The USAG Level 3 floor routine combines handstands, rolling, dance, a bridge kick-over and a closing tumbling pass of round-off, one back handspring and a rebound. The routine develops connections between skills while asking for more precise positions than the earlier compulsory exercises.
This guide covers the women’s 2021–2029 compulsory cycle, including the updated backward-roll requirement introduced for the 2025–26 season. It explains the major skills and selected judging details rather than reproducing every choreographed step and musical count. (USA Gymnastics)
Level 3 Floor Skills in Order
The table groups the major elements into eight sections. Some rows contain connected skills, and additional choreography occurs between these sections.
| Order | Major element or series |
|---|---|
| 1 | Handstand forward roll |
| 2 | Straight-leg leap with a minimum 90° split |
| 3 | Stretch jump connected to a split jump with a minimum 90° split |
| 4 | Handstand to bridge, followed by a back kick-over |
| 5 | Forward split |
| 6 | Half turn in forward passé |
| 7 | Backward roll opening above horizontal, but below vertical, then lowering to push-up position |
| 8 | Round-off, one back handspring and rebound |
The sequence follows the compulsory element tables, with the backward-roll wording adjusted to reflect the official 2025 rule change.
The Level 3 Floor Routine Explained
1. Handstand Forward Roll
The handstand forward roll begins with a full vertical handstand. The gymnast must bring her legs together and hold the position for one second before continuing into the roll.
The finish matters too. Pushing against the floor with the hands to help rise into the tuck stand after the roll is a specific fault. A tuck stand is the low, knees-bent position used before straightening to stand.
For a parent watching, consider the handstand and roll separately. Reaching vertical, completing the hold and controlling the return to standing are different parts of the task.
2. Straight-Leg Leap
The straight-leg leap takes off from one foot and lands on the other. The legs open front and back during flight, with a minimum 90-degree separation.
The lead leg should remain straight during takeoff, and the split should be evenly shaped. A forward chassé—a traveling dance action in which the feet close together in the air—precedes the leap in the choreography.
The 90 degrees describes the opening between the legs. It is not a requirement to raise each leg 90 degrees above the floor.
Watching the takeoff helps distinguish this leap from the two-foot jumps that follow.
3. Stretch Jump Connected to Split Jump
The stretch jump keeps the body extended and the legs together. The following split jump opens the legs front and back.
Both jumps take off from two feet. They form a prescribed connection rather than two separate jumps placed wherever the gymnast prefers. The split jump must show at least 90 degrees of leg separation and land on both feet together.
Try following the change in shape: straight body first, split shape second. That makes the combination easier to recognize than watching only the height of the jumps.
4. Handstand to Bridge and Back Kick-Over
This element begins with another handstand, but its exit differs from the opening skill. The gymnast joins her legs at vertical, lowers into a bridge and then performs the back kick-over.
During the kick-over, the legs must show at least 120 degrees of separation as they pass through the inverted position. The prescribed action is not a continuous split-leg “tic-toc”; the legs must first join in the handstand before the bridge.
The two handstand elements therefore have different purposes:
| Element | What happens after the handstand? |
|---|---|
| Handstand forward roll | The gymnast continues into a forward roll. |
| Handstand to bridge, back kick-over | The gymnast lowers into a bridge, then kicks backward over to her feet. |
The opening handstand has the explicit one-second hold. That hold should not automatically be added to every handstand-shaped movement elsewhere in the routine.
5. Forward Split
The forward split is performed on the floor, with one leg extended in front and the other behind. It requires a 180-degree split position, with the legs flat on the floor.
Level 3 therefore has three different split requirements:
| Position | Required split |
|---|---|
| Straight-leg leap and split jump | 90° |
| Back kick-over | 120° |
| Forward split on the floor | 180° |
These angles apply to different movements. The 90-degree dance requirement does not replace the larger split required during the kick-over or the full split on the floor.
6. Half Turn in Forward Passé
The major turn is a half turn, or 180 degrees, performed in forward passé. The gymnast bends the free knee in front and places the pointed free foot at the supporting knee.
The turn takes place in relevé, with the supporting heel raised. The gymnast should show the completed position in relevé before lowering the heel.
Level 3 does not use Level 2’s heel-snap turn technique. The Level 3 floor table lists heel-snap technique as a 0.30 deduction. Although both levels have a half turn in passé, their prescribed techniques differ.
For viewers, counting half a revolution is only the first step. The supporting foot and the control at the end also help explain the quality of the turn.
7. Backward Roll Above Horizontal to Push-Up Position
The gymnast rolls backward, opens the body above horizontal without reaching vertical, and then lowers to push-up support.
Horizontal is parallel with the floor. The required opening rises above that line, but it is not a full handstand. The push-up finish describes support through the hands and feet; it does not require a conditioning push-up afterward.
The updated rule—not a fixed 45-degree requirement
Older compulsory pages describe this element as opening to 45 degrees above horizontal. USA Gymnastics removed that fixed requirement for the 2025–26 season, effective August 1, 2025, replacing it with an opening above horizontal but below vertical.
The official update also reduced the specific deduction for performing a backward roll to handstand instead to 0.20. A full handstand is therefore not a deduction-free upgrade, and other execution faults may still apply.
This is a useful example of why a compulsory-cycle date alone does not establish that every printed rule remains unchanged throughout the cycle.
8. Round-Off, Back Handspring and Rebound
The closing tumbling series contains one back handspring after the round-off. USA Gymnastics also uses the term flic-flac for a back handspring.
The back handspring lands on two feet and is followed immediately by a rebound, the upward jump after landing. The gymnast then shows a controlled landing before continuing into the closing choreography.
The rebound is not an accidental extra bounce. It is part of the prescribed finish. Showing it immediately and controlling its landing are separate tasks.
For a parent following the pass, the sequence is:
Round-off → one back handspring → rebound → controlled landing
The routine is not over at that landing; the final poses still follow.
How Level 3 Floor Is Scored
The prescribed Level 3 floor routine has a 10.0 start value. Judges subtract applicable deductions for errors rather than award extra difficulty points for adding harder skills.
Completing the main elements is only part of the performance. A gymnast can perform the correct skill yet lose points for its position, hold, connection or finish.
Selected Level 3 Deductions
The following examples illustrate several level-specific faults. They are not a complete judging sheet.
| Error | Deduction |
|---|---|
| Legs do not join at vertical in the opening handstand | 0.10 |
| Opening handstand’s one-second hold is not completed | Up to 0.10 |
| Legs do not join in the handstand before lowering to bridge | 0.10 |
| Heel-snap technique is used in the half turn | 0.30 |
| Backward roll does not open above horizontal | Up to 0.20 |
| A backward roll to handstand replaces the prescribed roll | 0.20 |
| Back handspring is not followed by an immediate rebound | 0.10 |
| A controlled “stick” is not shown after the rebound | 0.05 |
These figures come from the Level 3 penalty tables, read together with the official backward-roll update.
“Up to” identifies a maximum for that particular fault, not an automatic deduction of the largest amount. Other applicable errors can also affect the score.
The Jump Connection Has Its Own Rule
For the stretch-jump–split-jump combination, the compulsory table distinguishes a broken connection, worth 0.05, from insufficient continuity alone, for which it lists no deduction. Other execution errors remain possible.
A slightly hesitant-looking combination should therefore not automatically be treated as though the gymnast stopped in the middle of a tumbling pass. Different connections have different judging provisions.
A Simple Scoring Example
Suppose a judge records 1.10 in total deductions for a complete routine evaluated from 10.00:
10.00 − 1.10 = 8.90
This is a hypothetical calculation, not an estimate of what a particular performance should receive.
For families, the more useful task is recognizing improvement: a clearer handstand, a more controlled turn or a better landing. The final score reflects the whole exercise, including details that may be difficult to see from the stands.
Music, Choreography and the Final Pose
Level 3 uses the official compulsory floor music and movement sequence. USA Gymnastics’ W316 Compulsory Materials provide the complete routine text, floor music for Levels 1–5 and official demonstration videos. (USA Gymnastics)
The major-element table leaves out many connecting movements. Coaches use the written exercise to teach the precise sequence and the choices it permits.
What Happens After the Tumbling Pass?
The closing choreography includes kneeling and side-position movements before the final pose. The gymnast finishes sitting on her heels, with knees and thighs together and the torso straight. The final arm position and focus have permitted choices.
Those choices do not make the whole finishing position optional. A gymnast can use an allowed arm variation while still needing to show the prescribed body position.
For exact choreography, use the current official text and amendments alongside the demonstration. Competition footage can help families follow the sequence, but it may also show mistakes.
These descriptions are for understanding the routine. Handstands, kick-overs and back handsprings should be learned with qualified coaching and appropriate equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Old Must a Gymnast Be to Compete Level 3?
A gymnast must have reached her sixth birthday before competing at Level 3 in a USA Gymnastics-sanctioned meet. This is a minimum competition age, not an age by which every child should master the routine.
Is a Back Tuck Required?
No. The Level 3 closing pass contains one back handspring and a rebound, not a back tuck. Adding a salto does not improve the compulsory routine’s start value.
Does Every Gymnast Have to Compete Level 3?
No. USA Gymnastics allows Levels 1–3 to serve as noncompetitive developmental exercises, achievement programs or introductory competition. A competitive season at every early level is not a national requirement.
Can a Left-Dominant Gymnast Reverse the Routine?
Yes. The entire routine may be reversed. Individual elements may be reversed only where the official text permits it; gymnasts cannot freely switch the side of every movement. (USA Gymnastics)
Final Takeaway
Level 3 floor is best understood as a connected exercise rather than a back-handspring test. The balances, dance shapes, rolling positions and finishing movements deserve attention alongside the tumbling.
For families, watch whether each movement has a recognizable shape, a controlled finish and a clear transition. Those details provide useful signs of progress even before the gymnast begins learning the next routine.