USAG women’s Levels 1–5 use compulsory floor routines: prescribed exercises that combine tumbling, dance, balances and connecting movements. Gymnasts learn the routine for their level rather than choosing a collection of skills and arranging them independently.
The progression begins with rolls and a cartwheel, then develops into connected back handsprings and a back tuck. However, advancing through the levels involves more than harder tumbling. Handstand positions, turns, leap shapes and connections change too.
This guide covers the USA Gymnastics Women’s Development Program’s 2021–2029 compulsory cycle, including public amendments through July 2026. It explains the major skills and important differences, not every choreographed step, arm position or musical count.
What Makes a Floor Routine Compulsory?
In a compulsory routine, the required exercise is already written. Its named skills are called major elements, while steps, poses and arm movements connect those elements into a complete performance.
There can be approved choices within the routine. For example, Level 5 permits alternatives for its opening acrobatic element. Those specific permissions do not allow the gymnast to redesign the whole exercise.
The main tumbling milestones are useful starting points for recognizing each level:
| Level | A major feature to recognize |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Rolls, a cartwheel and a three-quarter handstand |
| Level 2 | A full handstand and a bridge with back kick-over |
| Level 3 | Round-off, one back handspring and a rebound |
| Level 4 | Round-off, two back handsprings and a rebound |
| Level 5 | Round-off, one back handspring and a back tuck |
These are selected features, not complete routines. The exercises also contain required dance and connecting movements.
USAG Floor Routines by Level
Level 1 Floor Routine: Rolls, Balances and Basic Shapes
Level 1 introduces the task of connecting different movements into one exercise. The gymnast changes between rolling, balancing, traveling and supporting her weight on her hands.
The major elements appear in this order:
| Order | Major element |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cartwheel |
| 2 | Tucked backward roll |
| 3 | Candlestick |
| 4 | Forward passé balance |
| 5 | Forward chassé |
| 6 | Stretch jump |
| 7 | Tucked forward roll |
| 8 | Three-quarter handstand |
The Level 1 penalty table identifies these eight major elements. The complete choreography supplies the movements between them.
Several names may be unfamiliar to a new gymnastics parent. A candlestick is a shoulder-supported position with the legs raised. In forward passé, the gymnast balances with the free knee bent in front. A chassé is a traveling dance step, while a stretch jump keeps the body extended rather than opening into a split.
The final inverted skill is a three-quarter handstand, not a full vertical handstand. That distinction is part of the requirement, rather than permission to perform an incomplete version of Level 2’s handstand.
For a parent watching, try following the changes between movement types. Does the gymnast show a recognizable balance before moving into the dance? Does she connect the rolls and standing positions without appearing to lose her place?
Level 2 Floor Routine: A Full Handstand and the First Split Shapes
Level 2 retains familiar movements but asks for more specific positions and finishes.
| Part of the routine | Major skills |
|---|---|
| Opening tumbling | Cartwheel; backward roll to push-up position |
| Turn and traveling dance | Half turn in forward passé using heel-snap technique; forward chassé |
| Leap and jump | Straight-leg leap with a 60° split; split jump with a 60° split |
| Handstand and floor position | Full handstand held for one second; candlestick |
| Closing major acrobatic work | Bridge and back kick-over |
The 60-degree requirement applies to both the leap and split jump. The handstand now reaches vertical and includes a one-second hold.
The backward roll also has a prescribed finish: push-up support. A roll to handstand is not an acceptable upgrade simply because it looks harder. The July 2026 amendment sets the specific deduction for that substitution at 0.30, replacing the previous 0.60 deduction. Other execution errors may still be assessed.
The half turn uses a particular heel-snap action. For families, the important point is that “half turn” does not fully describe the requirement; the prescribed turning technique matters as well.
Level 3 Floor Routine: Connecting the First Back Handspring
Level 3 introduces a recognizable backward tumbling series while continuing to develop handstands, rolling and dance connections.
| Part of the routine | Major skills |
|---|---|
| Opening | Handstand forward roll |
| Dance sequence | 90° straight-leg leap; stretch jump connected to a 90° split jump |
| Inverted work and flexibility | Handstand to bridge and back kick-over; forward split |
| Turn and roll | Half turn in forward passé; backward roll opening to 45° above horizontal before lowering to push-up support |
| Closing tumbling pass | Round-off, one back handspring and rebound |
The first handstand includes a one-second hold. The back kick-over has a 120-degree split requirement, while the separate forward split on the floor requires 180 degrees. These are different positions with different expectations.
The closing pass contains one back handspring. USAG also calls this skill a flic-flac. The rebound is the immediate jump after landing the handspring, not a second handspring.
Level 3’s backward roll should not be confused with either Level 2’s version or a full roll to handstand. Its body position opens to the specified angle before lowering to push-up support. Substituting a full roll to handstand carries a specific 0.20 change-of-element deduction under the published amendment.
For a viewer, the progression is not just “the level with a back handspring.” Look at how the gymnast joins the stretch jump to the split jump and moves between the handstand, bridge and kick-over.
Level 4 Floor Routine: Two Back Handsprings and a Full Turn
Level 4 expands both the tumbling connections and the dance requirements.
| Part of the routine | Major skills |
|---|---|
| Opening acrobatics | Back walkover; front handspring step-out; cartwheel |
| Inverted rolling skill | Straight-arm backward roll to handstand |
| Jump and dance | Half-turn stretch jump; 120° straight-leg leap; 120° straddle jump |
| Flexibility and turn | Forward split; full turn in forward passé |
| Closing tumbling pass | Round-off, two back handsprings and rebound |
The back walkover requires a 150-degree split. The straight-arm backward roll now goes to handstand, rather than finishing like the rolls in Levels 2 or 3.
A front handspring step-out lands one foot and then the other. The finish is part of the element; it should not be described as a generic front handspring landing on two feet. The final pass connects two back handsprings after the round-off.
The dance also changes shape. A straddle jump opens the legs sideways, unlike the front-to-back opening of the earlier split jumps. The half-turn jump and full turn are separate movements: one turns in the air, while the other turns on the supporting foot.
When comparing Level 3 and Level 4, watch both ends of the routine: the more developed opening acrobatics and the longer closing tumbling series.
Level 5 Floor Routine: Approved Choices and a Back-Tuck Finish
Level 5 remains compulsory, but it includes specific alternatives.
For the opening acrobatic element, the gymnast performs one of these approved choices: a front tuck, an aerial cartwheel, or a forward aerial walkover, commonly called a front aerial.
| Part of the routine | Major skills |
|---|---|
| Opening choice | Front tuck, aerial cartwheel or forward aerial walkover |
| Forward tumbling | Two front handspring step-outs, followed by a cartwheel |
| Inverted rolling skill | Straight-arm backward roll to handstand |
| Turning jump and dance | Full-turn stretch jump; 150° straight-leg or switch-leg leap; 150° straddle jump |
| Flexibility and turn | Forward split; full turn in forward passé |
| Closing tumbling pass | Round-off, one back handspring and back tuck |
Both front handsprings use the step-out finish. The leap also offers a choice: a straight-leg leap or a switch-leg leap. A switch leap is therefore permitted, not compulsory for every Level 5 gymnast.
The final pass is particularly easy to misstate. It contains one back handspring before the back tuck, not two. Level 5 does not simply add a tuck to Level 4’s existing closing pass.
The back tuck is a salto, an airborne somersault without hand support. For parents learning the terminology, that separates it from the back handspring immediately before it.
How Leap and Jump Requirements Change
The required airborne split increases through Levels 2–5, but the jump type changes as well.
| Level | Leap requirement | Jump requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No split leap among the major elements | Stretch jump |
| 2 | 60° straight-leg leap | 60° split jump |
| 3 | 90° straight-leg leap | Stretch jump connected to a 90° split jump |
| 4 | 120° straight-leg leap | 120° straddle jump |
| 5 | 150° straight-leg or switch-leg leap | 150° straddle jump |
These angles apply to the listed airborne dance elements. They do not replace other requirements: the separate forward split performed on the floor in Levels 3–5 is a 180-degree position.
When watching, distinguish the shape before comparing its size. A larger straddle jump is not simply a wider version of the earlier split jump; the legs open in a different direction.
How Compulsory Floor Routines Are Scored
The prescribed floor routines start from 10.0, with deductions for errors. They do not use an open-ended difficulty score that rewards gymnasts for adding harder skills.
Judges assess both the required content and its execution. Missing a movement, substituting a different element, breaking a connection and bending the legs are different types of errors. The prescribed steps, positions and rhythm also matter, not just the tumbling passes.
For example, the general compulsory penalties include deductions for stopping between major tumbling elements, losing synchronization with the music and taking uncontrolled landing steps. A fall onto the knees or hips carries a 0.50 deduction.
A hypothetical scoring calculation is straightforward:
10.00 − 1.25 in total deductions = 8.75
The difficult part is identifying the errors and deciding their values, not the subtraction. Two gymnasts can complete the same major skills yet receive different scores because of what happens throughout the rest of the exercise.
For parents, a useful viewing question is: “How clearly was the whole routine performed?” That provides more insight than checking only whether the gymnast landed the final pass.
Music, Choreography and Learning the Routine
USAG provides official floor music for Levels 1–5. Its W316 Compulsory Materials include the complete compulsory book, floor music and official demonstration videos for every event at each level. These resources are available through the organization’s registration system.
The music and choreography belong together. Learning the major skill names is useful, but it does not establish every step, direction, arm movement or musical count.
For precise choreography, coaches should use the current official movement text and amendments alongside the demonstrations. A competition recording can help a family recognize the routine, but it should not be treated as proof that every movement shown is correct.
These descriptions are intended to explain the exercises, not teach tumbling independently. Handsprings, kick-overs and somersaults should be learned with qualified coaching and appropriate equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every gymnast have to compete at Levels 1, 2 and 3?
No. USAG allows Levels 1–3 to be used for development and achievement testing without sanctioned competition. A gymnast does not have to complete a competitive season at every introductory level. Entry and advancement still follow the program’s applicable rules.
Can a gymnast reverse the floor routine?
The entire compulsory routine may be reversed. Individual elements may be reversed only where the official text permits it. Permission to perform the whole exercise on the opposite side does not allow unrestricted changes to individual movements.
When can gymnasts have their own floor routines?
Optional gymnastics begins at Level 6 in the women’s Development Program. Skills and choreography can then be selected within the level’s requirements rather than following the national compulsory exercise.
Does learning the next level’s hardest skill mean a gymnast is ready to move up?
Not by itself. The next routine includes other required skills, dance positions and connections. Competition eligibility and readiness to perform the complete exercise are separate considerations; advancement is governed by the current program rules.
Final Takeaway
The clearest way to understand Levels 1–5 is to watch the whole exercise. Tumbling provides obvious milestones, but the balances, dance shapes, turns and connections explain just as much about the progression.
For families, learning those smaller distinctions makes a meet easier to follow. A steadier handstand, a clearer split shape or a smoother connection can show meaningful progress even before the next difficult tumbling skill appears.