All About Xcel Bronze Gymnastics

A plain-English guide to Xcel Bronze gymnastics — the USAG requirements on every event, the routine and floor music, and a simple breakdown of every skill your gymnast will learn.

Xcel Bronze requirements

Vault

• Handstand Flatback
• Handstand Flatback
• Handstand Flatback

Bars

• Pullover
• Cast
• Back Hip Circle
• Underswing Dismount
• Back Hip Circle
• Cast
• Underswing Dismount
• Sole Circle Dismount

Beam

• Jump to Front Support Mount
• Arabesque to 30°
• Stretch Jump on Beam
• Pivot Turn
• Handstand on Beam
• Full Pivot Turn
• Back Walkover
• Full Pivot Turn
• Round-off Dismount
• Tuck Jump Dismount
• Half Turn
• Side Handstand Dismount

Floor

• ¾ Handstand
• Forward Roll
• Cartwheel
• Backward Roll
• Stretch Jump
• Handstand (1-second hold)
• Bridge Kickover
• Split Leap with 60° Split
• 180° Heel Snap Turn in Passé
• Split Jump with 60° Split
• Round-off
• Full Turn in Passé
• Full Turn in Passé
• Full Turn in Passé
• Back Walkover
• Front Walkover
• Split Jump (90°+)
• Full Turn in Passé
• Full Turn in Passé
• Stretch Jump (floor)
• Tuck Jump
• Full Turn in Passé
• Forward Roll
• Backward Roll

Routine & music

Xcel Bronze is part of the USAG Xcel program. Routines are built by the coach within the division’s special requirements, so gymnasts can play to their strengths — there’s no single set routine or music.

Every Xcel Bronze skill, simplified

Vault

• Handstand Flatback: Full running approach → hurdle → jump to handstand shape on mat stack (straight arms, ears between arms, body straight) → controlled flat-back fall.
• Handstand Flatback: From a punch off the board, drive the heels toward the ceiling to punch INTO a handstand.
• Handstand Flatback: Run, punch off board, kick to handstand on stack, fall to flat back position on mat.

Bars

• Pullover: Jump to hang, pull HIPS up to the bar, roll stomach over bar, finish in front support with straight arms.
• Cast: From front support: push bar away from hips, hollow body, legs rise behind.
• Back Hip Circle: From front support: cast, bar contacts upper thighs (not ribs), hollow body, circle backward around bar, return to front support.
• Underswing Dismount: From front support after back hip circle: cast, swing legs forward under bar in pike, release at peak, extend body, land facing AWAY from the bar with a controlled two-foot landing.
• Back Hip Circle: Front support with bar at hip bones → pike hard to bar → rock forward and circle around maintaining hip contact → push to front support.
• Cast: From front support → pike forward slightly → drive hips UP and back as arms push into bar → body extends to hollow position → controlled return to front support.
• Underswing Dismount: From front support → cast → on the backswing, pull bar to hips → release as body passes through pike → stretch to hollow → land with soft knees, arms forward.
• Sole Circle Dismount: From front support, feet on bar, body wraps under and around the bar, release in a clean dismount.

Beam

• Jump to Front Support Mount: Stand beside beam, jump up, hands on beam, support body weight with straight arms, hollow body in front support.
• Arabesque to 30°: Standing on one foot, free leg lifts behind to minimum 30°.
• Stretch Jump on Beam: Two-foot takeoff, body fully extended at peak (arms in crown, legs together, toes pointed), controlled landing on beam.
• Pivot Turn: Standing on one foot in relevé: pivot on the ball of the foot, free leg in passé (toe to knee), complete the turn and land in relevé or flat foot.
• Handstand on Beam: Kick to handstand on beam, hold for 1 count minimum.
• Full Pivot Turn: Rise to relevé on one foot → passé tight at knee → spot the end of beam → complete 360° without height loss → lower controlled to two feet.
• Back Walkover: Same as floor back walkover — reach back with the chest, kick all the way over, one foot then the other.
• Full Pivot Turn: Relevé on one foot at center of beam → passé pulls tight to knee → spot one end of beam → complete 360° maintaining height and balance → lower controlled to two feet.
• Round-off Dismount: Run to end of beam → hurdle → cartwheel snap-down → push off beam with both hands simultaneously → land facing beam.
• Tuck Jump Dismount: Two-foot takeoff → tuck knees to chest → open fully → land with soft knees, arms forward, feet together.
• Half Turn: ½ pivot turn on one or two feet, smooth and controlled, no wobble out.
• Side Handstand Dismount: Cartwheel onto handstand position on the beam, kick to vertical, fall off the side cleanly to a stuck landing.

Floor

• ¾ Handstand: Kick to ¾ of the way to handstand (approximately 135° from floor).
• Forward Roll: Standing: reach forward to floor, tuck chin, round spine, roll through back, finish standing.
• Cartwheel: Lunge entry → one hand then the other → legs pass through vertical split → two-foot landing in lunge.
• Backward Roll: Sit back into tuck, hands go to ears (thumbs in), roll backward over curved spine, push off hands to finish.
• Stretch Jump: Two-foot takeoff, body fully extended at peak -- arms in crown, legs together, toes pointed.
• Handstand (1-second hold): Kick to handstand, hold for 1 second with straight body (hollow, not arched), arms by ears, legs together and pointed.
• Bridge Kickover: Standing bridge (straight arms, shoulders over wrists, feet flat) → kick dominant leg up and over through split position → land dominant foot then trailing foot in lunge.
• Split Leap with 60° Split: Run/step, punch off one foot, legs split in the air (minimum 60° angle at Level 2), land on front foot in demi-plié.
• 180° Heel Snap Turn in Passé: Standing on one foot, relevé, passé position (toe to knee), execute a 180° (half) turn by snapping the heel around.
• Split Jump with 60° Split: Two-foot takeoff, legs split in the air (minimum 60°), land on both feet.
• Round-off: Hurdle → cartwheel-like entry but both feet land together → punch/rebound off two feet.
• Full Turn in Passé: Standing on one foot, relevé, passé, complete a full 360° turn.
• Full Turn in Passé: Same as L4 full turn in passé on floor.
• Full Turn in Passé: Rise to relevé → passé pulls tight to knee → spot one point → complete 360° without losing height → lower controlled.
• Back Walkover: Stand on one leg → arch back and reach for the floor → hands land shoulder-width apart → kick top leg up and over → split position through vertical → land one foot then the other → finish in lunge.
• Front Walkover: Kick into handstand from one leg → controlled lower with arch (not collapsing) → top leg leads, bottom leg follows → split position through vertical → land one foot then the other → finish in lunge.
• Split Jump (90°+): Relevé preparation step → jump up before splitting → maximum split at peak height → both feet land simultaneously.
• Full Turn in Passé: Rise to relevé on one foot → passé pulls tight to knee → spot one point → complete 360° without losing height → lower controlled.
• Full Turn in Passé: Same as Bronze full turn but with cleaner execution, higher relevé, and tighter passé.
• Stretch Jump (floor): Two-foot takeoff, body fully extended at peak (arms in crown), controlled two-foot landing.
• Tuck Jump: Two-foot takeoff, knees drive to chest at peak (min 90° hip + knee), controlled two-foot landing.
• Full Turn in Passé: Complete 360° turn on one foot in passé, smooth release and stop.
• Forward Roll: Tuck chin to chest, hands on floor, push with legs, roll over rounded back, stand without hands.
• Backward Roll: Sit, rock back, hands by ears, push to stand.

Xcel Bronze gymnastics FAQ

Common Xcel Bronze deductions

Judges take small deductions for form on almost every skill. These are the basics to clean up first — they apply across vault, bars, beam, and floor:

• Bent legs — keep the legs straight and squeezed together.
• Bent arms — lock the elbows on handstands, casts, swings, and supports.
• Toes not pointed — point the feet on every jump, leap, hold, and landing.
• Legs or feet apart — keep legs together unless the skill calls for a split.
• Loss of balance — wobbles, extra arm swings, or a foot coming off the beam.
• Steps or hops on landing — stick the landing — a step, hop, or lunge is a deduction.
• Low chest or poor posture — stay tall and lifted through the whole routine.
• Not enough height or extension — show full amplitude and finished, stretched shapes.

KINETIC breaks down the exact deductions and error-fixes for every Xcel Bronze skill — with the drills to fix them.