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Complete guide
Level 1 Gymnastics
Everything you need to coach Level 1 — the USAG requirements, every skill broken down, the drills that build them, and a full season lesson plan.
Level 1 requirements
Stretch jump onto mat, kick to handstand shape, fall to flat back
Pullover · Cast · Back hip circle · Sole-circle dismount OR underswing dismount · Both dismounts are valid at L1. Sole circle is slightly more advanced.
Jump to front support mount · Arabesque to 30° · Needle kick · Relevé lock stand · Stretch jump · Cartwheel to ¾ handstand dismount
¾ handstand · Cartwheel · Backward roll · Forward roll · Stretch jump
Vault skills
Bars skills
Beam skills
Floor skills
General skills
Drills for Level 1
Pointed Toes drillsStrong Arms drillsHollow Body drillsLunge drillsRelevé drillsStick & Salute drillsForward Safety Roll drillsBackward Safety Roll drillsRelevé Walk drillsJump to Front Support drillsForward Roll Dismount drillsBeam Mount -- Straddle Sit drillsTuck Jump Dismount drillsStretch Jump to Handstand Flatback drillsPullover drillsCast drillsBack Hip Circle drillsJump to Front Support Mount drillsArabesque to 30° drillsNeedle Kick drills
Don't just read it — coach it.
Get the full Level 1 lesson-plan season, printable drill sheets, and skill tracking. Level 1 is free; $4.99 unlocks every level.
Start free →Common Level 1 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 Level 1 skill — with the drills to fix them.