The USA Gymnastics Xcel Program is an alternative competitive program within USA Gymnastics Women’s Artistic Gymnastics. It gives gymnasts a more flexible way to compete than the traditional Development Program.
- Xcel Gymnastics Levels at a Glance
- Xcel Bronze Gymnastics
- Xcel Silver Gymnastics
- Xcel Gold Gymnastics
- Xcel Platinum Gymnastics
- Xcel Diamond Gymnastics
- Xcel Sapphire Gymnastics
- How Are Xcel Routines Scored?
- What Do A, B and C Mean in Xcel Gymnastics?
- Can Development Program Gymnasts Move to Xcel?
- Can Xcel Gymnasts Move to the Development Program?
- Is Xcel Gymnastics Easier Than the Development Program?
- Xcel Gymnastics Current Rules for 2026–27
Instead of progressing through Levels 1–10, Xcel gymnasts compete in six divisions:
Bronze → Silver → Gold → Platinum → Diamond → Sapphire
The routines are designed around each gymnast’s strengths, making Xcel suitable for athletes with a wide range of ages, abilities, goals and training commitments.
Xcel Gymnastics Levels at a Glance
| Xcel Division | Minimum Age | Mobility Score Required to Enter | General Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 5 | None | Beginner |
| Silver | 6 | None | Beginner–Intermediate |
| Gold | 7 | None | Intermediate |
| Platinum | 8 | 32.00 AA at Gold or 8.50 IES | Intermediate–Advanced |
| Diamond | 9 | 32.00 AA at Platinum or 8.50 IES | Advanced |
| Sapphire | 12 | 32.00 AA at Diamond or 8.50 IES | Highest Xcel division |
These are USA Gymnastics’ minimum competition ages, not the ages at which most athletes are expected to compete each division.
For example, being eight years old makes a gymnast old enough for Platinum, but it does not mean an eight-year-old should necessarily be competing Platinum. Skill readiness is much more important than age alone.
Xcel Bronze Gymnastics
Minimum age: 5
Bronze is the introductory Xcel division. Bronze routines emphasize basic body positions, control, strength and fundamental skills.
Typical skills may include:
Vault: introductory handstand-style vault progressions
Bars: casts, basic circling skills and simple dismounts
Beam: basic jumps, turns, non-flight acrobatic skills and a dismount
Floor: cartwheels, round-offs, handstands, rolls, jumps, leaps and simple acro connections
For example, Bronze floor does not allow saltos or aerials, keeping the division focused on basic tumbling technique.
Bronze Routine Requirements
For bars, beam and floor, Bronze routines require: 4 A Value Parts
A skills are the easiest difficulty category used in the Xcel Code. Bronze routines also have four Special Requirements on each of bars, beam and floor. Each missing Special Requirement costs 0.50 from the Start Value.
Does Bronze Have a Mobility Score?
No national prerequisite score is required to enter Bronze or advance into the early Xcel divisions.
A gymnast with no previous competitive experience may enter Bronze, Silver or Gold at the coach’s discretion, provided she meets the minimum age requirement.
Xcel Silver Gymnastics
Minimum age: 6
Silver is the next step after Bronze. Gymnasts continue developing basic gymnastics but begin performing more connected acrobatics, stronger bar work and more difficult dance elements.
Typical Silver skills may include:
Vault: handspring-style vault progressions over a mat stack
Bars: casts, 360-degree circling skills and basic bar transitions or dismounts
Beam: cartwheels or other basic acro skills, jumps, leaps and turns
Floor: round-off back handsprings, front handsprings and other introductory flight skills
USA Gymnastics’ Silver floor requirements include multiple acrobatic passages, dance work and turning requirements.
Silver Routine Requirements
Silver requires: 5 A Value Parts on bars, beam and floor.
The increase from four to five Value Parts allows Silver routines to become longer and somewhat more complex while still emphasizing fundamental skills.
Does Silver Have a Mobility Score?
There is no national prerequisite score listed for Silver. A gymnast may enter Silver without first competing Bronze if her coach believes Silver is the appropriate starting division.
Xcel Gold Gymnastics
Minimum age: 7
Gold is where Xcel gymnastics begins to become significantly more demanding. Athletes generally need stronger tumbling, better bar skills, more confidence on beam and improved vault technique.
Typical Gold-level gymnastics may include skills such as:
Vault: handspring-family vaults and other allowable Gold vaults
Bars: kips, casts, circling skills and high-bar work
Beam: acro elements or series, more developed leaps and turns
Floor: back handsprings, front handsprings, saltos and stronger tumbling combinations
Exact routines vary considerably because Xcel allows coaches to choose skills that suit the gymnast.
Gold Routine Requirements
Gold routines require: 6 A Value Parts on bars, beam and floor.
Gold is still primarily based on A-level difficulty, but the overall routine requirements are more demanding than Silver.
Does a Gymnast Have to Compete Bronze and Silver First?
Not necessarily. USA Gymnastics allows gymnasts with no previous competitive experience to enter Bronze, Silver or Gold at the coach’s discretion.
That means an older beginner with sufficient skills does not necessarily need to compete Bronze simply because it is the first division.
Xcel Platinum Gymnastics
Minimum age: 8
Platinum is the first upper-level Xcel division and represents a noticeable increase in difficulty. Routines now require B-level difficulty in addition to A skills.
Platinum Value Parts
A Platinum routine requires: 6 A Value Parts + 1 B Value Part on bars, beam and floor.
A B skill carries more difficulty than an A skill, so Platinum athletes must demonstrate more advanced gymnastics than Gold athletes.
Typical Platinum gymnastics may include:
Vault: more advanced handspring-family and other approved vaults
Bars: kips, stronger casts, clear-circling skills and higher-level dismounts
Beam: flight skills, acro connections, leaps and more difficult turns
Floor: salto tumbling, connected flight skills and more advanced dance elements
The exact skills are flexible as long as the routine meets the division’s Value Part and Special Requirements.
Gold to Platinum Mobility
To enter Platinum through normal Xcel progression, a gymnast must achieve:
32.00 All-Around at Gold or 8.50 as an Individual Event Specialist (IES) at an eligible live USA Gymnastics sanctioned competition.
Xcel Diamond Gymnastics
Minimum age: 9
Diamond is an advanced Xcel division. Gymnasts at this level typically perform substantially more difficult tumbling, bar work, beam acrobatics and vaults than athletes in the lower divisions.
Diamond Value Parts
Diamond routines require: 5 A Value Parts + 2 B Value Parts on bars, beam and floor.
The combination of multiple B skills and more demanding Special Requirements makes Diamond significantly more advanced than Platinum.
Typical skills can include:
Vault: advanced vaults from the approved Diamond chart
Bars: higher casts, advanced circling skills, turns, releases and salto dismounts
Beam: flight series, higher-level dance elements and salto or aerial dismounts
Floor: multiple saltos, more difficult acro combinations and advanced dance
However, there is no single “Diamond routine.” Two athletes can use very different skills and still satisfy the same requirements.
Platinum to Diamond Mobility
A gymnast needs: 32.00 All-Around at Platinum or 8.50 IES to satisfy the normal prerequisite for Diamond.
Xcel Sapphire Gymnastics
Minimum age: 12
Sapphire is the highest division in the Xcel Program.
It was created to provide another competitive option for highly advanced Xcel athletes and now sits above Diamond in the national Xcel structure.
Sapphire gymnasts can perform considerably more difficult skills, and the scoring structure is also different from the lower five divisions.
Sapphire Value Parts
Sapphire requires: 3 A Value Parts + 3 B Value Parts + 1 C Value Part on bars, beam and floor.
This is the only Xcel division requiring a C Value Part. Sapphire also introduces bonus into the routine Start Value calculation.
Sapphire Start Value
Bronze through Diamond routines generally begin from a 10.00 Start Value when all required elements and Special Requirements are present.
Sapphire is different. A Sapphire routine begins from:
9.60 + up to 0.40 in bonus = 10.00 maximum
Bonus may come from difficulty and qualifying skill connections under the Xcel Code. This makes routine construction more strategically important at Sapphire.
Diamond to Sapphire Mobility
To move into Sapphire, a gymnast normally needs: 32.00 All-Around at Diamond or 8.50 IES and must have reached her 12th birthday before competing.
USA Gymnastics does allow a gymnast who has not yet reached the Sapphire minimum age to petition for entry, accompanied by video demonstrating the appropriate skill level.
How Are Xcel Routines Scored?
Xcel gymnastics uses a 10.0 scoring system, but the way the Start Value is built depends on the division.
For Bronze through Diamond, a routine begins with a 10.00 Start Value. Judges can reduce that Start Value if the gymnast is missing required skills or requirements. Sapphire works differently: routines begin at 9.60 and can earn up to 0.40 in bonus to reach a maximum 10.00 Start Value.
What Makes Up an Xcel Routine?
On bars, beam and floor, judges look at several parts of the routine:
- Value Parts: Required skills of a certain difficulty, such as A, B or C elements.
- Special Requirements: Each division has four specific requirements worth 0.50 each.
- Execution: Deductions are taken for errors such as bent knees, flexed feet, poor body position, steps on landings and falls.
- Artistry: Beam and floor can receive deductions for areas such as posture, rhythm, expression and movement quality.
- Bonus: Used only in Sapphire, where athletes can earn up to 0.40 for qualifying difficulty and connections.
The current Xcel Code uses the following routine formula:
| Division | Required Value Parts | Special Requirements | Starting Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 4 A | 2.00 | 10.00 |
| Silver | 5 A | 2.00 | 10.00 |
| Gold | 6 A | 2.00 | 10.00 |
| Platinum | 6 A + 1 B | 2.00 | 10.00 |
| Diamond | 5 A + 2 B | 2.00 | 10.00 |
| Sapphire | 3 A + 3 B + 1 C | 2.00 | 9.60 + up to 0.40 bonus |
For example, if a Gold gymnast has all required Value Parts and Special Requirements, the routine can start from 10.00. If one Special Requirement is missing, 0.50 is taken from the Start Value, reducing it to 9.50 before execution deductions are considered. Missing Value Parts and performing restricted elements can also reduce the Start Value.
What About Vault?
Vault is different from bars, beam and floor. Gymnasts choose from the vaults allowed for their division, and the applicable vault chart determines the Start Value. More advanced divisions generally have a wider range of allowable vaults.
In simple terms, an Xcel score depends on two things:
Start Value − execution and other deductions = Final Score
A gymnast therefore does not need to perform the hardest skills possible to score well. Especially in Bronze through Diamond, a clean routine that fulfills all requirements can often score better than a more difficult routine performed with significant errors.
USA Gymnastics’ current Xcel Code has been extended through July 2028, with annual replacement pages and rule updates continuing during that period.
What Do A, B and C Mean in Xcel Gymnastics?
In Xcel gymnastics, A, B and C are Value Part classifications used to show how difficult a skill is.
In simple terms:
| Value Part | Difficulty | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| A | Easier skill | 0.10 |
| B | Medium-difficulty skill | 0.30 |
| C | Higher-difficulty skill | 0.50 |
USA Gymnastics assigns skills their Value Part in the Xcel Code of Points. A skill’s Xcel value may sometimes differ from its value in the Development Program Code.
As gymnasts move through the Xcel divisions, the required difficulty gradually increases:
- Bronze: 4 A skills
- Silver: 5 A skills
- Gold: 6 A skills
- Platinum: 6 A + 1 B
- Diamond: 5 A + 2 B
- Sapphire: 3 A + 3 B + 1 C
This means Bronze through Gold mainly focus on clean execution of basic A-level skills, while Platinum introduces required B difficulty. Diamond requires more B skills, and Sapphire is the first division that requires a C Value Part.
Higher-value skills can generally replace lower-value requirements on a one-for-one basis. For example, if a Gold routine needs six A Value Parts, a B skill can replace one missing A. However, an A skill cannot replace a required B or C skill.
If a required Value Part is missing, the Start Value is reduced by its value:
Missing A: −0.10
Missing B: −0.30
Missing C: −0.50
So the letters are not grades. They simply indicate the difficulty value of individual gymnastics skills and help determine whether an Xcel routine meets the requirements for its division.
Can Development Program Gymnasts Move to Xcel?
Yes. USA Gymnastics provides an entry chart for athletes who previously competed in the Development Program.
| Previous Development Program Experience | Xcel Division Available |
| Levels 1–2 | Bronze |
| Levels 1–3 | Silver |
| Levels 1–4 | Gold |
| Levels 5–7 | Platinum |
| Levels 7–8 | Diamond |
| Levels 8–10 | Sapphire |
The gymnast must have competed all-around at least once in a sanctioned meet at the specified Development Program level to use that entry route.
Because some ranges overlap, the appropriate division depends on the athlete’s previous level and circumstances.
Can Xcel Gymnasts Move to the Development Program?
Yes, but Xcel scores do not automatically satisfy Development Program mobility requirements.
USA Gymnastics explicitly states that Xcel is a separate program and cannot be used to satisfy DP mobility requirements.
Under the current rules, an athlete whose competitive experience has been in Xcel normally enters the Development Program at Level 4 or below. Certain older athletes may petition for higher entry under the applicable rules.
So moving between the two programs is possible, but it is not as simple as converting one Xcel division directly into one DP level.
Is Xcel Gymnastics Easier Than the Development Program?
Not necessarily. Xcel is generally more flexible than the Development Program, but that does not automatically make it easier.
At the lower divisions, Bronze, Silver and Gold may feel less demanding because routines can often be built around skills the gymnast performs confidently. However, upper Xcel divisions such as Platinum, Diamond and Sapphire can include advanced tumbling, beam flight, difficult bar skills and higher-level vaults.
Xcel vs. Development Program Level Comparison
| Xcel Division | Rough Development Program Comparison | General Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | Levels 1–2 | Beginner |
| Silver | Levels 2–3 | Beginner to intermediate |
| Gold | Levels 3–4 | Intermediate |
| Platinum | Levels 5–7 | Intermediate to advanced |
| Diamond | Levels 7–8 | Advanced |
| Sapphire | Levels 8–10 | High-level advanced |
The Development Program is generally more structured and progressive, while Xcel is more flexible and customizable.
A Diamond gymnast, for example, is not automatically equivalent to a Level 8 gymnast, because the two programs use different skill requirements, routine restrictions and mobility systems.
Xcel Gymnastics Current Rules for 2026–27
For the 2026–27 season, USA Gymnastics continues to use the 2022–28 Xcel Code of Points for Bronze through Sapphire. The original 2022–26 Code was officially extended through July 31, 2028, so there is no completely new Xcel Code beginning in 2026.
USA Gymnastics does, however, issue replacement pages and annual rule updates. The most recent replacement pages were published on August 12, 2026, and several Xcel appendices—including the Event Rules Charts, shorthand symbols and score sheets—were also updated in August 2026.
For 2026–27, gymnasts and coaches should therefore use three main sources:
- 2022–28 Xcel Code of Points for skill values, Special Requirements, restrictions and scoring rules.
- 2026–27 Women’s Rules & Policies for age requirements, mobility scores, competition procedures and entry rules.
- Current Xcel replacement pages and appendices for any changes made after the original Code was published.
The basic routine structure remains familiar: Bronze through Diamond can generally build to a 10.0 Start Value, while Sapphire uses a 9.60 base Start Value plus up to 0.40 in bonus.
Another major development for upper-level Xcel athletes is the introduction of the National Xcelebration in 2027. Platinum, Diamond and Sapphire athletes will be able to qualify through their Regional Championships for the national event, scheduled for June 10–13, 2027. (USA Gymnastics)
Because replacement pages can change individual skill values, vault charts or judging details during the life of the Code, the latest USA Gymnastics materials should always take priority over older charts or unofficial Xcel skill lists.
