All About Xcel Silver Gymnastics

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

Xcel Silver requirements

Vault

• Front Handspring over Mat Stack
• Front Handspring over Mat Stack

Bars

• Cast
• Back Hip Circle
• Glide Swing
• Underswing Dismount
• Cast to Horizontal
• Cast + Underswing Dismount with Height
• Cast Above Horizontal
• Back Hip Circle + Cast Sequence
• Cast above horizontal

Beam

• Back Walkover
• Cartwheel on Beam
• Split Leap or Split Jump on Beam
• 180° Turn in Passé
• Straddle Jump
• Cartwheel Dismount
• Aerial Cartwheel on Beam
• Round-off Dismount
• Side Handstand 1/4 Turn Dismount

Floor

• Cartwheel
• Handstand Forward Roll
• Round-off
• Round-off Back Handspring
• Back Walkover
• Full Turn in Passé
• Full Turn in Passé
• Front Walkover
• Split Leap (90°+)
• Full Turn in Passé
• Standing Back Handspring
• Back Walkover
• Front Walkover
• Full Turn in Passé
• Front Handspring
• Back Tuck (Introduction)
• Full Turn in Passé
• Full Turn in Passé

Routine & music

Xcel Silver 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 Silver skill, simplified

Vault

• Front Handspring over Mat Stack: Full running approach → hurdle → punch off springboard → reach for table → block (push) off table with straight arms → flight phase in tight hollow body → two-foot landing.
• Front Handspring over Mat Stack: Run, punch off board, push through handstand over mat stack, snap legs down, land tall.

Bars

• 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.
• Glide Swing: Jump to long hang → swing forward in hollow body → swing back in arch → pike at the back of the swing.
• 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.
• Cast to Horizontal: From front support: push bar away from hips, hollow body, reach horizontal (hips level with bar, body parallel to floor).
• Cast + Underswing Dismount with Height: From front support → cast past 45° below horizontal → on the backswing pull bar to hips → release with body in tight hollow → land with soft knees, arms forward.
• Cast Above Horizontal: From front support → drive hips up and back → body reaches above horizontal, approaching 45° below vertical → controlled return through front support.
• Back Hip Circle + Cast Sequence: Full back hip circle maintaining bar contact → push away at the top to front support → immediate cast.
• Cast above horizontal: Cast from front support to above horizontal — body hollow, legs squeezed together, push from shoulders.

Beam

• Back Walkover: Stand → reach arms overhead → arch back → hands to beam one at a time → kick dominant leg through split to vertical → land dominant foot then trailing foot in lunge.
• Cartwheel on Beam: From lunge: one hand then the other on beam, legs pass through split, lunge landing.
• Split Leap or Split Jump on Beam: Split leap: step, punch off one foot, split in air, land on front foot.
• 180° Turn in Passé: Standing on one foot, relevé, passé (toe to standing knee, knee out), complete a 180° turn.
• Straddle Jump: Two-foot takeoff → legs split to straddle position at peak height → toes pointed at maximum → feet come together → land soft on two feet.
• Cartwheel Dismount: Same cartwheel mechanics as on beam — one hand then the other, legs split — but pushes off the end of beam with the second hand to dismount to the side.
• Aerial Cartwheel on Beam: Same mechanics as cartwheel — one arm then the other, split position in the air — except no hand contact.
• Round-off Dismount: Same as Bronze round-off dismount — execute with more height and consistency at Silver level.
• Side Handstand 1/4 Turn Dismount: Side handstand 1/4 turn dismount — value A.

Floor

• Cartwheel: Lunge entry → one hand then the other → legs pass through vertical split → two-foot landing in lunge.
• Handstand Forward Roll: Kick to handstand → controlled fall forward → tuck chin → round spine over → stand.
• Round-off: Hurdle → cartwheel-like entry but both feet land together → punch/rebound off two feet.
• Round-off Back Handspring: Round-off with strong punch → back handspring: jump backward with straight arms, arch, hands contact floor, snap legs over, two-foot landing.
• Back Walkover: Stand → arms overhead → arch back → hands to floor in bridge → kick dominant leg through split vertical → step down to lunge.
• 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.
• Front Walkover: Hurdle → kick to handstand → lower with arch (not collapsing) → top leg leads through split position → one foot then the other → finish in lunge.
• Split Leap (90°+): Preparation step → kick front leg → jump off back foot at peak of kick → split position at maximum height → pointed toes → land on front foot.
• Full Turn in Passé: Rise to relevé → passé pulls tight to knee → spot one point → complete 360° without losing height → lower controlled.
• Standing Back Handspring: Sit back as on floor — same mechanics as standalone — but the L3 back handspring must connect cleanly to the round-off that precedes it.
• 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.
• 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.
• Front Handspring: Hurdle → dive into handstand → PUSH off the floor with straight arms before legs overtake → snap feet together → land.
• Back Tuck (Introduction): Two-foot jump → arms drive UP then pull into tight tuck → spot at peak → open fully before landing → land with soft knees.
• Full Turn in Passé: Same as Bronze full turn but with cleaner execution, higher relevé, and tighter passé.
• Full Turn in Passé: Complete 360° turn on one foot in passé, smooth release and stop.

Xcel Silver gymnastics FAQ

Common Xcel Silver 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 Silver skill — with the drills to fix them.