This post was originally published February 10, 2020, and was updated August 29, 2020, August 29, 2021, August 19, 2022, July 7, 2023, and November 6, 2024. If you’ve been at a Level 6 or 7 gymnastics meet recently, no doubt you’ve seen the new vault setup. Gymnasts now vault from the table onto a […]
This post has been updated to reflect the 2022-2026 Code of Points. It has been modified using the new 2024 composition deductions. 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. What gives? […]
What makes a great compulsory beam routine? It turns out, there are several components to it. I’ve been judging Level 3 beam routines for over 20 years (gosh, can that even be true?). Although the routines have changed a few times, many things have stayed the same. Today, we’ll take a deep dive into the […]
This article has been updated to reflect the changes in the 2022-26 Xcel Code of Points. This is the final article in the Xcel series. I’m excited to talk about floor, one of my favorite events, and to share the most recent updates. If you’ve read the vault, bars, and beam articles, you know that […]
This post has been updated to reflect the changes in the 2022-26 Xcel Code of Points. What’s the best way to get my Xcel Platinum bars score up? How about Xcel Diamond? There are many more considerations in these divisions, compared with Bronze, Silver, and Gold. And of course, there are intricacies specific to each […]
What are the “intangibles” that can elevate your routine to the top? Every optional gymnastics routine is evaluated, at the end, on several general categories. These categories can result in general deductions for the routine, if there are deficits in these areas. Most routines receive a deduction in at least one of these areas. But […]
