This article has been updated to reflect the changes made in the 2022-2026 Code of Points. It has been modified using the new 2024 composition deductions.
Your Level 9 gymnast hits her floor routine. Yes! But the score comes in lower than you both expected. What’s the deal?
At Level 9, there’s a good chance she had some deductions for the composition of the routine. What does that mean? Let’s take a closer look!
This is the second article in a three-part series: Making Sense of Floor Composition. Check out the Level 8 and Level 10 articles too!
In case you missed the first article, this series discusses composition deductions on floor for levels 8, 9, and 10. In 2018, USAG made changes to their composition deductions, in order to make the “up to the level” deductions more specific. There are three categories of “Up to the Level” deductions: Acro, Dance, and Dismount. In 2024, the Acro composition deductions were updated again.
Today, I will discuss these deductions in detail as they relate to Level 9 floor, with lots of examples.
When a coach and gymnast are constructing a routine, they will first want to consider the skills that are allowable for the gymnast’s level. For those who are unfamiliar, skills in the J.O. Program are valued from A to E, with A skills being the easiest, and E skills being the most difficult. Level 9 gymnasts are allowed to perform any A, B, and C elements, any D/E dance elements, and ONE D/E acro element. D/E elements count as C elements at Level 9 for the purposes of routine construction and bonus.
Acro Composition Deductions
The composition deductions for acro level changed significantly in the summer of 2024. Acro composition deductions are now based on the number of saltos in the routine, and the value of those saltos.
There are no longer separate composition deductions for 2-pass routines and 3-pass routines. However, with the new deductions, it’s much more difficult to avoid composition deductions when performing a 2-pass Level 9 routine.
Each routine is expected to contain 4 saltos. If a routine has 3 or fewer saltos, a 0.05 deduction is applied for each missing salto. The judges will determine what the acro composition deduction would have been with a 4th salto, and take an additional 0.05 deduction at the end.
Minimum and Maximum Acro Composition Deductions
To receive NO deduction for acro level in a Level 10 routine, the gymnast needs a minimum of 3 C saltos and 1 A salto. These saltos can be isolated, directly connected, or indirectly connected. It does not matter how many acro passes the gymnast performs, as long as she completes her 4 saltos. If a gymnast is missing a salto, an additional 0.05 deduction is taken. The missing salto is assumed to be an A, when looking up the saltos in the chart.
The maximum deduction is 0.20, if the gymnast has no C saltos in her routine. See the chart in the 2024 USAG Minutes for details. If the gymnast is missing a salto, and has no C saltos, the maximum deduction is still 0.20.
Let’s look at some examples.
Examples for a 2-pass routine:
- Pass #1: Front full stepout through to back layout double full (C+C indirect, +0.20 bonus)
Pass #2: Back layout 1 1/2, front tuck (C+A direct, +0.10 bonus)
NO deduction - Pass #1: Back layout 1 ½, front layout (C+B direct, +0.20 bonus)
Pass #2: Front full, front pike (C+B direct, +0.20 bonus)
0.05 deduction - Pass #1: Front pike stepout, through to back layout 1 ½ (B+C indirect, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #2: Front full, front pike (C+B direct, +0.20 bonus)
0.05 deduction - Pass #1: Front pike stepout through to back layout double full (B+C indirect)
Pass #2: Back layout 1 1/2, front tuck (C+A direct, +0.10 bonus)
0.10 deduction - Pass #1: Double back (D, counts as C for Level 9)
Pass #2: Whip 1/2, front full (B+C direct, +0.20 bonus)
Missing one salto
0.15 deduction - Pass #1: Whip, back layout 1 1/2 (A+C direct, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #2: Front full, front tuck (C+A direct, +0.10 bonus)
0.15 deduction - Pass #1: Front full, front tuck (C+A direct, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #2: Back layout double full (C)
Missing one salto
0.15 deduction - Pass #1: Front tuck stepout, through to back layout double full (A+C indirect)
Pass #2: Rudi (D, counts as C for Level 9)
Missing one salto
0.15 deduction - Pass #1: Back layout full (B)
Pass #2: Front layout, front pike (B+B direct. +0.10 bonus)
0.20 deduction
As you can see, missing a salto really lowers the composition value of the routine!
Examples for a 3-pass routine:
- Pass #1: Back layout double full (C)
Pass #2: Back layout 1 1/2 , front tuck (C+A direct, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #3: Front full (C)
NO deduction - Pass #1: Double back (D, counts as C for Level 9)
Pass #2: Front layout, front layout (B+B, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #3: Back layout 1 1/2 (C)
0.05 deduction - Pass #1: Back layout double full (C)
Pass #2: Front layout, front tuck (B+A direct)
Pass #3: Front full (C)
0.10 deduction - Pass #1: Front full (C)
Pass #2: Front tuck through to back layout full (A+B indirect)
Pass #3: Back layout 1 ½ (C)
0.10 deduction - Pass #1:Front full (C)
Pass #2: Whip ½, front layout (B+B direct, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #3: Front layout, front pike (B+B direct, +0.10 bonus)
0.15 deduction - Pass #1: Back layout double full (C)
Pass #2: Front layout, front layout (B+B direct, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #3: Back layout full (B)
0.15 deduction - Pass #1: Back layout full (B)
Pass #2: Front layout, front pike (B+B direct)
Pass #3: Front pike (B)
0.20 deduction
What are your favorite passes that get full composition for Level 9?
Dance Composition Deductions
To receive no deduction for dance composition, the athlete must perform a minimum of 2 C dance elements. Performing only one B element will incur the maximum 0.2 deduction.
Examples:
- Double turn (C)
Switch-side, straddle jump (C+B)
NO deduction - Switch-ring, sissonne (C+A)
1 ½ turn (B)
0.05 deduction - Switch-side, tuck jump (C+A)
0.10 deduction (gymnast would incur an additional 0.20 deduction for lack of B turn) - Switch leap, tuck jump (B+A)
1 ½ turn (B)
0.15 deduction - Split leap, wolf jump (A+A)
Full turn with leg horizontal (B)
0.20 deduction
As you can see, if the gymnast performs a B turn, which she needs to avoid the compositional deduction for lack of B turn, she is already well on the way to minimizing her dance level deductions. If she can perform a C turn, such as a double turn, she only needs one additional C, either in her dance series or isolated, to fulfill her dance level compositional requirements.
Dismount Composition Deductions
To receive no deduction for the dismount, the gymnast must perform a C salto in her last pass, or a directly connected B+B or better. The maximum dismount level deduction of 0.10 would be incurred if she performs a B+A indirect connection, or an isolated B salto.
Examples:
- Front full (C)
NO deduction - Back layout 1 ½, punch front (C+A)
NO deduction - Front layout, front pike (B+B direct)
NO deduction - Front pike stepout through to back layout full (B+B indirect)
0.05 deduction - Front layout, front tuck (B+A direct)
0.05 deduction - Front tuck stepout through to back layout full (A+B indirect)
0.10 deduction - Front layout (B)
0.10 deduction
Other Composition Deductions
In addition to the “up to the level” deductions, there are a few other compositional deductions that can be applied on Level 9 floor. Here they are:
- 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 of B salto: 0.3.
- 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 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 floor exercise area: up to 0.1. This deduction could be applied if the gymnast stays in the same section of the floor mat for most of her routine.
And now, it’s time to get to work on constructing those Level 9 routines to minimize deductions and build those scores! What are your favorite skills or combos on Level 9 floor?
References
USA Gymnastics J.O. Code of Points, 2022-2026.
Further Reading
The Ideal Composition for a Level 9 Bar Routine
Making Sense of Composition: Level 8 Beam
Making Sense of Composition: Level 9 Beam
Making Sense of Composition: Level 10 Beam