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Gymnastics Skills List: Floor

Are you looking to perfect your gymnastics moves or build a standout floor routine? Here is a list of floor gymnastics skills for you. It’s not a comprehensive list, but we’ve tried to list the most commonly learned floor skills in the order that most gymnasts learn them. You can use this as a good starting point. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned gymnast, understanding the wide range of floor skills is key to improving your performance and wowing the judges. This gymnastics skills list covers everything from foundational moves to beginner tumbling passes, helping you build strength, flexibility, and confidence on the mat.

Floor exercises combine artistry with athleticism, and each skill you master is a step toward achieving a polished and dynamic routine. Let’s dive into the essential gymnastics moves you’ll want to practice and perfect to take your floor routine to the next level!

 


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Acro Skills

  • Forward Roll – A forward roll is one of the most super beginner gymnastics skills that gymnasts learn.
  • Backward Roll – A backward roll is a variation on a forward roll, that eventually leads to a back extension roll.
  • Straddle Forward Roll – A straddle forward roll is another variation of a forward roll that preschool gymnasts learn.
  • Handstand– A handstand is the most important skill in gymnastics since it’s the building block for so many other skills. Here is the #1 way you can improve your handstand.  Check out our Handstand Training Packet with a 30 day training plan to improve your handstand!
    Handstand Training Packet
  • Cartwheel– A cartwheel is a good skill for gymnasts to start learning at home.
  • Round-Off– Round-offs are the power skill when gymnasts start to do tumbling passes.
  • Front Walkover- Before learning a front walkover, gymnasts should learn a front limber or a handstand and fall to a bridge.
  • Back Walkover– A back walkover can be scary when gymnasts start out because it’s one of the first skills that gymnasts go backwards. Gymnasts should start with a bridge kick over.
  • Handstand Forward Roll- A handstand forward roll combines a handstand and a forward roll.
  • Back Extension Roll– Gymnasts first do a back extension roll in their routines in level 4.
  • Handstand Pirouette– A handstand pirouette is a great handstand upgrade, a way to add more value to a gymnast’s routine.
  • Front Handspring– A front handspring is one of the first front tumbling skills that gymnasts can make into a tumbling pass. You can do a front handspring with a step-out or landing with two feet.
  • Back Handspring– A back handpsring is a fundamental skill in back tumbling passes.
  • Aerial Cartwheel– An aerial cartwheel is a cartwheel with no hands.
  • Front Tuck– A front tuck is a gymnastics front flip in the tucked body position.
  • Back Tuck – A back tuck is a gymnastics back flip in the tucked body position.
  • Back Pike – A back pike is a gymnastics back flip in a piked body position.
  • Back Layout – A back layout is a gymnastics back flip in a back layout position.
  • Whip Back – A whip back is a backhandspring with no hands.
  • Front Pike – A front pike is a gymnastics front flip in a piked body position.
  • Front Layout – A front layout is a gymnastics front flip in a straight body position.
  • Back Layout 1/2 – A back layout 1/2 is a gymnastics back flip in a straight body position with a half twist.
  • Back Layout 1/1- A back layout 1/1 is a gymnastics back flip in a straight body position with a full twist.

Turns

  • Half turn on one foot – A half turn on one foot is when a gymnast does a 180° rotation while balancing on one foot.
  • Full turn on one foot– A full turn on one foot is when a gymanst does a 360° rotation while balancing on one foot.
  • Full turn with free leg in scale above horizontal – A full turn wtih the free leg in scale above horizontal is a more advanced, upgraded full turn.
  • Full turn illusion turn- A full illusion turn is a 360° rotation with the upper body lowering towards the floor, while the supporting leg stays straight and the other leg kicks high in the air. It’s an upgraded turn.
  • Wolf Turn– A wolf turn in gymnastics is when a gymnast does a turn in a squatting position with one leg extended out to the side.
  • Full turn with free leg at a 180° split position –  A full turn with free leg at a 180° split position is when a gymnast does a full turn with their leg up next to their head. This is an upgraded turn.
  • Double turn (720° turn)- A double turn is a more advanced turn in gymnastics.

Jumps

Here are the basic shapes in gymnastics that are used in the jumps below. When thinking about how to improve your jumps there are two main areas you can improve: your body position and the height of your jump.

  • Straight Jump – A straight jump is the most basic gymnastics skill where a gymnast jumps with a straight, tight body position.
  • Tuck Jump – In a tuck jump the gymnast brings her legs in a tuck position up to her chest.
  • Straddle Jump – In a straddle jump the gymnast brings her legs out to the side.
  • Split Jump– A split jump is an essential skill in gymnastics because it’s in the beam and floor routines at several levels. In a split jump you split your legs where one leg goes in front of your body and the other leg goes behind it.
  • Pike Jump – In a pike jump the gymnast brings their legs off the ground and straight in front of them in a pike position in the air. A pike jump is an upgraded jump, worth more value in floor routines.
  • Wolf Jump – In a wolf jump the gymnast brings their legs up almost in a pike position, but then bends one leg underneath them towards their bottom.
  • Straight Jump 1/1 turn – A straight jump 1/1 turn is a straight jump wtih a 360° turn. It’s an upgraded skill, you can see gymnastics jump skill values here.
  • Tuck Jump 1/1 turn – A tuck jump 1/1 turn is a tuck jump wtih a 360° turn.
  • Wolf Jump 1/2 turn- A wolf jump 1/1 turn is a wolf jump with a 360° turn.
  • Straddle Jump 1/2 turn – A straddle jump 1/2 turn is a straddle jump wtih a 180° turn. It’s an upgraded skill, you can see gymnastics jump skill values here.
  • Split Jump 1/2 turn – A split jump 1/2 turn is a split jump with a 180° turn.

Leaps

If you want to improve your leaps, here is a split leap workout you can do at home.

  • Cat Leap – A cat leap is a leaping skill where teh gymnast alternately lifts each knee to the front.
  • Hitch Kick – A hitch kick is a leaping skill where the gymnasts kicks one leg forward and then quickly switches to kick the other leg into the air.
  • Sissone – A sissone is a type of gymnastics leap where a gymnast jumps from two feet, splits their legs in the air and then lands one foot at a time.
  • Tour jeté – A tour jeté is a gymnastics leap where the gymnast takes off from one foot, performs a split in the air, switches legs and then lands on the opposite foot.
  • Split Leap– A split leap is the most standard, basic leap in gymnastics. It’s the foundation for other gymnastics leaps.
  • Side Leap – A side leap is when a split leap is done where the gymnast’s legs extend to the side instead of forwards and backwards.
  • Switch Leg Leap– A switch leap is when a gymnast does a split leap, but switches which leg is in the front in the middle of the air.
  • Ring Leap – In a ring leap a gymnast gets into a split position in the air but arches her back and lifts her back leg toward her head. It’s an advanced upgraded leap.

Basic Tumbling Passes

  • Round-off- Back Handspring– A round-off back handspring is the most basic backwards tumbling pass in gymnastics. It’s the foundation for more advanced back tumbling passes.
  • Round-off- Back Handspring- Back Tuck – A round-off back handspring back tuck is a more advanced tumbling pass. It’s still a fundamental skill; at higher levels gymnasts do more advanced flips.
  • Front Handspring– Front Tuck – A front handspring front tuck is a basic front tumbling pass.
  • Front Tuck- Round-off- Back Handspring – This is a tumbling pass that combines both front and back tumbling.
  • Round-off- Back Handspring- Back Layout – An advanced gymnast will do a round-off back handspring back layout and then start adding twists.

 

Here are the gymnastics skills lists for Beam and Bars. Also make sure to check out our Home Gymnastics Equipment Guide, for a list of the best home gym essentials to help your gymnast improve!

 

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