Women’s Floor Exercise combines tumbling, dance and choreography performed to music. Judges evaluate the difficulty of the credited skills and connections, how accurately the gymnast performs them, and how the movements work together as a complete routine.
The final score follows this formula:
D-Score + E-Score − separate penalties = Final Score
The D-Score measures difficulty and required content. The E-Score begins from 10.0 and is reduced for execution, artistry and composition faults. Penalties for matters such as going out of bounds or exceeding the time limit are taken separately.
This guide covers senior FIG women’s artistic gymnastics under the 2025–2028 Code of Points, including the August 2026 WAG Help Desk. Rules checked September 14, 2026. For the overall system across events, see how FIG gymnastics scoring works.
| Scoring feature | FIG women’s Floor rule |
|---|---|
| Counting difficulty | Up to eight eligible elements, including the dismount |
| Balance within those eight | At least three dance elements and three acrobatic elements; two additional choices |
| Composition Requirements | Four requirements worth 0.50 each: up to 2.00 |
| Connection Value | Eligible combinations earn 0.10 or 0.20 |
| Counting acrobatic lines | Maximum four |
| Dismount bonus | 0.20 for qualifying D-or-harder content, with more than two acrobatic lines and no fall in the last line |
| E-Score | Begins from 10.0 |
| Fall | 1.00 execution deduction |
| Routine time limit | 90 seconds |
| Out-of-bounds penalty | Usually 0.10 or 0.30, depending on the contact outside |
These event rules appear in Section 13 of the FIG Women’s Code.
How the Floor D-Score Is Built
Floor difficulty comes from several parts:
Counting Difficulty Values + Composition Requirements + Connection Value + applicable Dismount Bonus = D-Score
A gymnast therefore needs more than difficult tumbling to build her score. Dance difficulty, required movement types and eligible connections also contribute.
Which eight skills count?
Recognized elements have letter ratings. An A is worth 0.10, a B is worth 0.20, a C is worth 0.30, and the scale continues upward. A D element contributes 0.40; an E contributes 0.50.
Judges select the highest eligible Difficulty Values while applying the counting rules. Within the eight counting elements, the gymnast needs at least three dance elements and three acrobatic elements. The remaining two places can come from either category.
That allows these combinations:
| Counting dance elements | Counting acrobatic elements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 5 | 8 |
| 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 5 | 3 | 8 |
Leaps, jumps, hops and turns can contribute dance difficulty when they receive the required recognition. Acrobatic difficulty includes the gymnast’s credited tumbling elements.
The dismount must be included in the counting set. Repeating the same recognized skill generally does not earn its Difficulty Value again, and performing additional skills does not create unlimited counting places.
The guide to how the FIG D-Score is calculated explains the wider rules for selecting and recognizing difficulty.
What counts as an acrobatic line?
An acrobatic line, often called a tumbling pass, contains at least two directly connected flight elements, including at least one salto. A salto is a flip performed without hand support.
A round-off and back handspring are flight elements with hand support. They can therefore help form an acrobatic line leading into a salto. Two connected saltos can also form a line when the technical conditions are met.
A single standing salto, performed on its own, does not automatically make an acrobatic line. The Help Desk distinguishes these isolated elements from qualifying connected passes.
Floor allows a maximum of four counting acrobatic lines. Difficulty in additional lines is not counted, and acrobatic elements performed after the last counting line cannot add further Difficulty Value. A failed salto that does not land feet first can still cause the attempt to count as an acrobatic line.
The number of lines also affects dismount credit and bonus, so judges must identify the passes the gymnast actually performs. See the Help Desk’s Floor content examples.
The four Composition Requirements
Each Composition Requirement, or CR, earns 0.50. Fulfilling all four adds 2.00 to the D-Score.
| Requirement | What the gymnast must show | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Dance passage | Two different qualifying leaps or hops, connected directly or indirectly; at least one shows a 180° split or straddle | 0.50 |
| Twisting salto | A salto containing at least one full twist, or 360° | 0.50 |
| Double salto | Two flipping rotations within one element | 0.50 |
| Tumbling in both directions | At least one forward salto and one backward salto | 0.50 |
| Maximum | All four requirements fulfilled | 2.00 |
The dance passage must travel with continuity. Permitted connecting movements include running steps, small leaps or hops, chassé and travelling chainé turns. A stationary jump or pirouette cannot replace one of the two required leaps or hops. The first qualifying leap or hop must land on one leg.
The three tumbling requirements must be fulfilled within counting acrobatic lines. An isolated skill elsewhere in the choreography cannot automatically satisfy them. Aerial cartwheels and aerial walkovers do not fulfill the forward-and-backward salto requirement.
One element can satisfy more than one CR. For example, a qualifying twisting double salto may fulfill both the twisting requirement and the double-salto requirement.
Missing a CR means losing that 0.50 of difficulty credit. It does not create a 0.50 execution deduction. The exact conditions are set out in Code Section 13.3 and the Help Desk’s Floor clarifications.
Direct and indirect Connection Value
Connection Value, or CV, rewards eligible skills linked together under the Floor connection rules.
In a direct connection, the gymnast moves straight from one credited skill into the next. In an indirect acrobatic connection, preparatory flight elements with hand support link the saltos within one continuous pass.
For example:
| Combination | Connection type | CV |
|---|---|---|
| Back layout with 1½ twists directly into a front layout with a full twist | Direct C + C | 0.10 |
| Back layout with 1½ twists, then round-off and back handspring into a double back tuck | Indirect C + D | 0.20 |
These values assume the skills and connections receive the stated credit. A layout uses a stretched body position; a tuck draws the bent knees toward the body.
In the second example, the round-off and back handspring provide the link between the two saltos. They are not the C and D elements receiving the connection reward.
Floor also permits certain mixed connections from a salto into a dance element, and a specified connection of turns on one leg. For example, an eligible D salto followed directly by a B dance element can earn 0.10. The required order and technical conditions matter.
A pause, extra adjustment or fall can prevent connection credit. The individual skills may still retain their own Difficulty Values if they meet their recognition rules.
A required dance passage does not automatically earn CV, and Floor does not use Beam’s separate Series Bonus. The Floor connection formulas appear in Code Section 13.4.
How the 0.20 dismount bonus works
On Floor, the dismount is the last counting acrobatic line. Its difficulty is determined by the highest-valued credited salto in that line. The hardest salto does not necessarily have to be the final skill in the combination.
To earn the 0.20 dismount bonus, the gymnast must have more than two acrobatic lines, receive D-or-higher dismount credit, and perform the last acrobatic line without a fall.
| Acrobatic lines performed | Dismount treatment |
|---|---|
| One | No dismount credit; the Code applies a separate 0.50 no-dismount penalty |
| Two | A qualifying dismount can receive difficulty credit, but no dismount bonus |
| Three or four | A qualifying D-or-harder dismount can earn 0.20 bonus if the last line is performed without a fall |
A two-pass routine is therefore possible, but it does not receive this bonus. One acrobatic line also leaves the routine without its counting dismount place, so at most seven elements count for difficulty.
The bonus requires a fall-free final line, rather than a perfectly stuck landing. A step can receive an execution deduction while the bonus remains. The Help Desk’s dismount examples illustrate these distinctions.
How Execution Deductions Work
The E-Score begins from 10.0. Judges deduct for faults throughout the routine, including tumbling technique, dance positions, body form, landings and artistic performance.
A difficult salto can earn its full Difficulty Value while still receiving deductions for bent knees, insufficient height or poor landing posture. Difficulty recognition and execution evaluation are separate decisions.
Common tumbling and landing deductions
| Fault | Deduction under the applicable general rule |
|---|---|
| Bent arms or knees | 0.10, 0.30 or 0.50, depending on severity |
| Insufficient height | 0.10 or 0.30 |
| Ordinary extra landing step or slight hop | 0.10 each |
| Very large step or jump | 0.30 each |
| Poor landing posture | 0.10 or 0.30 |
| Deep squat on landing | 0.50 |
| Hands brush or touch the mat without supporting a fall | 0.30 |
| Hands support the body to prevent a fall | 1.00 |
| Fall onto the knees or hips | 1.00 |
The guideline for a very large step is more than shoulder width. Judges also distinguish a brief brush of the hands from putting weight through them to prevent a fall.
When there is no fall, deductions for the landing are capped at 0.80. This is a landing limit; it does not cap all deductions for the element or the routine. Errors during flight can still be evaluated separately under the appropriate combination rules.
Holding the feet still does not guarantee a deduction-free landing. A gymnast can stick while landing in a deep squat or with poor body posture. Conversely, choreography and a valid connection must be distinguished from an uncontrolled extra step.
The deduction categories come from Sections 8 and 9 of the Women’s Code. For the judging process across events, see how the FIG E-Score is calculated.
Dance elements can lose execution and difficulty credit
Judges assess the positions and completion of leaps, jumps, hops and turns as carefully as tumbling.
For an element requiring a 180° split, the general split-angle guidelines are:
| Shortfall from the required split | General treatment |
|---|---|
| More than 0° through 20° | 0.10 deduction |
| More than 20° through 45° | 0.30 deduction |
| More than 45° | Recognition as another element or no Difficulty Value, as applicable |
These guidelines operate alongside the specific requirements for each element. A ring leap, for example, has additional body-position expectations beyond showing a split.
Incomplete turns or failure to maintain a prescribed free-leg position can also change the recognized skill. If that skill was needed for a connection or requirement, the difficulty consequences may extend beyond its own letter value. See the Code’s technical directives for dance elements.
How Artistry, Music and Choreography Affect the Score
Artistry is part of the E-Score. FIG women’s Floor does not add a separate artistry score to difficulty and execution.
Judges look for a routine in which movement, expression and music belong together. They assess posture, the size and complexity of movements, involvement of different body parts, and the gymnast’s response to the music.
Examples of artistry and composition deductions
| Problem | Deduction |
|---|---|
| Poor overall posture of the head, shoulders or trunk | 0.10 or 0.20 |
| Movements lack sufficient size or extension | 0.10 |
| Too little involvement of different body parts | 0.10 |
| Choreography lacks sufficient movement complexity | 0.10 |
| Expression does not adequately reflect the music’s style | 0.10, 0.20 or 0.30 |
| Movement lacks a connection to the music | 0.10, 0.20 or 0.30 |
| Final movement is out of sync with the musical ending | 0.10 |
| Poorly joined musical edits | 0.10 |
| Corner choreography is insufficient or lacks variety | 0.10 |
| No qualifying movement touching the floor with the trunk, thigh, knee or head | 0.10 |
These are separate criteria. A routine can receive more than one artistry or composition deduction even when the gymnast completes every tumbling pass successfully. The values are listed in Code Section 13.5.
Smiling throughout a routine does not automatically satisfy artistry expectations. Expression should fit the chosen music, and choreography should use coordinated movement, changes of level and the available floor space.
Preparation and the placement of tumbling passes
Floor also has specific execution deductions for interrupting the performance to prepare for skills.
An unnecessary adjustment, excessive arm swing before a dance element, or a qualifying two-second pause can each cost 0.10. The Help Desk describes a pause as remaining stationary without arm movement, or with arm movement that does not provide expressive movement connected to the music.
There are also deductions for beginning immediately with acrobatics or ending with an acrobatic element without subsequent choreography. The routine needs an actual introduction and finish, rather than treating music as background for a sequence of passes.
Tumbling distribution matters too. Performing successive passes along the same diagonal without the required intervening choreography can cost 0.10.
A brief pose does not automatically provide enough choreography. The Help Desk’s preparation and distribution examples explain how judges apply these rules.
Timing, Boundary and Music Penalties
Some rule violations are penalized separately from the E-Score. They are often described as neutral deductions or final-score penalties.
The 90-second time limit
Women’s Floor has a maximum routine duration of 90 seconds. Timing begins with the gymnast’s first movement and stops when she reaches her final position.
The overtime penalty is 0.10 when the routine reaches 91 seconds or more. Skills performed after 90 seconds can still receive difficulty credit and are still evaluated for execution.
The routine should finish with the music. Ending out of sync can therefore create an artistry deduction, while exceeding the routine time creates a separate time penalty.
How out-of-bounds penalties work
The competition area measures 12 × 12 metres. The boundary line itself is in bounds; contact beyond it can produce a penalty.
| Contact outside the boundary | Penalty |
|---|---|
| One foot or one hand | 0.10 |
| Both feet, both hands, a foot and a hand, or another body part | 0.30 |
| Landing directly with both feet outside | 0.30 |
Crossing beyond the line in the air does not by itself create a line penalty. The rule concerns contact with the floor outside the markings.
A gymnast can receive both an execution deduction for an uncontrolled step and a separate penalty if that step goes out of bounds. If she returns inside and later steps out again, another boundary violation can be assessed.
There can also be a difficulty consequence: an element initiated entirely outside the boundary receives no Difficulty Value, Connection Value or Composition Requirement credit. Landing outside and then taking off for another salto is therefore especially costly.
The distinction between line penalties and difficulty recognition is illustrated in the Help Desk’s boundary examples.
Music requirements
Women’s Floor requires musical accompaniment. Music with words, or performing without music, carries a 1.00 final-score penalty under the normal music rule. Wordless vocals can be accepted when the voice functions as an instrument.
A playback failure is handled differently. The Help Desk states that music-related deductions are not applied when the music stops and the gymnast continues the entire routine.
The timing, boundary and music rules are in Code Section 13.1. The broader guide to neutral deductions in gymnastics explains how these penalties are separated from execution losses.
What Happens After a Fall or Missed Pass?
A fall normally costs 1.00 from the E-Score, but its total effect depends on what the gymnast completed before falling.
If she lands feet first and then falls, the salto may retain its Difficulty Value. If she fails to land feet first, the intended element does not receive difficulty credit. Either situation can disrupt an eligible connection.
A missed element may also remove a Composition Requirement if no other credited content fulfills it. Judges must reassess the actual routine rather than simply subtracting one point from the planned score.
For example, consider a gymnast whose last acrobatic line was expected to earn the 0.20 dismount bonus.
If she lands the qualifying salto feet first but falls afterward, she may retain its Difficulty Value while losing both 1.00 in execution and the 0.20 bonus. Other faults or lost connections may also affect the result.
This is why a fall’s impact can be greater than the standard fall deduction alone. The relevant recognition and bonus rules appear in Code Sections 7.4 and 9.3.
A Complete Women’s Floor Scoring Example
Suppose a gymnast performs three counting acrobatic lines, fulfills all four Composition Requirements, and completes a qualifying D-or-harder dismount without a fall in the final line.
The following numbers are hypothetical:
| D-Score component | Credit |
|---|---|
| Five counting acrobatic elements | 2.20 |
| Three counting dance elements | 1.20 |
| Four Composition Requirements | 2.00 |
| Eligible connections | 0.40 |
| Dismount bonus | 0.20 |
| D-Score | 6.00 |
Suppose the combined execution and artistry evaluation produces these deductions:
| E-Score calculation | Amount |
|---|---|
| Initial execution score | 10.00 |
| Technical, form and landing deductions | −1.30 |
| Artistry and composition deductions | −0.40 |
| E-Score | 8.30 |
The gymnast also places one foot outside the boundary once, receiving a separate 0.10 penalty.
Her final score is:
6.00 + 8.30 − 0.10 = 14.200
The boundary penalty does not change the displayed E-Score of 8.30. It is subtracted after difficulty and execution are combined.
The same arithmetic explains why the hardest routine does not always win. A gymnast gaining 0.20 in difficulty but losing another 0.30 in execution finishes 0.10 lower overall, assuming the separate penalties are unchanged.