At USAG optional Levels 8–10, simply meeting the required Value Parts and Special Requirements does not always produce a 10.0 Start Value.
- What Is Composition Credit in Gymnastics?
- Composition Credit by Level
- Composition Credit at a Glance
- Level 8 Composition Credit
- Level 9 Composition Credit
- Level 10 Composition Credit
- Composition Credit vs. Special Requirements vs. Bonus
- Can a Gymnast Lose Composition Credit?
- Does Composition Credit Apply to Vault?
- Can Composition Credit Raise the Start Value Above 10.0?
- Why Does Composition Credit Matter?
Gymnasts can also earn Composition Credit (CC) for including the level of difficulty and routine construction expected at their level.
Composition Credit applies to Uneven Bars, Balance Beam and Floor Exercise:
- Level 8 → up to +0.20
- Level 9 → up to +0.20
- Level 10 → up to +0.30
Levels 6 and 7 do not use Composition Credit, and Vault follows a different Start Value system.
What Is Composition Credit in Gymnastics?
Composition Credit is extra Start Value credit awarded when a routine includes certain difficulty or combinations required for higher-level composition.
It is separate from:
- Value Parts
- Special Requirements
- Difficulty Value Bonus
- Connection Value
- execution deductions
A simple way to separate them is:
Value Parts → Does the routine contain enough recognized skills of the required difficulty?
Special Requirements → Does it include the required types of skills?
Composition Credit → Does the routine show the level of difficulty expected for that level?
At Levels 9 and 10, bonus is another separate part of the Start Value.
Composition Credit is positive credit. If the gymnast does not meet a CC requirement, judges simply do not add that credit. It is not an execution deduction.
For the complete scoring formula, see How the USAG Start Value Is Calculated.
Composition Credit by Level
Assuming all required Value Parts and Special Requirements receive credit:
| Level | Base Start Value | Maximum CC | Bonus Toward 10.0 | Maximum SV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 9.80 | +0.20 | — | 10.00 |
| 9 | 9.50 | +0.20 | +0.30 | 10.00 |
| 10 | 9.20 | +0.30 | +0.50 | 10.00 |
So the basic progression is:
Level 8: 9.80 + 0.20 CC = 10.00
Level 9: 9.50 + 0.20 CC + 0.30 bonus = 10.00
Level 10: 9.20 + 0.30 CC + 0.50 bonus = 10.00
As the gymnast moves up the levels, the amount and difficulty of Composition Credit increase.
Composition Credit at a Glance
The general progression is easiest to see here:
| Event | Level 8 | Level 9 | Level 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uneven Bars | B-level connection + dismount | C-level difficulty + dismount | D/E releases + dismount |
| Balance Beam | B+B flight series + dismount | C-level acro + dismount | D/E acro + dismount |
| Floor Exercise | B-level acro + dance | C-level acro + dance | D/E acro + higher dance |
| Maximum CC | +0.20 | +0.20 | +0.30 |
In broad terms:
Level 8 → B-level composition
Level 9 → C-level composition
Level 10 → D/E-level composition
The exact requirements, however, are different on each event.
Level 8 Composition Credit
Level 8 is the first Development Program level to use Composition Credit.
A routine with the required Value Parts and all four Special Requirements has a 9.80 base Start Value.
Full Composition Credit adds:
+0.20
bringing the routine to:
10.00
The 0.20 is divided into two separate 0.10 credits.
Level 8 Uneven Bars
| Composition Credit | Requirement |
|---|---|
| +0.10 | Direct connection of two B elements, excluding the specified cast-to-handstand element |
| +0.10 | Qualifying B-or-higher dismount, or an allowed qualifying combination into an A dismount |
| Maximum | +0.20 |
The first tenth rewards a stronger connection within the routine.
The second rewards the dismount or an eligible connection into it.
Level 8 Balance Beam
| Composition Credit | Requirement |
|---|---|
| +0.10 | Direct B + B acro series, with both elements having flight |
| +0.10 | Qualifying B-or-higher dismount, or an allowed B acro + A salto dismount combination |
| Maximum | +0.20 |
This shows the difference between a Special Requirement and Composition Credit particularly well.
A Level 8 gymnast may satisfy the Beam Special Requirement by performing the required acro series with flight.
To receive the 0.10 acro Composition Credit, however, the series must meet the stronger B + B flight standard.
So:
Special Requirement = required minimum
Composition Credit = stronger composition
Level 8 Floor Exercise
| Composition Credit | Requirement |
|---|---|
| +0.10 Acro | Two different B-or-higher saltos plus one A salto |
| +0.10 Dance | Two different B-or-higher dance Value Parts |
| Maximum | +0.20 |
Floor requires both stronger tumbling and stronger dance content for full CC.
A Level 8 gymnast who earns both portions reaches:
9.80 + 0.20 = 10.00
If she earns only one tenth:
9.80 + 0.10 = 9.90
Level 9 Composition Credit
Level 9 begins from a lower base Start Value:
9.50
The gymnast can earn:
+0.20 Composition Credit
and:
+0.30 bonus
to reach 10.00.
This is the first level where Composition Credit and ordinary Difficulty/Connection Bonus both play a major role in building the full Start Value.
Level 9 Uneven Bars
| Composition Credit | Requirement |
|---|---|
| +0.10 | Two different C-or-higher Value Parts |
| +0.10 | C-or-higher dismount, or a qualifying C-or-higher element connected to a B dismount |
| Maximum | +0.20 |
Compared with Level 8, the emphasis moves from B-level difficulty to C-level difficulty.
Level 9 Balance Beam
| Composition Credit | Requirement |
|---|---|
| +0.10 | Two different C-or-higher acrobatic Value Parts, excluding the dismount |
| +0.10 | C-or-higher dismount, or an eligible connection into a B dismount |
| Maximum | +0.20 |
The dismount credit does not always require a C dismount by itself. An eligible connection into a B dismount can also satisfy the current requirement.
Level 9 Floor Exercise
| Composition Credit | Requirement |
|---|---|
| +0.10 Acro | Two different C-or-higher saltos plus one B salto |
| +0.10 Dance | Two different C-or-higher dance Value Parts |
| Maximum | +0.20 |
The progression from Level 8 is easy to see:
Level 8 → B-level acro and dance
Level 9 → C-level acro and dance
With full CC and bonus:
9.50 + 0.20 CC + 0.30 bonus = 10.00
If only 0.10 CC is earned:
9.50 + 0.10 CC + 0.30 bonus = 9.90
Full bonus therefore does not automatically replace missing Composition Credit.
Level 10 Composition Credit
Level 10 has the most demanding Composition Credit rules.
The routine begins from:
9.20
and can earn:
+0.30 Composition Credit
plus:
+0.50 regular bonus
to reach a normal 10.00 Start Value.
Unlike Levels 8 and 9, Level 10 has three tenths of Composition Credit available.
Level 10 Uneven Bars
| Composition Credit | Credit |
|---|---|
| One eligible D/E release | +0.10 |
| Two different eligible D/E releases | +0.20 total |
| Qualifying dismount difficulty or connection | +0.10 |
| Maximum | +0.30 |
The full 0.20 difficulty portion requires two different qualifying D/E release Value Parts.
One qualifying D/E release earns only:
+0.10
The final tenth comes from the dismount portion.
Level 10 Balance Beam
| Composition Credit | Credit |
|---|---|
| One different D/E acro Value Part | +0.10 |
| Two different D/E acro Value Parts | +0.20 total |
| Qualifying dismount difficulty or connection | +0.10 |
| Maximum | +0.30 |
The D/E acro skills used for the difficulty portion do not include the dismount.
The last tenth is earned separately through the qualifying dismount requirement.
Level 10 Floor Exercise
Level 10 Floor divides its 0.30 between:
Acro difficulty → up to +0.20
and:
Dance difficulty → +0.10
| Composition Credit | Requirement |
|---|---|
| +0.20 Acro | Two different D-or-higher saltos plus a C salto, or one E salto plus one D salto |
| +0.10 Acro | Two different D saltos, or one E salto plus one C salto |
| +0.10 Dance | Three different C dance VPs, or one D dance VP plus another C-or-higher dance VP |
| Maximum | +0.30 |
For example, a Level 10 Floor routine with full credit could have:
| Start Value Component | Credit |
|---|---|
| Base SV | 9.20 |
| Acro CC | +0.20 |
| Dance CC | +0.10 |
| Bonus | +0.50 |
| Start Value | 10.00 |
So:
9.20 + 0.30 CC + 0.50 bonus = 10.00
If the gymnast earns only 0.20 CC, even with full bonus:
9.20 + 0.20 + 0.50 = 9.90
Composition Credit vs. Special Requirements vs. Bonus
These terms all affect routine construction, but they do different jobs.
| Special Requirements | Composition Credit | Bonus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Required routine content | Rewards stronger composition | Rewards difficulty and connections |
| Levels | 6–10 | 8–10 | Mainly 9–10 |
| How it affects SV | Missing SR lowers available SV | Earned CC raises SV | Earned bonus raises SV |
| Amount | Four SRs worth 0.50 each | Up to 0.20–0.30 | Level-dependent |
| Event-specific | Yes | Yes | Yes |
A gymnast can meet every Special Requirement and still be missing Composition Credit.
At Levels 9 and 10, she can also earn full Composition Credit but still need bonus to reach 10.0.
The easiest way to remember the difference is:
Special Requirements = what must be included
Composition Credit = how difficult and complete the composition must be
Bonus = extra credit for eligible difficulty and connections
For the detailed SR rules, see USAG Special Requirements for Levels 6–10.
For the detailed bonus rules, see Gymnastics Bonus Rules Compared.
Can a Gymnast Lose Composition Credit?
Yes. Composition Credit is based on what judges actually recognize in the routine, not simply what the gymnast planned to perform.
For example, a gymnast may expect a skill to receive C, D or E Value Part credit.
If the skill is downgraded, not recognized, or does not receive the required Value Part credit, the gymnast may also lose any Composition Credit that depended on it.
The same can happen if a required connection or dismount does not receive the expected credit.
That is why coaches can calculate a planned Start Value before competition, but the official Start Value depends on what is actually performed and credited.
Does Composition Credit Apply to Vault?
No. Vault does not use the same Composition Credit system as Bars, Beam and Floor. Each allowable vault already has a predetermined Start Value based on the vault and applicable level.
There is no separate:
+0.20 or +0.30 Composition Credit
added to Vault.
For more detail, see Gymnastics Vault Scoring Compared.
Can Composition Credit Raise the Start Value Above 10.0?
No. The normal maximum Start Value remains:
10.00
Level 10 currently has a separate qualifying extra +0.10 bonus on Bars, Beam and Floor, but USA Gymnastics specifically labels it:
“not in SV”
It is therefore separate from Composition Credit and should not be included in the normal 10.0 Start Value calculation.
For a comparison of bonus rules across programs, see Gymnastics Bonus Rules Compared: USAG, Xcel, NCAA & FIG.
Why Does Composition Credit Matter?
Composition Credit helps create a clear difficulty progression from Level 8 through Level 10.
A gymnast cannot simply satisfy the basic Value Parts and Special Requirements and automatically receive the full Start Value.
The routine must also show the level of composition expected for the level:
Level 8 → stronger B-level composition
Level 9 → stronger C-level composition
Level 10 → D/E-level composition
At the same time, the rules still allow flexibility.
There is not always one exact routine that earns full Composition Credit. Different gymnasts can use different skills, dismounts and combinations while meeting the same overall standard.
This allows coaches to build routines around each gymnast’s strengths rather than requiring everyone to perform exactly the same skills.
