The Xcel Program is a national USA Gymnastics program of gymnastics levels that runs alongside the Development Program, formerly the Junior Olympic (JO) program. The Xcel program is a completely separate, alternate program. Many parents want help deciding whether their gymnast should compete in the Xcel program or switch to a gym that would have…
Read articleAre you wondering how gymnastics routines are scored at the Olympics? FIG Gymnastics rules are used, as opposed to the Junior Olympic (JO) rules used in scoring gymnastics levels 1-10. FIG stands for Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique and is the international governing body of professional gymnastics. Scoring at the Olympics is slightly different than JO…
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As a gymnast, you’ve probably been there before. Trying to do a skill you’ve done in the past but feeling like you just can’t do it. It’s not that your body can’t perform the skill because it can. It’s not that you don’t want to do the skill because you do. It’s that you…
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Has your gymnast been invited to the TOPS Gymnastics Program? Or are you just curious what it is? I have been getting lots of questions recently about TOPS: what it is, what the requirements are, and why do it. Let me answer them! What is the TOPs Gymnastics Program? First, what is TOPs? TOPs, or the Talent Opportunity…
Read articleYou have probably figured out by now that the handstand position shows up as part of skills on all of the events in gymnastics. On bars the most basic of those skills is a cast handstand. A cast handstand is an essential skill because you need to be able to get into a handstand position on…
Read articleIn the world of gymnastics, where movements defy gravity and precision is paramount, the art of jumping is essential to both beam and floor performance. Whether executing a soaring split leap or a dynamic tuck jump, the ability to achieve height, form, and fluidity in each jump is essential for success in both competition and…
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