Gymnastics is full of amazing moves that can leave you speechless. But have you ever wondered which skills are the absolute hardest to master? Next, we’ll take a look at the hardest gymnastics moves in both men’s (MAG) and women’s (WAG) artistic gymnastics, ranking them by difficulty rating and score.
Each skill is given a letter rating that reflects its inherent complexity and risk. For example, in WAG the top-rated element is a “J” (worth 1.0 point), while in MAG the highest current letter value is “I” (0.9 point). For vault, the FIG assigns specific difficulty values (commonly ranging from about 2.0 to 6.4), which are then factored into the athlete’s final score.
Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG)
| Skill Name | Difficulty Rating | Difficulty Score | Notable Performer | First Performed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biles II (Floor) | J | 1.0 | Simone Biles (USA) | 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships |
| Moors (Floor) | I | 0.9 | Victoria Moors (Canada) | 2013 World Championships |
| Silivas (Floor) | H | 0.8 | Daniela Silivaș (Romania) | 1988 Seoul Olympics |
| Biles (Beam Dismount) | H | 0.8 | Simone Biles (USA) | 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships |
| Chusovitina (Floor) | H | 0.8 | Oksana Chusovitina (Uzbekistan) | 1990s |
| Biles (Vault) | H | 6.0 | Simone Biles (USA) | 2018 World Championships |
| Produnova (Vault) | H | 6.0 | Yelena Produnova (Russia) | 1999 Universiade |
| Cheng (Vault) | 6.0 | Cheng Fei (China) | 2005 World Championships | |
| Mo Salto (Uneven Bars) | G | 0.7 | Mo Huilan (China) | Mid-1990s |
| Hristakieva (Uneven Bars) | G | 0.7 | Snezhana Hristakieva (Bulgaria) | Early 1990s |
*Note: In WAG, individual elements on non-vault apparatuses use letter ratings A–J. Elite routines often aggregate difficulty values from the top 8 skills along with connection bonuses and compositional requirements, yielding D‑scores commonly in the 6–7 range.
1. Biles (Vault)
- Full Name: Biles (Yurchenko Double Pike)
- Description: A round-off onto the springboard, back handspring onto the vaulting table, followed by two backflips in a piked position before landing.
- Difficulty Rating: H (0.8)
- Notable Performer: Simone Biles unveiled this skill at the 2021 U.S. Classic, becoming the first woman to perform it in competition.
- First Performed: 2021 U.S. Classic.
2. Biles II (Floor)
- Full Name: Biles II (Triple Twisting Double Back)
- Description: A double backflip in a tucked position with three full twists before landing.
- Difficulty Rating: J (1.0) – The highest-rated skill in WAG history.
- Notable Performer: Simone Biles first performed this skill at the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, further showcasing it at events like the 2023 U.S. Classic and the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.
- First Performed: 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships.
3. Moors (Floor)
- Full Name: Moors (Double-Double Layout)
- Description: A double backflip with two twists in a laid-out (straight) body position.
- Difficulty Rating: I (0.9)
- Notable Performer: Canadian gymnast Victoria Moors, who first introduced this skill at the 2013 World Championships.
- First Performed: 2013 World Championships.
4. Silivas (Floor)
- Full Name: Silivas (Double-Double Tuck)
- Description: A double backflip with two twists in a tucked position.
- Difficulty Rating: H (0.8)
- Notable Performer: Romanian gymnast Daniela Silivas, who debuted this skill during the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
- First Performed: 1988 Seoul Olympics.
5. Produnova (Vault)
- Full Name: Produnova (Handsprint Double Front)
- Description: A front handspring onto the vaulting table followed by two tucked front flips before landing.
- Difficulty Rating: H (0.8)
- Notable Performer: Russian gymnast Elena Produnova first performed this vault in 1999, earning it the nickname “Vault of Death” due to its high risk.
- First Performed: 1999 Universiade.
6. Biles (Beam Dismount)
- Full Name: Biles (Double-Double Dismount)
- Description: A double backflip with two twists performed as a dismount off the balance beam.
- Difficulty Rating: H (0.8)
- Notable Performer: Simone Biles introduced this dismount at the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships.
- First Performed: 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships.
7. Cheng (Vault)
- Full Name: Cheng (Round-Off Half-On, Layout 1.5 Twist Off)
- Description: A round-off onto the springboard, followed by a half-turn onto the vaulting table (half-on entry), and a layout backflip with 1.5 twists before landing.
- Difficulty Rating: 6.0
- Notable Performer: Cheng Fei (China) introduced this vault at the 2005 World Championships, showcasing its power and technical precision.
- First Performed: 2005 World Championships
8. Hristakieva (Uneven Bars)
- Full Name: Hristakieva (Def/Full-Twisting Gienger)
- Description: A Gienger release move with a full twist, involving a swing forward, a salto backward, and a 1½ turn to regrasp the high bar.
- Difficulty Rating: G (0.7)
- Notable Performer: Snezhana Khristakieva of Bulgaria first performed this skill in 1991-1992, leading to its naming. However, it is often referred to as the “Def,” named after French gymnast Jacques Def, who performed it in men’s gymnastics in 1984.
- First Performed: 1992 World Championships.
9. Chusovitina (Floor)
- Full Name: Chusovitina (Full-Twisting Double Layout)
- Description: A double backflip in a stretched (layout) position with one full twist before landing.
- Difficulty Rating: H (0.8)
- Notable Performer: Oksana Chusovitina (Uzbekistan), a legendary gymnast who first performed this skill in competition.
- First Performed: 1990s
10. Mo Salto (Uneven Bars)
- Full Name: Mo Salto (Uneven Bars)
- Description: A backward swing leading into a tucked front salto over the high bar, regrasping the same bar to continue the routine.
- Difficulty Rating: G (0.7)
- Notable Performer: Mo Huilan (China) introduced this skill during her competitive career in the 1990s, showcasing exceptional difficulty and innovation on the uneven bars.
- First Performed: Mid-1990s
Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG)
| Skill Name | Difficulty Rating | Difficulty Score | Notable Performer | First Performed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jarman (Floor) | J | 1.0 | Jake Jarman (Great Britain) | 2023 Paris World Challenge Cup |
| Nagornyy (Floor) | I | 0.9 | Nikita Nagornyy (Russia) | 2021 European Championships |
| Shirai III (Floor) | I | 0.9 | Kenzo Shirai (Japan) | 2015 World Championships |
| Miyachi (Horizontal Bar) | I | 0.9 | Hidetaka Miyachi (Japan) | 2017 World Championships |
| Liukin (Floor) | H | 0.8 | Valeri Liukin (Soviet Union) | 1987 European Championships |
| Bretschneider (Horizontal Bar) | H | 0.8 | Andreas Bretschneider (Germany) | 2014 World Championships |
| Yang Hak-Seon (Vault) | 6.0 | Yang Hak-Seon (South Korea) | 2011 World Championships | |
| Ri Se Gwang (Vault) | 6.0 | Ri Se Gwang (North Korea) | 2009 World Championships | |
| Roche (Vault) | 6.0 | Jorge Roche (Cuba) | 1980s |
*Note: In MAG, individual acrobatic elements are rated with letter values up to I (0.9), and routines combine up to 10 such skills along with connection bonuses and composition points to achieve overall D‑scores in the mid- to high-6 range.
1. Nagornyy (Floor)
- Full Name: Nagornyy (Triple Back Piked)
- Description: A triple backflip in a piked position.
- Difficulty Rating: I (0.9)
- Notable Performer: Russian gymnast Nikita Nagornyy, who first performed this skill at the 2021 European Championships.
- First Performed: 2021 European Championships.
2. Yang Hak-Seon (Vault)
- Full Name: Yang Hak-Seon (Front Handspring Triple Twist)
- Description: A front handspring onto the vaulting table followed by a triple twist in a layout position.
- Difficulty Rating: 6.0
- Notable Performer: South Korean gymnast Yang Hak-Seon, who first performed this vault at the 2011 World Championships, earning it his name.
- First Performed: 2011 World Championships
3. Shirai III (Floor)
- Full Name: Shirai III (Triple Twisting Double Layout)
- Description: A double backflip in a straight (layout) position with three full twists.
- Difficulty Rating: I (0.9)
- Notable Performer: Japanese gymnast Kenzo Shirai, who first performed this skill in 2015, showcasing his exceptional twisting capabilities.
- First Performed: 2015 World Championships
4. Miyachi (Horizontal Bar)
- Full Name: Miyachi (Double-Twisting Double Layout Kovacs)
- Description: A high-flying release move where the gymnast performs a stretched (layout) double backflip with two full twists over the horizontal bar before regrasping.
- Difficulty Rating: I (0.9) – One of the highest-rated skills in men’s artistic gymnastics.
- Notable Performer: Hidetaka Miyachi (Japan), who first executed this skill at the 2017 World Championships in Montreal, leading to its inclusion in the FIG Code of Points under his name.
- First Performed: 2017 World Championships, Montreal
5. Jarman (Floor)
- Full Name: Jarman (Double Back with 3½ Twists)
- Description: Two backward flips in a straight position with three and a half twists.
- Difficulty Rating: J (1.0) – Among the highest difficulty ratings in MAG.
- Notable Performer: British gymnast Jake Jarman, who performed this skill at the 2023 Paris World Challenge Cup.
- First Performed: 2023 Paris World Challenge Cup
6. Roche (Vault)
- Full Name: Roche (Handspring Double Front)
- Description: A front handspring onto the vaulting table, followed by two front somersaults in a tucked position before landing.
- Difficulty Rating: 6.0
- Notable Performer: Cuban gymnast Jorge Roche, who was the first to perform this vault in competition, leading to it being named after him.
- First Performed: 1980s
7. Lukin (Floor)
- Full Name: Liukin (Triple Back Tucked Somersault)
- Description: A highly complex tumbling pass where the gymnast performs three consecutive backward somersaults in a tucked position before landing.
- Difficulty Rating: H (0.8)
- Notable Performer: Valeri Liukin (Soviet Union), who first executed this skill in the late 1980s, leading to its inclusion in the FIG Code of Points under his name.
- First Performed: 1987 European Championships
8. Bretschneider (Horizontal Bar)
- Full Name: Bretschneider (Double-Twisting Double Back Tuck over the Bar)
- Description: A high-difficulty release move on the horizontal bar where the gymnast performs a double backflip in a tucked position with two full twists before regrasping the bar.
- Difficulty Rating: H (0.8) – One of the highest-rated skills in men’s artistic gymnastics.
- Notable Performer: Andreas Bretschneider (Germany), who first introduced this skill in competition, leading to its inclusion in the FIG Code of Points under his name.
- First Performed: 2014 World Championships
9. Ri Se Gwang (Vault)
- Full Name: Ri Se Gwang (Full-Twisting Double Tsukahara)
- Ri Se Gwang: A Tsukahara entry (¼ or ½ turn in the first flight phase) followed by a double backflip with a full twist in a tucked position.
- Ri Se Gwang 2: A front handspring onto the vaulting table, followed by a double front somersault in a piked position with a half twist. This vault is also referred to as the “piked Drăgulescu.”
- Difficulty Rating: 6.0
- Notable Performer: Ri Se Gwang (North Korea) introduced these vaults, earning gold medals at the World Championships in 2014 and 2015, and at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
- First Performed: 2009 World Championships