A floor-music timeline is a planning aid that connects musical phrases with a gymnast’s movement. It should show where the routine begins, how its sections fit together and how it finishes within the correct program limit. It should not impose the same second-by-second template on every level.
The most useful timeline starts with the coach’s routine plan and the exact audio edit. A ninety-second chart borrowed from an elite example may be too long for a younger division, while a rigid “three tumbling passes” formula may not match the intended content.
Start With the Current Time Limit
| Women’s artistic program | Maximum floor duration |
|---|---|
| USAG DP Levels 6–7 | 80 seconds |
| USAG DP Levels 8–10 | 90 seconds |
| USAG Xcel Bronze and Silver | 45 seconds |
| USAG Xcel Gold | 60 seconds |
| USAG Xcel Platinum | 75 seconds |
| USAG Xcel Diamond and Sapphire | 90 seconds |
| FIG senior international floor | 90 seconds |
The domestic limits above follow the current 2026–2030 DP event chart and Xcel event chart. Check the applicable season before commissioning an edit. Older articles giving ninety seconds to every optional or Xcel routine are inaccurate.
These are maximums, not a requirement to fill every available second. The floor routine length guide explains the timing context. Compulsory exercises use their prescribed routine and music rather than this custom-planning approach.
Keep Audio Time and Routine Time Distinct
In FIG women’s floor, timing runs from the first movement to the final position, and the exercise must end with the music. A timestamp in an audio editor identifies a place in the recording; it does not by itself measure the gymnast’s official routine duration.
For planning, label which clock each note uses. “First movement at audio 0:02” is clearer than simply writing “start at two seconds.” Once movement begins, an introductory gesture counts as part of the exercise even if the first tumbling pass occurs later.
The FIG Code, Section 13 also makes clear that elements after the time limit can still be recognized and evaluated. Overtime is not a reason to assume all later difficulty vanishes. That does not make planning an overlong routine a sensible choice.
As a simple planning example, movement beginning at audio 0:02 and finishing at audio 1:10 spans sixty-eight seconds. The recording still lasts seventy seconds. That arithmetic helps explain the distinction, but the coach must check the performed routine using the applicable timing procedure.
Mark Musical Landmarks Before Assigning Seconds
Listen for a clear opening, changes of phrase, accents, contrasting sections and the ending. These landmarks can give the movement a structure. They need not form a three-act story, and a routine need not contain a separate slow section simply because a generic template includes one.
Write descriptive notes first: “percussion becomes stronger,” “melody softens,” or “final sustained phrase.” Then add timestamps from the exact edit. Descriptions help the gymnast and choreographer understand the cue, while timestamps help them locate it.
A beat count can help rehearsal, but there is no single beats-per-minute range that makes all gymnastics music suitable. A fast recording can still contain a sustained phrase, and a slower piece can have sharp accents. The movement needs to interpret what is actually heard.
A Hypothetical Planning Sheet
| Audio marker | Musical landmark | Planning question |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | Opening sound | When does the gymnast begin moving? |
| 0:12 | First strong phrase change | Does the planned travel reach its intended location? |
| 0:31 | Contrasting middle phrase | How do the selected movements show the change? |
| 0:52 | Closing section begins | Is there enough space for the remaining sequence? |
| 1:10 | Final sound | Does the final position complete the musical ending? |
This is an invented seventy-second recording, not a required routine or a skill prescription. It deliberately leaves the tumbling and dance selections to the coach. A different recording may have entirely different landmarks, and a shorter division needs a different plan.
Use a separate column for the approved movement sequence when the coach and choreographer agree it. Record location as well as timing: a musical cue is less useful if the gymnast arrives on the wrong side of the floor for the next section.
Build Transitions Into the Timeline
Allow for the movement between major skills. A plan that allocates time only to tumbling and leaps may overlook the route into each approach, the change of direction after landing and the final choreography. Those movements are part of the performance.
If a section repeatedly feels rushed, identify where the mismatch begins. The solution might be changing the choreography, choosing a different musical cue or revising the edit. It should not automatically be telling the gymnast to move faster or add an acrobatic skill late in the routine.
The opening-and-ending guide focuses on the transitions at either end. The timeline should connect those positions to the rest of the exercise, rather than treating them as isolated photographs.
Review the Routine and Recording Together
First review the sequence without trying to judge every technical detail. Does each section happen where the plan expects? Are the musical landmarks easy to hear? Does the closing section leave a clear route to the finish?
Then let the coach check the content and rules. A well-timed routine can still miss a requirement, and a technically complete routine can still have an unsuitable musical edit. These are complementary reviews, not substitutes for each other.
The first custom floor routine guide explains how to coordinate that work. It is better to resolve a missing requirement while the plan is flexible than to discover it after every cue has been rehearsed.
Keep One Approved Version
When the edit changes, update the timeline. A cut near the beginning can move every later timestamp, even if the music sounds almost the same. Give the approved file a clear version name and make sure the coach, choreographer and gymnast are using it.
Before competition, follow the meet’s submission and playback instructions. The planning sheet can record the final file name and responsible person, but it does not replace those instructions. Its purpose is to keep the movement and recording coordinated throughout preparation.
A useful finished timeline is specific to one gymnast and one approved routine. It records meaningful cues, workable routes and a clear finish within the applicable limit, while leaving room for the individual musical choices that make the performance recognizable.