Gymnastics Skills A-Z By Level

Level 1 gymnastics skills requirements have a floor routine with a forward and backward roll, split jump, cartwheel, and three-quarter handstand.

Although Level 1 is not competitive, the routines in Level 1 are compulsory and are standard routines, meaning that all gymnasts need to master them before moving on to the next level.

Intermediate gymnastics skills have the minimum age to participate in this level is set at 4 years old. This is the first stage where they learn the basics.

The Level 1 requirements for the bar routine:

• Pullover
• Cast
• Back hip circle
• Dismount - either an underswing or a sole circle

Requirements for the vault routine:

• Basic jump onto the mat followed by a kick to a handstand position and fall flat on the back.

Requirements for the beam routine:

• Complete a front support mount
• Stretch jump
• 30-degree arabesque
• Needle kick
• Relevé lock stand
• Dismount - cartwheel to 3/4 handstand

Level 2 Gymnastics skills are not competitive but are compulsory similar to Level 1. It also has a standard routine that must be mastered to level up.

The gymnasts in this level have mastered Level 1 and are now eligible for participation in this level. It is a bit more complex than the previous level. The minimum age requirement for this level is set at 5 years old.

The floor routine requirements for Level 2:

• Round-off and backward roll.
• Handstand (hold for at least one second).
• Split jump and split leap with both legs separated at 60 degrees.
• 90-degree heel snap turn
• Backward roll to push-up position
• Bridge back kick-over

The requirements for the beam routine:

• Jump to the front support mount
• Stretch jump
• 30-degree arabesque
• Half pivot turn
• Dismount - cartwheel to handstand

The requirements for the bar routine:

• Cast
• Pullover
• Back hip circle
• Mill circle
• Single-leg basket swing
• Glide swing
• Dismount - underswing and one can squat to pike sole circle for a more complex dismount.

The requirements for the vault routine:

• From the mat stack, you have to jump to a handstand position and fall flat on your back.

Level 3 Gymnastics skills have four events and are slightly more difficult than Level 2. The minimum age requirement for this level is set at 6 years old.

This is the final level of the non-competitive or the recreational competitive program before making their way to the more competitive and serious levels.

The requirements for the floor routine:

• 90-degree split jump and split leap
• Handstand to bridge kick-over
• Backward roll to push-up position
• Round-off to a back handspring
• Handstand forward roll

The requirements for the beam routine:

• Handstand
• 90-degree split leap and split jump
• Straight jump
• Pivot turn
• Dismount - side handstand, 1/4 turn

The requirements for the vault routine:

• Gymnasts need to perform a handspring over an elevated mat surface.

The requirements for the bar routine:

• Front and back hip circle
• Glide swing and pullover
• Single leg squat
• Dismount  - stretch jump or underswing

Level 4 Gymnastics skills require gymnasts to be able to perform in four events with each gymnast performing the same standard routines. This level is compulsory as well as competitive.

At this level, the gyms will allow their gymnasts to compete and they will not be performing their individual or customized routines. This will be the first competitive level and the minimum age requirement is 7 years old.

The requirements for the floor routine:

• Straddle jump with 120-degree split
• Front handspring step-out
• Back walkover
• Back extension roll
• Two round-off back handspring
• Straight turn with a 180-degree turn
• Passe hop with a 135-degree turn

The requirements for the beam routine:

• Cartwheel
• Split jump and split leap with a 120-degree leg split
• Handstand
• Squat turn at 180-degree
• Dismount - cartwheel to a side handstand with 1/4 turn

The requirements for the bar routine:

• Pike glide kip or straddle
• Back hip circle
• Squat-on
• Cast to horizontal
• Long hang kip
• Dismount - tap swing 180-degree turn

The requirements for the vault routine:

• Front handspring with landing on both feet

The gymnast will be eligible to compete at the Level 4 Gymnastics Meet which is the first competition that they will participate in. The gymnasts need to attain a minimum score in order to qualify for Level 5.

Level 5 Gymnastics skills require a minimum score of 34AA that the gymnasts need to obtain at the Level 4 Meet to qualify for this level and master Level 4.

They must also be at least aged 7 during the Level 5 meet. This will be the second compulsory and competitive level and will also have four events with different sets of skills with each gymnast performing the same routine.

The requirements for the floor routine:

• Straddle jump 
• Stretch jump with full turn
• Split leap with 150-degree leg separation
• Front handspring step out
• Back extension roll
• Full turn
• Front tuck or aerial cartwheel or front aerial
• Round-off back handspring back tuck

The requirements for the beam routine:

• Straight Leap with 150-degree separation
• Split jump
• Cartwheel
• Sissonne
• Full turn
• Back walkover or back extension roll
• Dismount - back tuck

The requirements for the bar routine:

• Kip
• Long hand kip
• Long hang pullover
• Cast to above horizontal
• Clear hip to above horizontal
• Backward sole circle to clear front support
• Squat on
• Tap swings
• Dismount - flyway

The requirements for the vault routine:

• The same routine of a front handspring as in Level 4.

The same rules are applied for the Level 5 Meet and the gymnasts need to attain a score of 34AA to advance to the next level.

Level 6 Gymnastics skills optional routine must have 5"A" and 1 "B" skills. Gymnasts may skip this level if they obtained a 32AA score at Level 5. 

This level is the starting phase of the optional routines. The choreography of the routines is to be done keeping in mind the skills and difficulty as the gymnasts will be judged according to the skills and difficulty levels.

The level does have specific routine requirements that need to be fulfilled. These requirements need to be included in the choreography. 

Each skill has been asserted with a value with an "A" skill being the least difficult and an "E" skill being the most difficult level. The main importance at this level is given to the execution of the optional skills.

The requirements for the floor routine:

• One acro series with at least 3 elements and out of the three, 2 elements must have flight
• Aerial acro element or salto
• Dance passage that has a minimum of 2 different jumps, hops, or leaps, and one of them must include a 180-degree split
• One foot full turn

The requirements for the beam routine:

• A leap or jump with a full split
• One foot full turn
• Dismount - "A" minimum
• Acro series can be non-flight or one acro element with flight

The requirements for the bar routine:

• One bar change
• cast to 45-degree (minimum) above horizontal
• Any one of the 360-degree circle elements - clear hip circle, stalder circle or hecht, underswing
• Dismount - "A" minimum

The requirement for vault routine will require the gymnast to perform any one of the following:

• Front handspring
• 1/4-1/2 twist on and land on the mat stack
• Round-off entry onto table and land on mat stack

Level 7 Gymnastics skills have 5 "A" skills and 2 "B" skills in the routines. They must have obtained a minimum score of 32AA at Level 6 to reach this level.

The gymnasts who have skipped Level 6 as they have already achieved a score of 32AA at Level 5 can also be eligible for this level. The choreography is the same as the previous level with some compulsory routines.

The floor routine requirements are:

• A backward acrobatic combination that features a back somersault that is connected to a flight element.
• A front acro series is to be performed that includes a front salto
• Front or back layout landing on two feet
• Dance passage - minimum of two different skills and one has to be a leap with a full split
• A full turn on one foot

The beam routine requirements are:

• Acro series to be performed with two skills
• Acro flight skills
• A leap or a jump with a full split
• A full turn on one foot
• Dismount - "A" minimum

The bar routine requirements are:

• Cast to handstand
• 360-degree clear circle skills (x2) with one skill being a "B" and the other has to be either a clear hip circle, stalder circle or hecht, or underswing.
• Dismount - "A" minimum

The vault routine requirements are:

• The requirements are the same as of Level 6 with the option to choose from any of the three routines.

Level 8 Gymnastics skills will allow the gymnast to have their own unique routine and will choose their own skills which include 4 "A" and 4 "B" skills.

They will have the liberty to choose their own routine and use the skills of their will but will have to satisfy the skills requirements. This level is the start of the optional levels.

The floor routine requirements:

• A connected series of two or more acrobatic skills that includes two somersaults, either the same or different.
• Three different styles of saltos
• Dance passage - minimum 2 different leaps, hops, or jumps. One of them has to be a 180-degree side or cross split. 
• The final salto in a series, either isolated or connected, must be worth at least an "A" value.

The beam routine requirements:

• A full turn on one foot
• An acro series with two skills, one of which must be a flight element, and both of which must start and finish on the beam.
• A leap or jump with a full split
• Dismount - "A" minimum

The bar routine requirements:

• 1 bar change
• 1 Minimum "B" skill with flight or turn
• 1 minimum "B" skill from the following elements - stalder circles or hechts, clear hip circles, or underswings
• Salto Dismount - "A" minimum

The vault routine requirements:

• Front handspring

Level 9 Gymnastics skills routine will require 3 "A",  4 "B", and 1 "C" skills that will result in point deductions if the requirements are not met.

This is the second optional level and gymnasts must have scored a minimum of 34AA at the Level 8 meet and should be at least 8 years old.

The routine for this level is similar to that of the previous level with only a few changes in the skills of the routines. The floor routine will now have a minimum "B" skill for the final salto and also for the full turn on one foot.

The requirements for the beam routine will now have an aerial or a salto dismount with a minimum "B" skill. It will also have a dance series with 2 skills and can have mounts, jumps, hops, jumps, and turns.

Gymnasts will have to change a minimum of 2 bars and will have to include a minimum "B" and "C" for the two flight skills. A minimum "B" is required for the dismount.

The beam routine too requires a "B" dismount and will have a dance series with 2 skills. A vault chart is to be looked at to choose a vault.

Level 10 is the final and most difficult in the gymnastics skills difficulty list and requires 3 "A", 4 "B", and 2 "C" skills to meet the requirements.

A minimum score of 34AA at Level 9 is required to qualify for this level and the minimum age requirement for this level is 9 years old.

The routine is usually the same as level 9 with only the difficulty levels being increased. The final salto in the floor routine required a minimum "B" at Level 9 and will now require a "C" at this level.

The dismount will now have a minimum "C" level making it more complex. The same is with the vault routine as they will have to look at the Level 10 vault chart.

The bar routine requires a "C" value salto dismount instead of a "B" at the previous level. The bar will now have a compulsory longitudinal-axis turn of minimum "C" value.