Still Rings scoring rewards difficult skills, controlled strength positions and precise swings. A gymnast must do more than hold an impressive pose: judges also evaluate how he reaches that position, how long he maintains it and how smoothly he continues.
Under FIG rules, the scoring formula is:
D-Score + E-Score + applicable stick bonus − neutral deductions = Final Score
The D-Score measures credited difficulty and required content. The E-Score begins from 10.0 and decreases for execution errors. A qualifying stuck dismount can add 0.10, while separate penalties reduce the final result.
This article covers senior men’s artistic gymnastics under the 2025–2028 FIG Code, including updates effective through September 2026. For the overall system across all six apparatus, see how men’s gymnastics scoring works.
Still Rings Scoring at a Glance
| Scoring feature | FIG Still Rings |
|---|---|
| Counting difficulty | Seven eligible elements plus the dismount |
| Required categories | Three regular Element Groups and a dismount group |
| Maximum group credit | 2.00 |
| Hold duration | Two seconds for required hold positions |
| Additional content requirement | A qualifying swing to held handstand among the counting eight |
| Standard Connection Value bonus | No |
| Execution score | Begins from 10.00 |
| Fall deduction | 1.00 |
| Stick bonus | 0.10 for a qualifying C-or-harder dismount |
| Final scoring scale | Open-ended |
Rings routines combine swing, strength and holds. These components must work together, so an exercise cannot earn full credit simply by repeating the gymnast’s strongest type of movement.
How Is the Rings D-Score Calculated?
The main Rings difficulty calculation is:
Counting Difficulty Values + Element Group credit = D-Score
Any permitted apparatus-specific upgrades are included when judges determine the elements’ Difficulty Values.
Seven Elements Plus the Dismount
Judges count the gymnast’s seven highest eligible elements plus the dismount, applying the repetition and construction restrictions.
A maximum of four counting elements can come from the same Element Group.
Recognized elements have letter values. For example, C is worth 0.30, D is worth 0.40 and E is worth 0.50.
The gymnast may perform additional movements, but they do not all increase the D-Score. Execution judges still evaluate them, so an extra element can introduce deductions without adding counting difficulty.
The Four Rings Element Groups
Rings uses these categories:
| Element Group | What it includes |
|---|---|
| EG I | Kip and swing elements, including swings through or to handstand |
| EG II | Strength elements and hold positions |
| EG III | Swing elements that finish in strength holds |
| EG IV | Dismounts |
The difference between Groups II and III concerns how the gymnast performs the element.
A strength movement into a cross and a swing into a cross may finish in a similar position, but they have different technical definitions. Judges identify the complete element, including its entry.
How Much Group Credit Is Available?
| Group | Available credit |
|---|---|
| EG I | 0.50 from any eligible counting element |
| EG II and III | 0.30 from an A–C element; 0.50 from a D-or-harder element |
| EG IV: dismount | Matches the dismount’s Difficulty Value, capped at 0.50 |
Full credit across the four groups totals 2.00.
Individual difficulty and group credit are separate. A counting D element that fulfills EG III can contribute:
0.40 Difficulty Value + 0.50 group credit = 0.90
However, the group credit is awarded once. Including another D element from EG III does not earn a second 0.50 for that group.
For a complete explanation of the counting process, see how the FIG D-Score is calculated.
Does Rings Have Connection Bonus?
Rings does not use a standard Connection Value table like men’s Floor or High Bar. Moving directly between two difficult holds does not automatically earn another 0.10 or 0.20.
There are, however, specific sequence-based upgrades. A qualifying Yamawaki or Jonasson performed directly into a swing to held handstand can receive a one-letter upgrade, subject to the counting conditions.
The Code gives Jonasson into swing to handstand = D + C as an example. This changes the credited element value; it is not a separate CV award. FIG Men’s Code, Section 12.2.2.
How Are Strength Holds Judged?
Strength holds are central to Rings scoring, but judges evaluate several things at once:
- whether the intended position is recognizable;
- whether the gymnast holds it long enough;
- whether the arms and body meet the technical requirements;
- whether the entry and exit are controlled.
The Two-Second Hold Rule
Required hold positions must be maintained for at least two seconds.
Timing begins when the gymnast reaches a complete static position, including the shoulders and feet. Arriving near the intended position while still moving does not begin a completed hold.
| Performance | Hold-time deduction | Difficulty consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Correctly held for at least two seconds | None for duration | Can receive credit |
| Clear stop, but held for less than two seconds | 0.30 | May retain credit |
| No stop | 0.50 | Hold is not recognized |
These distinctions appear in the FIG hold-duration rules.
A short hold and an unrecognized hold therefore have different consequences. A gymnast may keep an element’s difficulty while losing execution points for releasing it too soon.
Holding longer than two seconds does not increase the element’s value.
Recognizing Common Rings Positions
Several familiar positions help spectators follow the routine:
| Position | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Iron cross | Body upright, with straight arms extended sideways |
| Inverted cross | Body upside down, with arms extended sideways |
| Swallow, often called a Maltese | Straight body held horizontally near ring height |
| Support scale, or planche | Body held horizontally above the rings |
| Handstand | Body extended vertically upside down |
These descriptions identify the general position. The complete element’s value also depends on how the gymnast enters or moves between positions.
Body Position Matters as Much as Duration
A gymnast can hold a position for two seconds and still receive deductions for incorrect alignment.
For example, a cross held too high changes the shoulder angle and reduces the strength demand. A horizontal position with bent hips also differs from the intended straight-body position.
Smaller deviations receive execution deductions. A sufficiently large deviation can prevent recognition altogether.
The entry is evaluated separately from the final position. Swinging above the intended hold and then lowering into it can produce deductions even if the gymnast eventually establishes a good hold.
Why the Entry Can Change the Credited Skill
The September 2026 clarification addresses specified slow backward rolls into strength holds, including Azarian-type movements.
Judges distinguish the permitted initial entry from the subsequent roll. After the gymnast passes the inverted vertical position, a body bend greater than 45° prevents recognition of the roll. The final hold may still receive credit if its own requirements are met. FIG MAG Newsletter No. 4.
This explains why two gymnasts can finish in the same pose but receive different difficulty credit: the movement into that pose is part of the skill.
What Swing and Routine-Construction Rules Apply?
Rings requires a balance of content. Its construction rules limit how many strength elements can be performed consecutively and require a particular type of handstand.
A Swing to Held Handstand Is Required
The routine must include a qualifying swing to handstand with a two-second hold, and that element must be among the eight counting elements.
A strength press to handstand does not automatically satisfy this requirement. The gymnast must use an approved swing element.
FIG’s clarification identifies five qualifying elements, including specified forward and backward swings or giants to handstand, and Honma variations into handstand. FIG MAG Newsletter No. 1.
Missing the qualifying counting swing-to-handstand element results in a 0.30 neutral deduction.
No More Than Three Consecutive Strength-Type Elements
The gymnast may perform no more than three consecutive elements from Groups II and/or III for recognition within that sequence.
To continue with another strength sequence, he must insert a qualifying B-or-harder Group I swing element that is recognized and included in the counting eight. Kips and back kips do not serve as the required separator.
The fourth and subsequent strength-type elements in an uninterrupted sequence are treated as repetitions and do not receive difficulty credit. This rule also considers strength elements outside the counting eight. FIG Men’s Code, Section 12.2.2.
For spectators, this helps explain why a gymnast leaves a sequence of holds to perform swing work before returning to strength elements.
Repeated Final Positions Are Restricted
Rings also limits repeated strength positions within each group.
Changing the entry does not always create another eligible difficulty element. The Code groups certain related finishes together, including cross variations.
A routine must therefore offer meaningful variety in its recognized content. Several impressive movements ending in closely related positions may not all contribute to the final difficulty total.
Where Do Gymnasts Lose Execution Points on Rings?
The E-Score begins from 10.00. Judges deduct for faults in body form, technique, control and presentation throughout the exercise.
The general error scale is:
| Error size | Deduction |
|---|---|
| Small | 0.10 |
| Medium | 0.30 |
| Large | 0.50 |
| Fall | 1.00 |
Execution includes the whole routine, rather than only the eight elements selected for difficulty.
Bent Arms and Poor Body Form
Straight arms are required whenever the element’s definition calls for them. An unintended bend can make a strength movement easier and lead to deductions.
Other common faults include bent knees, separated legs, bent hips and visible posture corrections.
Judges apply the technical definition of the particular element. Some movements permit bent arms, so every visible arm bend is not automatically an error.
Excessive Ring and Cable Movement
Swings are a required part of the exercise, but excessive cable movement can indicate poor control.
During a hold, the gymnast should establish the intended position without continuing to drift or oscillate. During swing work, he must manage the apparatus so that the next element can be performed accurately.
This is why the name Still Rings does not mean the gymnast remains motionless throughout the routine. The exercise alternates deliberate movement with controlled static positions.
False Grip
A prohibited false grip during a strength hold receives 0.10 each time.
Opening the fingers does not automatically make the grip acceptable. FIG clarified that an open-handed hold can still receive the deduction when the wrists rest on top of the rings in a false-grip position. FIG’s grip clarification.
Extra Swings and Awkward Transitions
Unnecessary swings, interrupted movement and unsuitable transitions can also cost execution points.
The gymnast must demonstrate the intended technique: a swing element should show its required swing action, while a strength movement must meet its strength-performance conditions.
A routine can therefore lose points without a fall or a visibly failed hold. Several smaller faults can accumulate across entries, swings and transitions.
For the broader deduction system, see how the FIG E-Score is calculated.
Can One Error Affect Both D-Score and E-Score?
Yes. An element performed too poorly to receive recognition can also receive execution deductions.
If an unrecognized hold was the only eligible element satisfying a group, group credit may be lost as well. A subsequent strength press can also be affected when it depends on a recognized preceding hold.
The exact D-Score change depends on whether other elements can replace the missing difficulty or satisfy the group.
How Are Rings Dismounts Scored?
The dismount can affect the score through its individual difficulty, its group credit, its execution and the possible stick bonus.
Dismount Group Credit Is Capped at 0.50
Since January 1, 2026, Rings dismount group credit follows the dismount’s Difficulty Value up to a maximum of 0.50.
| Dismount rating | Individual Difficulty Value | Dismount group credit |
|---|---|---|
| C | 0.30 | 0.30 |
| D | 0.40 | 0.40 |
| E | 0.50 | 0.50 |
| F | 0.60 | 0.50 |
| G or harder | 0.70 or more | 0.50 |
The gymnast retains the full individual value of a harder dismount. Only its additional group credit is capped. FIG’s January 2026 dismount update.
For example, replacing an E dismount with an F increases individual difficulty by 0.10, but the group credit remains 0.50.
The 0.10 Stick Bonus
A qualifying stuck dismount of at least C difficulty can earn 0.10.
Other execution faults may remain, so a stick bonus does not certify a deduction-free dismount. Raising the heels or toes to recover balance prevents the bonus. FIG’s stick-bonus clarification.
Landing Deductions
Common landing losses include:
| Landing fault | Typical deduction |
|---|---|
| Small step or hop | 0.10 each |
| Large step or hop | 0.30 |
| Landing with hips below the knees | 0.50 |
| Fall | 1.00 |
Judges also assess rotation, body shape and preparation before the feet reach the mat.
A strong Rings routine can lose its advantage through an uncontrolled dismount, especially when landing deductions are accompanied by the loss of the possible stick bonus.
A Complete Rings Scoring Example
Suppose a gymnast receives these hypothetical difficulty credits:
| D-Score component | Credit |
|---|---|
| Eight counting Difficulty Values, including the dismount | 3.80 |
| EG I | 0.50 |
| EG II | 0.50 |
| EG III | 0.50 |
| EG IV dismount | 0.50 |
| D-Score | 5.80 |
The individual values already include any permitted upgrades. There is no additional standard CV amount to add.
His combined execution deductions total 1.40:
10.00 − 1.40 = 8.60 E-Score
He also earns the stick bonus and receives no neutral penalty.
| Final-score component | Amount |
|---|---|
| D-Score | 5.800 |
| E-Score | 8.600 |
| Stick bonus | +0.100 |
| Neutral deductions | 0.000 |
| Final score | 14.500 |
A harder routine would provide more scoring potential, but execution losses could outweigh that advantage. Adding 0.10 in difficulty would not improve the result if it introduced another 0.30 in deductions.