work on.
Also, just keep practicing! Without practice, it's impossible to get better! It's like math class. If you don't understand what's being taught, do you expect to magically know everything on the test once it's handed to you? No, you have to ask your teacher questions, look at examples, and do your homework. Lastly, you have to BELIEVE in yourself! If you can dream it, you can do it!
To conclude this novel, my suggestion is to work on these things at home too. For back bends, it's entirely possible that your shoulders aren't flexible enough to push your upper body off the floor (like me!) To check, put your arms straight up and see how far you can reach behind your ears. If it's not much, then here's what I do. Sit on your knees facing your bed and put your forearms (hands face down) on it directly in front of you. Then put your head in between your arms and relax, letting your head hang there. You should feel your shoulders start to stretch! Do it every day for only 5 minutes a day and you will see a huge difference! Otherwise, a coach can give you wonderful tips and drills to practice at the gym and at home for these skills. Good luck!! :)
