Making Sense of Composition: Level 8 Floor

This post has been updated to reflect the 2026-2030 Code of Points.

This Level 8 gymnast did a super clean floor routine! Gymnast and coach are thrilled, but when the score comes up, it’s not as high as they thought it would be. But why is that?

For Levels 8 and above, there may be a problem with the routine’s composition. Composition refers to the values of skills used to meet the requirements.

In 2026, a change was made to incorporate routine composition into the Start Value. Under these rules, gymnasts must earn Composition Credit (CC) for performing skills with specific values. Completion of the Composition Credit requirements is required to achieve a 10.0 Start Value.

A Level 8 routine has a Start Value of 9.80 before adding in Composition Credit.

So what’s the best way to construct a routine to receive full credit and a 10.0 Start Value? I’ll offer plenty of examples today. I’ll also review some additional composition deductions that can be applied for Level 8 floor. These composition deductions do not come off the Start Value, but will lower a gymnast’s score if they are not fulfilled.

This is the first in a series of three posts, Making Sense of Floor Composition. Check out the Level 9 and Level 10 posts too!

When a coach and gymnast are constructing a Level 8 floor routine, they will first want to consider the skills that are allowable for a gymnast’s level. For those who are unfamiliar, skills are valued from A to E, with A skills being the easiest, and E skills the most difficult. Level 8 gymnasts are permitted to perform any A and B skills, any C dance skills, and one C acro element on floor. C elements count as B’s for Level 8 gymnasts.

For the purposes of this post, I will only be reviewing A and B skills as they relate to composition. C skills do not give Level 8 gymnasts a compositional advantage.

Two Types of Composition in a Level 8 Floor Routine

There are two types of Composition in a Level 8 floor routine:

Composition Credit (comes off the Start Value)
Composition Deductions (deducted from the final score of the routine)

Let’s explore both types of composition.

What is Composition Credit?

Composition Credit is new in 2026. It is a portion of the Start Value that a gymnast can earn by performing certain values of skills in her routine. Composition Credit varies by level. At Level 8, a gymnast can earn up to 0.20 in Composition Credit, to help her achieve a 10.0 Start Value.

The Composition Credit requirements at Level 8 are:

2 different B (or higher) saltos and 1 A (or higher) salto = +0.10
2 different B (or higher) dance skills = +0.10

Acro Composition Credit in a Level 8 Floor Routine

The Acro Special Requirements for Level 8 floor include 3 different saltos and an acro pass with 2 saltos. To receive full Composition Credit in the acro category, a Level 8 gymnast must perform at least 2 different B (or higher) saltos, and 1 A (or higher) salto. There is no requirement to perform more than the 3 required saltos.

Saltos that do not land on the feet first (ex: front tuck off one leg to sit) do not count as saltos, and therefore will not be used to determine acro Composition Credit. Aerials and saltos that take off of one leg (i.e. side somi) also do not count as saltos.

Examples:

Pass #1: Front layout + front pike (B+B direct)
Pass #2: Roundoff, back layout full (B)
+0.10 Acro CC
Pass #1: Front layout + front tuck (B+A direct)
Pass #2: Back layout 1 1/2 (B – 1 1/2 twist gets B credit at Level 8)
+0.10 Acro CC
Pass #1: Front tuck stepout through to back layout ½ (A+B indirect)
Pass #2: Front pike, front tuck (B+A direct)
+0.10 Acro CC
Pass #1: Roundoff, whip 1/2, front pike (B+B direct)
Pass #2: Roundoff, back handspring, back layout (A)
+0.10 Acro CC
Pass #1: Front tuck stepout through to back layout full (A+B indirect)
Pass #2: Front pike (B)
+0.10 Acro CC
Pass #1: Front handspring, front layout, front pike (B+B direct)
Pass #2: Standing back tuck (A)
+0.10 Acro CC
Pass #1: Front tuck, front tuck (A+A direct)
Pass #2: Front pike (B)
Pass #3: Roundoff, back layout 1/2 (B)
+0.10 Acro CC
Pass #1: Front layout, front tuck (B+A direct)
Pass #2: Roundoff, back handspring, back layout (A)
NO Acro CC
Pass #1: Roundoff, back layout full (B)
Pass #2: Front tuck stepout through to back tuck (A+A indirect)
NO Acro CC
Pass #1: Whip through to back tuck (A+A indirect)
Pass #2: Front tuck (A)
NO Acro CC
Pass #1: Roundoff, whip, back tuck (A+A direct)
Pass #2: Front pike (B)
NO Acro CC
Pass #1: Roundoff, back handspring, back layout (A)
Pass #2: Front tuck, front tuck (A+A direct)
Pass #3: Roundoff, back handspring, back tuck (A)
NO Acro CC
-0.30 No B salto

All of these routines meet the acro special requirements, as well as the compositional requirements of a forward/sideward and backward salto. Many of the examples are 2-pass routines. A 2-pass routine makes the most sense if a gymnast can do it, because the fewer passes in the routine, the fewer deductions that can be applied.

There are certainly many other combinations of skills that could be performed, so if you have a question about a particular combination or routine, please shoot me an email or leave it in the comments!

Dance Composition Credit in a Level 8 Floor Routine

To receive full Composition Credit for dance at Level 8, the gymnast must perform 2 DIFFERENT B dance elements. If she completes the dance passage Special Requirement along with the B turn compositional requirement, she will already have 3 elements in her routine, 1 of which is a B. Therefore, if the gymnast uses 1 B element in the dance passage, she will receive full Composition Credit for her dance Value Parts.

Partial list of B dance elements:

Switch leap
Side leap
Straddle jump
Pike jump
Tuck jump full
Split jump ½
Cat leap full
Shushunova
Straight jump 1 ½
Full turn with leg at horizontal
1 ½ turn

If the gymnast is using a turn, or a turning jump, as one of the B dance elements, remember that the turn must be complete within 90° of the required turn in order to receive credit. If the turn is more than 90° incomplete, the value of the skill will be downgraded, and the gymnast may lose her Composition Credit.

Dismount Composition in a Level 8 Floor Routine

There are NO composition requirements for the level of the dismount in floor routines at this time! For this reason, it makes the most sense to select acro skills that can be cleanly performed, in the order that allows the gymnast to perform them the best.

Composition Deductions in a Level 8 Floor Routine

In addition to Composition Credit, there are several other categories judges are looking for during each Level 8 floor routine. Instead of adding to the Start Value, these errors will incur deductions as listed below.

Lack of minimum “B” turn: 0.2.
If the gymnast attempts a B turn but it is more than 90 degrees incomplete, or if she does not attempt one at all, she will receive this deduction. It doesn’t come off the start value, but instead is taken at the end of the routine.
Lack of minimum “B” salto: 0.3.
The gymnast must perform at least 3 saltos in her routine. At least one of the saltos must receive “B” credit in order to avoid this deduction.
Failure to perform saltos in two different directions: 0.1.
The gymnast must perform a backward salto, and a forward or sideward salto. An Arabian salto is considered a forward salto. Aerial cartwheels or walkovers, or saltos that take off of one foot, will NOT fulfill this compositional requirement.
Overuse of dance elements with same shape: 0.1.
This deduction would be taken only for more than two straddle jumps (with/without turn), or more than two elements with a wolf or tuck position (with/without turn).

Insufficient use of the floor exercise area is no longer a deduction.

If, after reading all of these examples, it’s still hard to understand where the score came from, check out this article about general deductions. That Level 8 floor routine will be top notch in no time after addressing all of these categories!

References

USA Gymnastics J.O. Code of Points, 2026-2030.