To compete in Level 6 gymnastics, a gymnast must meet specific event requirements and composition rules. Below you’ll find the skill requirements for vault, bars, beam, and floor, plus at-home practice ideas and recommended equipment to support safe progress.
✅ This checklist and skills list has been reviewed for the 2025 season.
In addition to the skills listed below, Level 6 routines must include 5 “A” skills and 1 “B” skill on each optional event. “A” elements are easier than “B” (difficulty increases A → E). Choreographers should verify routine composition and bonus with current rules. For a quick overview, see the USAG cheat sheet.
Level 6 Gymnastics Requirements: Vault
You may compete one of the following vaults:
- Front handspring onto the table
- ¼–½ on (Tsukahara entry), land to mat stack
- Round-off entry (Yurchenko) onto table, land to mat stack
Level 6 Gymnastics Requirements: Bars
- Cast to a minimum of 45° above horizontal
- At least one bar change
- One 360° circling element: underswing, clear hip circle, stalder circle, or hecht
- Minimum “A” dismount
Many gymnasts begin consistently using grips by Level 4–6 for hand protection and better swing control.
Level 6 Gymnastics Requirements: Beam
- Either a non-flight acro series (e.g., backwalkover + backwalkover) or one acro flight element
- One leap or jump showing 180° split
- 360° turn on one foot
- Minimum “A” dismount
Level 6 Gymnastics Requirements: Floor
- One acro series with at least 3 elements; 2 must have flight
- One salto or aerial acro element – can be isolated or in a different connection
- Dance passage with 2 different leaps/jumps/hops — one must show 180° split
- 360° turn on one foot
⭐ Our Top Equipment Picks for Level 6 Gymnasts
If you’re building a safe, effective at-home setup for Level 6, these are smart investments:
#1 Sturdy Home Bar (for clear hip + kip drills)
Stable enough for glide swings, kips, clear-hip drills, and shaping work.
Check out a suggested gymnastics outfit for Level 6 gymnasts below.
| Gymnastics Gear for Level 6 Gymnasts | Sizes | Description | Price |
| Pink Rays Leotard |
CS – AS | Beautiful, soft, ombre ray leotard with a rhinestone belt – perfect for your tween/teen gymnast to feel gorgeous at practice in! | $47.95 |
| Mindset & Meet Journal |
NA | This gymnastics journal is what your gymnast needs to improve her gymnastics and have her best season yet! It’s over 100 pages long with mindset exercises, meet logs, end of season reviews, a place to collect autographs from her teammates. | $24.99 |
| XS-XXL | This cute strappy back sports bra for gymnasts is a great option. | $16.55-19.54 | |
| Destira Black Gymnastics Compression Sport Shorts |
Child XXS (3x) – Adult XL | Some gymnasts prefer to wear shorts over their leotard, either for modesty, comfort, or for whatever reason. These are a great option! | $28.00 |
| Customized Grip Bag |
One size fits all | This grip bag is perfect for your tween/teen gymnast. It features a tie dye leopard print design with option to personalize with your fav event and your initial.
|
$27.95 |
| XXS-L | They are a great first pair of dowel grips because they are narrower and smaller than a standard grip. The leather is easier to break in, and they let the gymnast keep more of their hand on the bar so they can feel their swing. | $34.95 | |
| One size fits all | This gymnastics backpack is uniquely designed. There is a TON of space with many pockets, including the bottom section for shoes! | $39.95 | |
| Beige Velvet Cotton Mid-Rise Waist Gymnastics Underwear | Kids 3-5 – Adult Large | Great for your gymnast if she feels more comfortable wearing underwear under her leotard. Nude, high cut and seamless. | $24.99 |
Frequently Asked Questions about Level 6 Gymnastics
Q: What age do you have to be for Level 6?
A: USA Gymnastics does not set a strict minimum age in the same way as compulsory levels, but athletes typically reach Level 6 around ages 10–13 after Levels 4–5. Always follow your gym’s mobility policies.
Q: Can you skip Level 6?
A: In many programs, Level 6 may be skipped if the gymnast achieved at least a 32.00 AA at Level 5 (coach/gym policy applies). Your gym’s director has the final say on mobility.
Q: How many A/B skills are required at Level 6?
A: Optional events at Level 6 require 5 “A” skills and 1 “B” skill in each routine, in addition to the specific event composition requirements listed above.
Q: What are common “sticking points” for Level 6?
A: On bars, clear-hip to the required angle and dismount selection; on beam, either an acro series (non-flight) or a single flight element plus a true 180° split; on floor, a clean salto or aerial and dance passage showing 180° split; and on vault, consistent front handspring entry with strong block.
Q: Do Level 6 athletes need grips?
A: Many athletes consistently use grips by Level 4–6 for hand protection and better swing control. See our guide to the best gymnastics grips.
Q: What’s the start value at Level 6?
A: Level 6 is optional; start values depend on fulfilling both the event’s composition requirements and the value part requirements (A/B). Missing elements, angles, or insufficient splits can result in start value deductions.
Q: What tumbling passes are typical for Level 6?
A: Routines often include a three-skill acro series with two flight elements (e.g., RO–BHS–back layout), plus an additional salto or aerial (which can appear in a different pass) and a dance passage that achieves 180° split.
Q: How can we safely practice at home for Level 6?
A: Focus on shaping and strength: hollow holds/arches, shoulder conditioning, split flexibility to true 180°, leaps/jumps on a line or floor beam, and bar drills (glide swings, kip/clear-hip shaping) on a sturdy home bar. Need structure? SkillTrakker provides daily drill calendars.
Q: What home equipment is most useful at Level 6?
A: A stable home bar for glide/kips/clear-hip shaping, a panel mat for shaping and leap/jump work, and a floor beam for acro basics and turns. See our recommendations above.
Q: How do you move up from Level 6 to Level 7?
A: Meet your gym’s mobility score standard, consistently fulfill Level 6 composition with good execution, and demonstrate readiness for the increased “B” part demands of Level 7. Your coach will guide timing based on meet results and training consistency.
Once a gymnast can perform routines that meet all these level 6 requirements, and she has passed out of level 5, she may compete in a level 6 meet. Level 6 may be skipped if a 32 AA was scored at Level 5. After successfully completing level 6, she can move on to level 7.
View Comments (87)
Is there any gymnastics places in South Korea?
Hi Elizabeth,
I would think there are, but honestly I have no idea :( Sorry! Maybe someone else here can help?
Yes!! Not many, but there are quite a few gyms for tumbling. (*Not many actual "gyms" with teams and all the apparatuses for artistic.) Rhythmic gymnastics is a lot more common so there are more competitions for rhythmic. I started off with rhythmic because I wanted to compete, then switched over to tumbling.
What gymnastics place did u go to
i go to west side academy of gymnastics in dent ohio
The Gymnastics place that I go to is Sunburst Gymnastics Union, New Jersey
I go to World Champion Centre , which is Simone Biles gym it's very nice there , you can make lots of friends also i'm a level 6 gymnast so its very nice.
I go to Universal Gymnastics, Mt. Juliet and I'm in level 3 competitive team
OMG!!! |U DO??? DAT MUST BE NICE
OMG!!! |U DO??? DAT MUST BE NICE.
Btw I go to Impact Gymnastics Academy in NH. I'm a level 5 training level6
Is anyone else an xcel training to be in level 6?
I’ve went there before for open gym but I’m level 4
I go to Universal Gymnastics, Mt. Juliet and I'm in level 3 competitive team
I go to World of gymnastics and cheer, which is in Georgia.
I go to Universal Gymnastic in Mt. Juliet, TN
love gymnastics
Same
Many of our gyms.in our area don't compete Level 6? Is that because this level can be skipped without a mobility requirement?
What if you can do a back handspring but not a back walkover
Im pretty sure you need to get a back walkover because a back walkover is a very importent skil in gymnastics
It is a good skill to have but no it is not required. I also have a BHS but not a BWO.
I agree. I have both and it depends on the level. But after level 4 it is never a requirement. Especially in optional you choose skills that show off your strengths.
A back walkover is not a necessary skill. Most people in high levels compete a back handspring instead of a back walkover.
it is necessary to have a strong back walkover that you can do at any time no matter circumstances in order to do backhand spring which is a whole different ball game
I think a back walkout is a unnecessary skill
It’s actually really good skill to have since lots of level 5 gymnasts do it and level 7 gymnasts often do back-walkover back-handspring.
Unfortunately I dont know. But my daughter has the same issue. Her coach makes her do cartwheels instead of a back walkover. I just dont get it because she wont be going down a level so she is practicing for nothing.
keeping basics strong creates a good gymnast a gymnast who can do crazy flips but no basics is toast in the competitive world
Hi, cartwheels are very important. They teach basics. You need basics. For example you might be working a Roundoff backhandspring back tuck but if you don’t have a good hurdle you can’t do the skill correctly. Cartwheels teach landing on your bad leg, levering, hand placement, and help with upgraded dismounts for beam.
You don’t need a back-walkover in level 6 as long as you have a flight skill to replace it so you can compete a backhand-spring instead of a back-walkover
How long do the level six floor routines have to be ?
I think 1minute and15 seconds. Not completely sure
Ok between 50 seconds and 1 minute 15 seconds I believe :)
Do you have a list of what "A" and "B" skills are? My daughter is working on some of the dance portion of her floor routine with a dance teacher, not a gymnastics coach. We are trying to determine which moves are "poses" and which are considered "jumps/leaps", and what their value is.
You can find this information in the JO code of points. Or my skill progression charts denote which skills are "A"s and "B"s
What does min "a" dismount mean and and acro series and acro element or salto basically all of this plz email and tell I'm a level 4 and hoping to skip to level 6 and I would like to know all the meaning of this
Do you ever have to get a presshandstand ?
I don't know if I am level 5 or 6.
If you can do everything in Level six then you're level six if not probably level 5 cause to be a level you have to be able to do everything in that level.