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There are 10 Levels to the Women's Gymnastics Program. Level 1 is our non-competitive level that centers on teaching the basic core skills for each of the 4 Olympic events (Vault, Uneven Bars, Balance Beam, & Floor Exercise). They consist of showing proficiency on individual skills. When the gymnast successfully completes each skill required on an event she may move on to the next level.
Our first competitive levels are Levels 2-4. It consists entirely of compulsory routines. Compulsory routines are a pre-choreographed series of skills that each competitor must perform. Once again they are made up of core skills needed for each event, built on the skills from a previous level. The philosophy of these routines is for the athletes to practice toward perfection of these basics.
Level 5 and 6 are also compulsory levels of competition. Each level builds on the skills of the previous level, and likewise, is judged with higher expectations. The structure is based on a progressive "step by step" building of physical, emotional and psychological skills. Proficiency of all aspects of the gymnast at each level is expected and required to insure a safe smooth movement through the levels. Starting with level 5, minimum mobility scores achieved in a sanctioned USAG competition as well as other factors are necessary before graduating from one level to the next
There are four levels of optional gymnastics - levels 7, 8, 9, & 10. As with the compulsory levels, the requirements and expectations from one level to the next increases. Optional competition consists of each gymnast performing her own specially choreographed routines for each event. The Federation of International Gymnastics (FIG) produces the optional rules every 4 years in conjunction with the Olympics. This book dictates what each routine needs to contain, composition, the value of what is done, difficulty, and how to evaluate how well it is done, execution. 