Xcel Diamond is the fifth and final level in the Xcel gymnastics levels. Below you’ll find the event requirements for vault, bars, beam, and floor—plus safe at-home practice ideas and recommended equipment. For exact rules and routine composition, consult the official USAG materials and your coach. Athletes typically enter Diamond after qualifying all-around at Platinum.
✅ This skills list was reviewed for the 2025 season. Always verify routine composition with your coach and the latest Xcel Code of Points.
Diamond Vault Requirements
Diamond gymnasts must perform a minimum of a front handspring vault over the table. See the current Xcel vault chart for allowable options.
Diamond Bars Requirements
Diamond bar routines must include:
- 5 “A” & 2 “B” value skills
- A clear support skill finishing a minimum of 45° from vertical
- One circling skill — minimum “B” value (not the mount/dismount)
- A release, pirouette, or second circling skill — minimum “B” value
- A salto or hecht dismount from the high bar
Diamond Beam Requirements
Diamond beam routines must include:
- 5 “A” & 2 “B” value skills
- Minimum of a 1/1 (360°) turn on one foot
- Dance series with two elements (same or different)
- One jump/leap that reaches a 155° split (may be in the dance series)
- One acro skill with flight (e.g., back handspring) that may be isolated or in a series and an acro series with/without flight (e.g., handstand → back walkover)
- Salto or aerial dismount
Diamond Floor Requirements
Diamond floor routines must include:
- 5 “A” & 2 “B” value skills
- Two separate acro connections, each with at least two directly connected flight elements (e.g., front handspring → front pike, and round-off → back handspring → back tuck) OR one acro flight pass with 2 directly connected acro flight elemends AND one “C” salto (seperate or connected)
- Two different saltos (isolated or in a series); one must be at least “B” value
- A dance passage with two elements, one a leap showing 155° split (direct or indirect connection)
- Minimum of a “B” turn on one foot (e.g., 540°)
What to Practice at Home (Safe Ideas)
- Shaping & core: hollow/arch switches, planks
- Handstand work: handstands onto panel mat, spiderman handstand
- Floor basics: Round-off rebound → snap-down mechanics (no spotting at home)
- Leaps: tape markers to train 155° pathway; active hip flexor + hamstring + adductors
- Turns: relevé balance & core tension → progress toward 540° on a line/floor beam
- Bars prep: kip/cast/clear-hip shaping on panel mat or low bar (with supervision)
⭐ Recommended Equipment for Xcel Diamond
For a safe, high-impact home setup at Diamond, we like:
#1 Sturdy Home Bar (for kip/cast + clear-hip shaping)
Stable enough for glide swings, kips, clear-hip shaping, and strength.
#2 Panel Mat (foundation for shaping + tumbling)
Essential for cartwheel/round-off drills, handstand step-downs, and flexibility.
#3 Floor Beam (confidence for leaps & turns)
Practice mounts, walks, 360°+ turns, jumps/leaps safely at floor height.
You can check out also check out our full list of home gymnastics equipment recommendations.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Xcel Diamond
Q: What age do you have to be for Diamond?
A: Programs vary by gym. Many athletes reach Diamond after sustained success at Platinum and coach approval.
Q: Do Diamond floor routines need two salto families?
A: You need two different saltos (isolated or in series), and one must be at least “B” value. Your choreography can meet this in several ways.
Q: How big should leaps be at Diamond?
A: Floor dance passage requires a 155° split (direct or indirect). Beam requires a 155° jump/leap in the routine, plus dance series.
Q: What bars elements are common?
A: At Diamond you’ll often see kip, cast to the required angle (clear support), B circling, B release/pirouette or second circle, and a salto/hecht dismount from high bar, meeting 5A/2B distribution.
Q: What comes after Diamond?
A: Sapphire is the next Xcel level. Some athletes transition into the DP (JO) optional levels with coach guidance.
The Xcel Diamond division is one level in the Xcel program; explore an overview of all
gymnastics levels.
While these are requirements, some gymnasts compete in the Xcel Diamond level without being able to do all the skills listed below. For what requirements gymnasts don’t fulfill, the judges take deductions.
Diamond Vault Requirement
Diamond gymnasts must perform a minimum of a front handspring vault.
Diamond Bars Requirements
Diamond gymnasts must have the following in their bar routine:
- 5 “A” & 2 “B” valued skills
- A clear support skill finishing a min of 45° from vertical
- Circling Skill – minimum of a “B” value
- A Release, Pirouette or 2nd Circling Skill — minimum of a “B” value
- A Salto or Hecht dismount from the high bar
Diamond Beam Requirements
Diamond gymnasts must have the following in their beam routine:
- 5 “A” & 2 “B” valued skills
- Minimum of 1/1 (360°) turn on one foot
- Dance series with 2 skills (they can be the same or different skills)
- One jump/leap that reaches a 155° angle (ex. straddle jump) — can be included in dance series
- One acro skill that has flight (ex. back handspring) that can be isolated or in a series AND an acro series with or without flight (ex. handstand, back walkover)
- Salto or Aerial Dismount
Diamond Floor Requirements
Diamond gymnasts must have the following in their floor routine:
- 5 “A” & 2 “B” valued skills
- Two separate acro connections each with a minimum of two directly connected acro flight elements (ex. front handspring, front pike and round-off back handspring back tuck)
- Two different saltos (can be isolated or in a series) and one must be a minimum of a “B” value (the front pike and back tuck from the previous requirement would fulfill this one)
- A dance passage with a minimum of two different leaps, jumps or hops, one of which is a leap with a 155° cross or side split — they can be directly or indirectly connected
- Minimum of “B” turn on one foot ( A 540 degree turn is a “B”)
These are the gymnastics routine requirements if you want to compete Xcel Diamond. Here are the Xcel Platinum gymnastics requirements, Xcel Gold requirements, Xcel Silver requirements, and Xcel Bronze requirements.
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93 Comments
What happens after you compete diamond?
You can then move on to compete in the JO program, the traditional levels 1-10.
Actually, at a lot of gyms, you cannot go from Xcel to JO. But for those gyms that do allow the transition, if you have competed Diamond, you would probably be ready for Level 7 or 8.
If you are at least 14, the coach could use video of your Diamond routines and other skills you have to petition you into Level 7. If you are under 14, you would have to score out of Level 4 and level 5 and then you could compete Level 7 (or also score out of Level 7 and compete Level 8).
What about Level 6?
You can score out of Level 6 if you are good enough at Level 5. If you competed Dimond Level 5 would be easy so you would score out and go on to Level 7
Now there’s a fifth level to excel which is saphare
I’m guessing that’s not a April fools
in some regions, their is a level after diamond called Sapphire.
Yes, there is a new level called Saphire, However, Silver is like level 3 in USAG, Gold is like level 4 and 5 in USAG, Platnium is like level 6 and 7 in USAG, Diamond is like level 8 and 9 in USAG, and Saphire is like level 10 in USAG
So you move to the JO program after Diamond, Did not know that till now!
For most gyms xcel is a program that gymnasts can join if they still want to compete but can’t make the commitment required for JO. You can also move from JO to xcel if you can no longer make the commitment or because of an injury.
Actually Excel is meant for a more relaxed setting and is not compulsory, every routine is more unique and they dont do the same skills
Hi, I am currently a XG and am competing one meet in XP this year, if I score out could someone tell me if this would work for routines? Vault: Currently can 1/2 on 1/2, training 1/2 on 1/1 off. Bars is the biggest issue for me as I do not currently have a free Hip that leaves above horizontal, I am training cast handstand but need a heavy spot currently. Bars: Kip, Cast HS, free hip, squat on, long hang kip cast freehip, flyaway. Beam: (I think I have everything) Free roll-RO Straight jump split jump, full turn, BT dismount. Floor: ROBHSBT, Switch leap straddle jump jump 1/2. 1 1/2 or 2 turn Fhs-Ft or FP. Thanks!
Yes, you can move to JO from Xcel. The Xcel program is mainly geared toward high school gymnstics and D3 colleges.
What if you compete Xcel diamond and score at least 31 but don’t want to go JO because of time commitment or other reasons. Can you just “stay” in Xcel diamond level through highschool?
Yes, you can stay at Xcel Diamond if your gym will let you, but they might want you to move to JO.
What level will you move into after Diamond? Im guessing level 7.
I’m a level 7 gymnast, could I move to Xcel diamond if I wanted to?
Yes!
actually i think you have to score out of one routine in platinum; at least that is what my coach told me after coming out of level 6
You definitely could, for excel all u usually need is to try out and if u competed JO u will most likely be accepted too. Since your a level seven gymnast, what skills do your coaches require you to have that are higher than the USAG requirements? I want to switch to level seven out of Xcel gold ( I have higher skills than xcel gold requirements) and I looked at the 6 & 7 requirements and I fit all the 6 and most of 7 and all of platinum but it doesn’t seem like I have enough skills compared to what I hear and see 6 & 7 gymnasts do. Another factor is I’m also like 15 so I don’t want to be like made fun off or look stupid bc I’m older than what seems to be the normal age
I was recently a level 8 gymnast for two years, and now I want to switch to excel for inquiry and commitment purposes. I was wondering if I can compete a yurcanko pike for vault , a bhs layoutstepout on beam a double back on floor and also a double fly away,overshoot on bars?? Please replay and the main reason I am switching is too do the high school gymnastics team because my gym doesn’t allow you to do high school and JO so I would go to excel!! I am so scared to tell my coaches but states is Sunday so we will see how it goes-xoxo Sadie
Hi Sadie! I think you should tell you coaches and talk to your parents. There might be another girl on your team who wants to go to excel.
you can go to xcel diamond but will not be able to compete a double back, because that isnt allowed at the diamond level
yea they changed it, it is allowed… i competed it hahaha
if I wanted to move from xcel platniam to level 7, do you have to compete as a level 5 gymnast first before you go to an optional team? and I have the skills for level 7.
I recently competed level 3 and I think excel would be fun but would it be like I’m givving up?
Nope! My coaches put me on xcel bronze because I wanted to it doesn’t mean you are quitting!
I’m moving to X-Cel next year and I have just completed level three. My coaches are putting me in gold so your coaches might move you to gold as well. You wouldn’t be giving up you are deciding. If you truly want to be in X-Cel you can be you will still be committed to your team. Good luck!
No!!! Why would that mean your giving up?? It’s just different levels!!!
It’s not like giving up. Acctually, some coaches think gymnasts thrive better in xcel than the compolsory levels.
Yes, and also excel can also be for gymnasts who don’t have the flexibility to reach some of the requirements for compulsery, and excel is a better oppurtunity to actually get to move up levels without pain or flexibility problems.
I really want to go to excel but there are not many people in the program
The Xcel processed is growing…. Regionals just went to 4 days instead of 3. Many gyms are transitioning to Xcel. My girls shave only competed Xcel.
I can go into Xcel Silver if I get my pullover and back hip circle by July 26th. I’ve been doing workouts for the whole week. I’ve been to open gym and it doesn’t feel like it’s helped. I’m going to be using a theraband for my back hip circle fears. Do you think I could do anything else to improve??
If you don’t have a pullover or back hip circle you should go to bronze. Most of my girls in silver do their kip and a the girls from bronze all have their back hip circle. So maybe try pre team.
About how many gymnast nationally compete in the Diamond Program
Hi! The National Diamond Team is a complete different thing. It is in a program called TOPs, which is intended for young gymnasts ages 7-10
If a gymnast competes level 7 and then decides she wants to go to excel after an injury, can she compete platinum or does she have to compete as a diamond
Hi I want to move to Simone next year but I’m worried my coaches won’t let me because of skill reasons do you have to have a giant on bars and does a giant count as a circling skill please answer me I really need to know I’ve been think about my future in gymnastics and have been wondering this for a while
You don’t need a giant, and yes it does count as a circling skill.
Hi I want to move to Simone next year but I’m worried my coaches won’t let me because of skill reasons do you have to have a giant on bars and does a giant count as a circling skill please answer me I really need to know I’ve been think about my future in gymnastics and have been wondering this for a while please and thank you
I ment diamond
If you go to excel from the middle of JO then do you still have to do the other levels that you haven’t competed yet
If I got to diamond and wanted to do JO Level 7 would I have to go all the way back down to Level 4 and get to Level 7 from there??
If I got to Xcel Diamond and wanted to switch to JO Level 7, would I have to start at JO Level 4 and work my way up to Level 7 from there???
Yes.
No, you would have to do a meet at level 4 and 5 and then you can skip to level 7 .
My gym starts competing at Level 3. If I transitioned from Xcel to JO would I have to go back to Level 3?
So technically on floor you don’t even have to do a back handspring? So it would just be a front handspring front pike and a RO back tuck.
Yeah, You can do two front passes, and u dont have to worry about back passes,
you just need to meet the skill requirements for the amount of A B and C moves you do
could i do one year of ecel diamond, then go to level 7 or 8? or do i have to do the JO program?
My gymnast completed a year of level 7- she is a very competitive girls ice hockey player (juggling both sports since she was 7).. anyway wants to go xcel and told diamond level requirements are at least 1 giant on bars and bhs/bhs on beam? Can you verify requirements for me? Thx so much
Her gym might specify these requirements but these are not the general USAG requirements. On beam she could complete a single back handspring as well as an acro series like a handstand-backwalkover. On bars she needs a B valued circling skill like a clear hip as well as either a pirouette (e.g. half turn), release (e.g. toe shoot), or another different B valued circling skill. This could be the giant or if she does a clear hip on the low bar and on the high bar in the Xcel Code of Points the same skill on the low bar and high bar counts as two different skills. If her gym won’t let her move to diamond without those skills, you could consider switching gyms.
What is the deduction for overtime of a floor routine
What is the deduction for overtime for a floor routine
Hi I’m excel silver going In to gold I have all the skills just not a kip on bars after I do comp they will se if I can move so … I hope I get my kip I’m really close
i am going to compete level three and i want to go to Xcel but my parents think im only wanting it because I dont want to try harder to go to level 4 but i just want to go to Xcel Silver!
Hi can u go from excel to jo after u compete or would u have to go to 4 and score out? Because I have most of the level 6/7 skills and I’m in excel gold
To qualify for Xcel Diamond Regionals, what does your All-Around score need to be at State?
HI,
My daughter is a level 4, working on Level 5 skills but was just shy of the scores by cut off time last spring so she finished at Level 4 then covid hit. She is moving to excel, Silver- why can’t she just go into gold, do the rules say she has to compete at silver for at least one meet and then move up?
Hi! I was also in level 4-5 when covid hit and I have since switched to excel and I went straight into gold so no there is not a rule you have to compete silver first they probably put her in silver to help her catch back up before competing at a higher level (the transition from silver to gold is similar to the transition from 3-4) but i am sure after a season or two they will move her up to gold. Hope this helps!
Can you do an aerial on beam in diamond.
You can, but it’s not required.
hi i’m wondering if i could only compete front tumbling because i’m terrified of back tumbling and struggled with it for months i’ve always been a better front tumbler having the skills 2 lvls above me but i’ve heard that if you only compete front tumbling you will get 3 tenths off or a 9.7 start value i’m just wondering if this is tru and how could i tell my coaches
You can do only front tumbling passes, but you have to make sure they still meet the requirements.
For xcel diamond bar I do kip cast handstand clear hip above horizontal kip toe shoot kip on high bar cast handstand tap swing flyaway. Will this suffice?
For diamond on bars can one of the two “B” skills not be a dismount? I have a full twisting flyway, so if I did that would it not be one of the two “B”s
So at my gym once I do a year worth of dimond and/or 31AA at end of session meet I get a evolution to go to JO level 7 then for level 8 the one I can do all the skills I move on to if I can’t do eather skills in both JO levels I do 1 more session of dimond
Hi!
I’m 11 and I’m a level four right now but I think XCEL would be best for me when I move out of level 4.
I am super close to my ROBHSBT on floor and I have a front tuck.
For bars I have a kip on both high and low. I have a baby giant and I’m working on a fly away. For beam I have a back walk over, a front tuck of the end and I’m working on a tick tock and BHS. For vault I have a half on and a front hand spring on the table.
I wanted to know what level in XCEL would be ideal for me? I’m pretty strong and flexible.
Hi!
I’m 10 and I am a level four gymnast right now but I think at the end of this year I want to go XCEL because I think it will be best for me.
I’m quite new to the system for xcel but I want to know where I should start. I’m pretty strong and flexible and willing to push myself, I’m just nervous to try some of the skills that I need for level 5&6 so I want to try xcel. I was thinking to start at silver or gold as I feel the bronze would be to easy for me. I want to know a good opinion about where it would be best for a decent level four to start in xcel.
Thanks, Allie
Try silver and if it is too easy for you and the coaches see that they will move you up to gold. Silver is a pretty easy xcel level to pass and if you are a level 4 gymnast you might want to go straight to gold as it is not that different as you have to compete a rbt on floor and just a bit harder skills in general.
Hi, I am having a crisis of sorts. I would love love love to be JO if I had the option given to me but I’m on excel gold/ maybe moving up to platinum right now at a gym that doesn’t have JO. Gymnastics in my area is lowkey harsh in excel vs jo so I am a little nervous for that as well. I looked at the updated requirements for levels 6 & 7 and I am somewhere in the middle which surprised me and didn’t seem right so I don’t know if I would be accepted on 6 or 7 and if I’m not I would just want to stay in excel. I have a ROBHBT, front handspring front, front pike, working on layouts front and back, front and side aerials, and switch leap on floor; have pretty much have my round off & back walkover on beam, my cartwheel full turn and front tuck off and like switch leap and jumps on beam and training step outs; I have front handspring and half on on vault and working on half on half off and drills for tsukahara tuck; I have a kip, very close for my cast handstand, free hip, working on giants, fly away, working on layout flyaway, trained kip cast & pushaways, and pike on for bars. If anyone has any suggestions please please please give me them and or opinions too!!!
Can you move from dimond to elite or to college gymnastics
I’m a silver in xcel and I’ve been thinking about going to JO. I want to practice more hours but I would miss my friends in xcel. What should I do?
Prob stay!
i would go! even if you will miss your friends, you can still hangout with them and go to open gyms together. i transfered from xcel dimond to go and compete JO and left my friends (and missed practicing with them) but we still hung out and now im a level 9/10!
Hi, I’m a excel platinum hoping to compete diamond next year. I have a back handspring and a iffy backwalkover Backhandspring on beam. Almost a connected backwalkover back tuck off beam and almost connected cartwheel on beam. A sesone switch leap on beam and a ring jump and other basic jumps. Floor: front handspring front tuck and front handspring front pike, Roundoff backtuck iffy round off layout working ROBHSBT. Vault: half on, front handspring, and a yourchanko timer ( round off bhs onto the table). Bars: close to cast handstands workin giants and a cast layout flyaway. Is there anything I’m missing that I need for diamond? If so please reply with what I need
If a Diamond gymnast performs a cast to handstand (meeting the requirement for a skill ending above 45 degrees) and her clear hip comes out at or slightly above horizontal, is there a deduction on the clear hip angle?
Do you need 3 tumbling passes on floor
after xcel diamond would you go to JO? olof so what level would you go to? like level 8-10?
if so**
Yes, and also excel can also be for gymnasts who don’t have the flexibility to reach some of the requirements for compulsery, and excel is a better oppurtunity to actually get to move up levels without pain or flexibility problems.
Can I move straight to Diamond from Gold?
Are u Kendall from CEG by any chance?
Great breakdown of the Xcel Diamond level requirements! It’s so helpful to have a clear understanding of what’s expected. Thank you for providing detailed insights and tips for aspiring gymnasts!
Hi guys I’m a platinum gymnast and I was wondering if I need a kip for my routine also can I do a chenko
Yes, you will need a kip
Me again I want to move up because I think I’m about ready on vault I have a front handspring and a half on half off. On beam I have full turn brawny double backwalkover leap if 180 and almost a front walkover. Floor double back handspring front walkover front tuck leap 150 1 and a half turn bars I almost have a release and I have a cast of 180 but am working on my handstand I almost have my kip and have double back hip circle
What level am i