Artistic gymnastics has a variety of moves for everyone, from beginners to world-class athletes, each with its challenges and rewards. Whether you’re just starting or competing at the highest level, there’s always something new to learn and improve.
In this article, we’ll explore a complete list of artistic gymnastics moves categorized by difficulty level across both women’s and men’s apparatus.
Women’s Apparatus
| Apparatus | Move | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Floor Exercise | Forward Roll | Beginner |
| Cartwheel | Beginner | |
| Handstand | Beginner | |
| Roundoff | Intermediate | |
| Back Handspring | Intermediate | |
| Aerial Cartwheel | Advanced | |
| Double Back Tuck | Advanced | |
| Front Aerial | Advanced | |
| Split Leap | Advanced | |
| Vault | Handstand Flatback | Beginner |
| Squat on | Beginner | |
| Tsukahara | Intermediate | |
| Yurchenko | Intermediate | |
| Cheng | Advanced | |
| Amanar | Advanced | |
| Produnova | Advanced | |
| Uneven Bars | Support Swing | Beginner |
| Pullover | Beginner | |
| Kip | Beginner | |
| Clear Hip Circle | Intermediate | |
| Tkachev | Intermediate | |
| Pak Salto | Intermediate | |
| Jaeger | Advanced | |
| Church | Advanced | |
| Shaposhnikova | Advanced | |
| Balance Beam | Mount | Beginner |
| Arabesque | Beginner | |
| Handstand | Beginner | |
| Cartwheel | Intermediate | |
| Back Walkover | Intermediate | |
| Split Leap | Intermediate | |
| Back Handspring | Advanced | |
| Front Aerial | Advanced | |
| Side Aerial | Advanced |
Floor Exercise
Forward Roll (Beginner): Starting from a standing position, the gymnast tucks their chin to their chest and rolls forward, landing in a controlled position. It teaches beginners body control and spatial awareness.
Cartwheel (Beginner): The gymnast kicks one leg sideways over their body while placing both hands on the ground, resembling the motion of a spinning wheel. It emphasizes coordination and balance.
Handstand (Beginner): The gymnast kicks up into a vertical position, supporting their body weight on their hands with arms fully extended. It develops strength and balance.
Roundoff (Intermediate): The gymnast performs a cartwheel with a half turn, landing on both feet simultaneously, ready for tumbling sequences. It adds power and momentum to a routine.
Back Handspring (Intermediate): The gymnast springs backward off the hands into a backflip motion, landing on both feet. It showcases strength and aerial control.
Aerial Cartwheel (Advanced): Performed without hands, it requires precise timing and spatial awareness to execute the rotation mid-air, pushing the boundaries of traditional cartwheels.
Double Back Tuck (Advanced): Featuring two backward somersaults performed consecutively in a tucked position, it demands exceptional aerial awareness and power, reserved for elite gymnasts.
Front Aerial (Advanced): Combining a forward somersault with a split leap, it showcases agility and elegance, requiring precise execution to land gracefully.
Split Leap (Advanced): A dynamic leap where the gymnast jumps into the air, splitting their legs at a 180-degree angle before landing gracefully, demonstrating power and extension.
Vault
Handstand Flatback (Beginner): Starting with a handstand on the vaulting table, the gymnast executes a backward roll onto the mat, emphasizing balance and control.
Squat on (Beginner): Mounting the vaulting table by squatting onto it, then dismounting with a simple jump or twist, emphasizing balance and control.
Tsukahara (Intermediate): Involves a roundoff onto the springboard followed by a back handspring onto the vaulting table, leading into various dismounts.
Yurchenko (Intermediate): A roundoff onto the springboard followed by a back handspring onto the vaulting table, leading into a backward somersault off the table.
Cheng (Advanced): A roundoff onto the springboard followed by a half twist onto the vaulting table, leading into a somersault dismount, showcasing aerial awareness and precision.
Amanar (Advanced): Similar to the Cheng but with an extra half twist onto the vaulting table, increasing the difficulty and scoring potential, often performed by elite gymnasts.
Produnova (Advanced): Involves a front handspring onto the vaulting table followed by two front somersaults in a tucked position, requiring immense power and technique.
Uneven Bars
Support Swing (Beginner): Swinging back and forth on the bars while maintaining a straight body position, helping develop strength and coordination in the upper body.
Pullover (Beginner): From a hanging position, the gymnast pulls their body up and over the bar to end in a support position, building upper body strength and control.
Kip (Beginner): Swinging forward, the gymnast lifts their legs to push their body up to a support position on the bar, preparing for more advanced maneuvers.
Clear Hip Circle (Intermediate): Swinging backward, the gymnast extends their hips to clear the bar, transitioning smoothly from the lower to the upper bar with fluidity and precision.
Tkachev (Intermediate): A release move where the gymnast swings backward, releases the bar, performs a backward somersault, and regrasps the bar, demonstrating bravery and aerial awareness.
Pak Salto (Intermediate): Similar to the Tkachev but with a different release technique, involving a forward somersault before regrasping the bar, showcasing the versatility and technical skill.
Jaeger (Advanced): An advanced release move where the gymnast swings backward, releases the bar, performs a forward somersault, and regrasps the bar, highlighting daring and precision.
Church (Advanced): Named after gymnast Kathy Johnson Clarke, this move involves a backward release from the high bar to a handstand on the low bar, showcasing strength and control in transitions between bars.
Shaposhnikova (Advanced): A complex release move where the gymnast transitions from the low bar to the high bar with a half-twist, requiring exceptional timing and body control.
Balance Beam
Mount (Beginner): Various techniques are used to start the routine on the balance beam, from stepping onto it to jumping onto it from a springboard, all demonstrating confidence and control.
Arabesque (Beginner): A graceful pose where the gymnast extends one leg behind them while maintaining a straight torso, showcasing flexibility and poise.
Handstand (Beginner): Balancing upside down on the beam with arms straight, displaying strength and control, often incorporated into intricate routines.
Cartwheel (Intermediate): Similar to the floor exercise, requires precision and balance, showcasing fluidity and coordination.
Back Walkover (Intermediate): Transitioning from a handstand to a standing position, emphasizing flexibility and technique, a hallmark of advanced gymnastics.
Split Leap (Intermediate): A dynamic leap where the gymnast jumps into the air, splitting their legs at a 180-degree angle before landing gracefully, demonstrating power and extension.
Back Handspring (Advanced): A challenging skill where the gymnast springs backward off their hands into a backflip on the beam, requiring exceptional aerial awareness and precision.
Front Aerial (Advanced): Similar to the floor exercise, combining a forward somersault with a split leap, showcasing elegance and athleticism.
Side Aerial (Advanced): An advanced move where the gymnast performs a sideways somersault on the beam without using their hands for support, demonstrating courage and technique.
Men’s Apparatus
| Apparatus | Move | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Floor Exercise | Handstand | Beginner |
| Cartwheel | Beginner | |
| Roundoff | Intermediate | |
| Back Handspring | Intermediate | |
| Front Handspring | Intermediate | |
| Arabian | Advanced | |
| Thomas Flair | Advanced | |
| Double Back Tuck | Advanced | |
| Iron Cross | Advanced | |
| Vault | Handstand Flatback | Beginner |
| Squat on | Beginner | |
| Tsukahara | Intermediate | |
| Yurchenko | Intermediate | |
| Dragulescu | Advanced | |
| Ri Jong Song | Advanced | |
| Dragulescu 2.5 | Advanced | |
| Handspring Double | Advanced | |
| Parallel Bars | Support Swing | Beginner |
| Straddle Cut | Beginner | |
| Giant Swing | Intermediate | |
| Healy | Intermediate | |
| Diamidov | Intermediate | |
| Moy | Advanced | |
| Russian Dismount | Advanced | |
| High Bar | Kip | Beginner |
| Clear Hip Circle | Beginner | |
| Tkachev | Intermediate | |
| Kovacs | Intermediate | |
| Cassina | Advanced | |
| Kolman | Advanced | |
| Gaylord | Advanced | |
| Yamawaki | Advanced | |
| Rings | Support Swing | Beginner |
| Swinging Pull-up | Beginner | |
| Back Lever | Intermediate | |
| Iron Cross | Intermediate | |
| Maltese | Advanced | |
| Azarian | Advanced | |
| Inverted Cross | Advanced | |
| Planche | Advanced |
Floor Exercise
Handstand (Beginner): Balancing upside down on the floor with arms straight, demonstrating strength and control, often incorporated into intricate routines.
Cartwheel (Beginner): A fundamental skill resembling the motion of a spinning wheel, teaching coordination and balance.
Roundoff (Intermediate): Adds power and momentum to a routine, performed with a half-turn landing on both feet simultaneously, ready for tumbling sequences.
Back Handspring (Intermediate): Requires strength and aerial control, springing backward off the hands into a backflip motion, landing on both feet.
Front Handspring (Intermediate): Involves springing forward off both hands into a front somersault motion, showcasing power and precision.
Arabian (Advanced): A forward somersault with a half twist, requiring exceptional aerial awareness and timing to execute.
Thomas Flair (Advanced): A challenging move that involves rotating the body while in a handstand position, showcasing strength and flexibility.
Double Back Tuck (Advanced): Featuring two backward somersaults performed consecutively in a tucked position, demanding exceptional aerial awareness and power.
Iron Cross (Advanced): Holding the body straight out sideways while suspended on the rings, showcasing immense upper body strength and stability.
Vault
Handstand Flatback (Beginner): Emphasizes balance and control, starting with a handstand on the vaulting table, then executing a backward roll onto the mat.
Squat on (Beginner): Requires balance and control, mounting the vaulting table by squatting onto it, then dismounting with a simple jump or twist.
Tsukahara (Intermediate): Involves a roundoff onto the springboard followed by a back handspring onto the vaulting table, leading into various dismounts.
Yurchenko (Intermediate): A roundoff onto the springboard followed by a back handspring onto the vaulting table, leading into a backward somersault off the table.
Dragulescu (Advanced): Features a handspring onto the vaulting table followed by two front somersaults in a stretched position with a half twist, requiring immense power and technique.
Ri Jong Song (Advanced): Involves a handspring onto the vaulting table followed by a front somersault with two twists, showcasing aerial awareness and precise timing.
Dragulescu 2.5 (Advanced): A handspring onto the vaulting table followed by two-and-a-half front somersaults in a stretched position, showcasing extraordinary power and control.
Handspring Double (Advanced): Involves a handspring onto the vaulting table followed by two backward somersaults in a stretched position, showcasing exceptional aerial awareness and power.
Parallel Bars
Support Swing (Beginner): Swinging back and forth on the bars while maintaining a straight body position, helping develop strength and coordination in the upper body.
Straddle Cut (Beginner): A basic move where the gymnast lifts their legs to swing forward and regrasp the bars, building confidence in swinging and transitioning between positions.
Giant Swing (Intermediate): Requires strength and momentum, swinging forward and backward in a continuous motion while maintaining a straight body position, and preparing for more advanced moves.
Healy (Intermediate): A complex move involving a full 360-degree rotation around one bar, showcasing agility and control in swinging and turning on the bars.
Diamidov (Intermediate): Involves swinging backward and lifting the body into a handstand position on one bar, showcasing balance and strength in transitioning between bars.
Moy (Advanced): A release move where the gymnast swings backward, releases the bar, performs a backward somersault, and regrasps the bar, highlighting daring and precision.
Russian Dismount (Advanced): Involves a backward somersault dismount from the high bar to the mat, requiring aerial awareness and precise timing to stick the landing.
High Bar
Kip (Beginner): A fundamental move where the gymnast lifts their body from a hanging position to a support position on the bar, building strength and control in upper body movements.
Clear Hip Circle (Beginner): Swinging backward, the gymnast extends their hips to clear the bar, transitioning smoothly from the lower to the upper bar with fluidity and precision.
Tkachev (Intermediate): A release move where the gymnast swings backward, releases the bar, performs a backward somersault, and regrasps the bar, demonstrating bravery and aerial awareness.
Kovacs (Intermediate): Involves swinging backward and releasing the bar to perform a forward somersault with a half twist, showcasing aerial awareness and precise timing in regrasping the bar.
Cassina (Advanced): A complex release move involving a backward somersault with one and a half twists, showcasing exceptional aerial awareness and precision in catching the bar.
Kolman (Advanced): Similar to the Cassina but with an extra half twist, requiring additional rotational speed and control to execute the skill with precision.
Gaylord (Advanced): A daring move where the gymnast performs a backward somersault with a full twist, releasing and regrasping the bar mid-air, showcasing bravery and aerial awareness.
Yamawaki (Advanced): Involves swinging backward and releasing the bar to perform a forward somersault with a full twist, showcasing exceptional aerial awareness and precise timing.
Rings
Support Swing (Beginner): Swinging back and forth on the rings while maintaining a straight body position, building upper body strength and control in swinging movements.
Swinging Pull-up (Beginner): Starting from a hanging position, the gymnast pulls their body up to a support position on the rings, showcasing strength and control in upper body movements.
Back Lever (Intermediate): Involves lowering the body into a horizontal position while suspended from the rings, demonstrating strength and control in static positions.
Iron Cross (Intermediate): Holding the body straight out sideways while suspended on the rings, showcasing immense upper body strength and stability in static positions.
Maltese (Advanced): Involves lowering the body into a horizontal position with arms extended outward while suspended from the rings, demonstrating exceptional strength and control.
Azarian (Advanced): A move where the gymnast swings backward and transitions into a front lever position while suspended from the rings, showcasing strength and control in dynamic movements.
Inverted Cross (Advanced): Holding the body upside down with arms extended outward while suspended on the rings, demonstrating extraordinary strength and control in static positions.
Planche (Advanced): Holding the body parallel to the ground with arms extended forward while suspended from the rings, showcasing exceptional strength and control in static positions.
