The Level 10 floor routine comprises some of the most difficult tumbling and impressive dance and expression you will find in JO gymnastics. Many of these gymnasts are on their way to the elite scene, competing skills you see at the elite level and in most other countries would be members of those countries national teams. The best of the best floor routines at this level are truly a sight to be seen. Let’s take a look.
Difficulty Requirements and Restrictions
The minimum difficulty requirements for a level 10 floor routine are 3As 3Bs and 2Cs.
There are no difficulty restrictions at level 10 so a gymnast can perform as many D or higher skills that they would like.
fulfilling the basic requirements in a level 10 floor routine will have a start value of 9.5. The additional .5 of start value must be completed as a combination of difficulty and connection bonus, which I will discuss at length below.
A skill can be counted for value twice in a routine as long as the same connections are not used and a skill performed for a third time can count toward a connection but can’t be counted again as a skill. This isn’t usually an issue at this level as having enough skills to fill the most basic difficulty requirements isn’t usually an issue.
As in all other routines higher difficulty skills can be substituted for lower level skills.
Let’s say a level 10 routine contains 1 D skill, 2 C skills, 3 B skills and 2 A skills. These all trickle down the line ending with one of the B skills moving down the A skill slot to fill that requirement which then only leaves 2 B skills so one of the Cs slips down into the open B slot and then that leaves us one C skill short and the D skill fits right in there.
Routine Special Requirements
The requirements for level 8, 9 and 10 floor routines are the same except the last pass must contain more difficulty as the levels go up.
A Level 10 Floor Routine must contain
- A two salto pass
- Three different salto within the routine – Aerials don’t count
- A Dance pass with at least two leaps and jumps, one which must be a leap reaching at least 180 degree split.
- The final pass, also called a dismount in floor routines, must contain a salto of C or higher difficulty.
Two Salto Passes
One of the best things about hitting the pinnacle of JO gymnastics at level 10 is the variety of difficulty and variety of routines.
Some examples of two salto passes you may see in a level 10 floor routine are
- Back one and a half twist or two and a half twist to punch front tuck, pike or layout
- Front Full to Front Layout or vice versa
- Front layout to Front one and half twist.
Indirect passes are also acceptable. This is where the two saltos are not directly connected as in the above examples but are connected by additional tumbling, usually a roundoff backhandspring.
Here is an example of a front tuck step out through roundoff backhandspring to double back pike. This pass would fulfill the two salto pass requirement.
Three Different Saltos Within Routine
This is an easy requirement to meet at this level. Remember that aerials, either front or side, do not count toward this requirement.
Some common saltos you will see in a level 10 floor routine may include
- Double back saltos, either tucked or pike. You may even see a double layout in very high level routines.
- Various twisting layouts including one and a halfs, doubles and two and a halfs
- In a very high level routine you may see a full twisting double back or a double arabian
- Front layouts with varying degrees of twist, but also just layouts, pikes and even a front tuck.
Let’s take a moment and look at twisting double saltos as this can be somewhat confusing. What’s the difference between a “full in” and a “full out” and a “half in half out”? What does “arabian” mean?
A full in is a double back with a full twist on the first back salto. Here is an example where you can see the twisted back tuck and the second non-twisted back tuck pretty clearly.
A full out is where the twist is on the second back tuck. It appears that this is mostly used as bar dismount. I was unable to find a quality video for this skill done on floor but the following shows a bar dismount where the twist on the second flip is pretty clear.
A half in half out is where the twist is between the two saltos or half on the first salto and half on the second salto.
This video shows progressions on the trampoline for this skill. It shows one done at the beginning where you can see the twist in the middle. It shows great progressions as well for those coaches out there or if you just want to geek out. At then end they show one in slow motion where you can really see where the twist starts and finishes.
Here is a video of a half in half out in a tumbling pass.
And then finally, what the heck is an arabian? An Arabian skill starts from a back position such as out of a back handspring, whip or roundoff and then the gymnast first does a half twist and then completes a front salto. You will often see this as a double arabian, meaning a back half twist into a double front salto. Here is an example.
Dance passage with two leaps or jumps, one which must reach 180 degrees.
I covered the leap/jump dance pass requirements pretty well in my level 9 floor routine construction post, so here I thought I would share a video of difficult jumps and leaps that could possibly be used to enhance choreography and increase difficulty in a level 10 floor routine.
Please note that this video is referencing the FIG code which is somewhat different than than the JO code in assigning value to skills so a skill that is a C in FIG might be a D in JO for example.
Last Pass must contain a C or higher salto
Common final passes in a level 10 floor routine are
- double back tuck
- double twist
- back one and a half twist to punch front
- front one and a half
Connection Value and Difficulty Bonus
As mentioned earlier a level 10 floor routine that meets the special requirements listed above begins as a 9.5 start value. The additional .5 in start value must be obtained through a mix of difficulty and connection bonus.
No routine can use more than .4 of start value from either difficulty or connection forcing the gymnast to include both types of elements in her routine.
No bonus will be rewarded if the gymnast fall or receives a spot.
Difficulty Bonus
Every D skill receives a bonus of .1
Every E skill receives a bonus of .2
A Max of .4 can be awarded in difficulty bonus
The same D/E element can only be awarded difficulty bonus one time.
Connection Value Bonus
You will see this referred to in documents, online and even on this website as CV bonus.
Both dance and acro elements can qualify for connection bonus. Acro elements must have flight and no hand support to qualify for bonus. This includes saltos and aerials and means that back handsprings in an tumbling pass can not be included for bonus. You will see some gymnasts do whips into skills. Not only does this generate more power for some gymnasts but also has no hand support so is eligible for CV bonus.
Very important to note at level 10 that if a D/E skill is completed in a series that qualifies for CV bonus, it also qualifies for difficulty bonus.
An example of this would be a whip to double back. The gymnast would receive .2 for a D+A connection and .1 for competing a skill of D difficulty for a total of .3 in bonus.
A maximum of .4 can be awarded in CV bonus.
Indirect acro skills
These types of tumbling passes are not the most popular but you will definitely see them especially at this level. Here a couple of examples.
C+C = .1
Ex. Roundoff 1.5 twist (C) step out to roundoff backhandspring double twist (C)
I love this pass. I am secretly hoping that my daughter will get to compete this at some point.
A/B + A/B+ C/D/E = .1
Ex. Front tuck step out (A) to roundoff whip (A) double back (D)
The final skill in this series could also be a one and a half or double twist, double pike or other relevant C/D/E skill
A+D/E = .1 or B+D/E = .1
Ex. Front tuck step out (A) to roundoff backhandspring double back (D)
This is basically the same pass as above with a backhandspring instead of a whip. A whip is considered a salto and included in the connection bonus series where the backhandspring is not a salto and therefore not included.
Direct Connection of Two or more saltos/Aerials
A+C = .1
Back example – one and a half or double twist (both Cs) to front tuck (A) or whip (A) to double twist (C)
Front example – Front full (C) to front tuck (A)
B+B = .1
Ex. Front layout (B) to front layout or front layout to front pike (B).
B+C = .2
Ex. Front layout (B) front full (C). This is a common pass in a level 10 floor routine.
A+A+C = .1
Back example – whip whip (A+A) to double twist (C)
Front example – Front full (C) to front tuck front tuck (A+A)
A+A+D/E = .2
Make that back pass in the previous example a double back and get .2 in bonus
A/B+D/E = .2
Ex. Whip (A) to Double Arabian (E)
This pass would also qualify for an additional .2 in difficulty bonus. Wow!
Ex. Front layout (B) to front one and a half (D)
This pass would also qualify for an additional .1 in difficulty bonus.
C+C or more difficult = .2
This is some serious difficulty.
An example might be a front full (C) to a front one and a half (D) or a one and a half back twist (C) to front full (C).
Take it one more level and you might have a two and a half back twist (D) to front full (C) or a front double twist (E) to front one and a half twist (D).
Connected Dance Elements
Dance elements must be directly connected in order to receive bonus. This means steps or dance movements between that are not dance elements recognized in the code of points will break the connection. There are also rules about what types of elements can be connected and in what order.
When completing a turn first, it can only be connected to a hop that takes off from one foot or another turn, not to a jump that takes off from two feet.
But a jump that takes off on two feet and lands on one foot can then be connected to a turn.
Turns connected to hops and jumps is uncommon. I have been unable at the moment to find example videos of these connections but continue to work on it.
More likely you will see two turns connected or two jumps/leaps connected.
Connection of two dance elements can contain the same or different leap, jump, hop or turn
C+C = .1
B+D/E = .1
C+D/E or more = .2
Some examples of C, D and E elements that could be used for this bonus would include…
- split jump with full turn (C)
- split jump with one and a half turn (D)
- switch leap with half (C) or full turn (D)
- Switch side leap (C)
- Straddle jump with full turn – Popa (C)
- Tour jete with half (C) or full turn (D)
- Switch ring (C)
- Wolf hop or jump with full turn (C)
- Double (C) or triple turn (D)
- One and a half (C) or double turn (D) with leg held above horizontal, in wolf position or with leg held in 180 degree split.
Dance elements connected to acrobatic elements
These skills must be directly connected. No indirect connections will be awarded.
As in all other connection bonus situations the acro skills must be saltos or aerials
A/B jump/leap/hop + D/E salto = .1 CV bonus
The most common way you will see this used is a D/E acro connected to an A or B jump. For example a double back to straddle jump or a double twist to sissone would qualify.
Connection of three or more elements
When three elements are connected this is treated as two separate connections with the middle element being used twice, once as the last element in the first connection and then as the first element in the second connection.
For example:
a gymnast does a front layout front full front tuck all directly connected
Front layout (B) + Front full (C) = .2 and then
Front full (C) + Front tuck (A) = .1
.2 + .1 for a total of .3 in connection bonus
Example Routines
I didn’t get around to finishing this before 2017 nationals, which was disappointing, but that means I can use 2017 level 10 floor routines from JO nationals as examples so that is a bonus. I have done my best to show a diverse reflection of the code in well executed routines.
Kyana George – Level 10 Floor Routine – 9.825
Kyana beautifully executed the highest scoring floor routine at nationals this year. Congratulations Kyana and good luck at Cal next year!
Front tuck step out roundoff backhandspring double back tuck – A+D
Two indirectly connected saltos – A+D = .1 CV Bonus
D Level Difficulty – .1 Bonus
Split leap to switch ring directly connected to tour jete half – C+C
I included a mention of the split leap here because this is an example of what is probably just meant to be a transition to the real leap series, but if not a deliberate split leap at least looks enough like one that the judges may see this as a poorly executed split leap rather than just a dance transition. You gotta be careful with these types of moves as if interpreted incorrectly could receive execution deductions. This obviously wasn’t an issue in this routine as she scored through the roof, but it is something I saw on two personal occasions this season so I thought it might be worth a mention.
Two directly connected leaps, jumps or hops – C+C = .1 CV Bonus
Front handspring to front double twist – A+E
E Level Difficulty – .2 Bonus
Full wolf turn – B
Front handspring front one and a half – D
D Level Difficulty – .1 Bonus
2A 1B 2C 2D 1E
.3 Difficulty Bonus
.2 Connection Value Bonus
Special Requirements are met
2 Salto pass – Front tuck step out roundoff backhandspring double back tuck
Three different saltos – double back tuck, double front twist, front tuck
Leap pass with 2 group 1 elements, one with 180 split – switch ring to tour jete half
Last salto C or higher – front layout with one and a half twist
10.0 Start Value
Jillian Hoffman – Level 10 Floor Routine – 9.75
This routine contains a lot of common skills and passes, but also includes a double arabian which is fairly rare and pretty exciting.
One and a half turn – B
Roundoff backhandspring double arabian – A+A+E
E Level Difficulty – .2 Bonus
Roundoff back layout with one and a half twist to front layout – A+C+B
2 directly connected saltos – C+B = .2 CV Bonus
Switch side leap to Popa (straddle jump with full turn) – C+C
2 directly connected dance elements – .1 CV Bonus
Roundoff backhandspring double back tuck – A+A+D
D Level Difficulty – .1 Bonus
5As 2Bs 3Cs 1D 1 E
.3 Difficulty Bonus
.3 CV Bonus
Only .5 bonus is possible. The extra tenth is not awarded.
Special requirements are met
2 Salto pass – roundoff back layout with one and a half twist to front layout
Three different saltos – double back tuck, double arabian, front layout
Leap pass with 2 group 1 elements, one with 180 split – switch side leap to Popa (straddle jump with full turn)
Last salto C or higher – double back tuck
10.0 start value
Grace McCallum – Level 10 Floor Routine – 9.600
This is a very difficult routine with four tumbling passes. Grace will be competing at the junior elite level this summer after qualifying for the US Classic at the Brestyan’s elite qualifier back in February. Good luck Grace!
Although this routine is full of high level difficulty it only contains the very minimum in connection bonus. In a level 10 floor routine a maximum of .4 from either difficulty or connection bonus.
You can see that this is a very well executed routine, but scored slightly lower than some of the highest scoring routines, most likely simply because there is more elements to take deductions on.
Roundoff backhandspring full twisting double back tuck (Full In) – A+A+E
E Difficulty Level – .2 Bonus
Front layout to front layout with double twist – B+E
E Difficulty Level – .2 Bonus
B+E directly connected – .1 CV Bonus
Full turn with leg above horizontal – B
Switch ring to tour jete with a half turn – C+C
Roundoff backhandspring back layout with triple twist – A+A+E
E Difficuly Level – .2 Bonus
Switch side with three quarter turn – C
Roundoff backhandspring double back tuck – A+A+D
D Difficulty Level – .1 Bonus
6As 2Bs 3Cs 1D 2Es
.7 Difficulty Bonus
.1 CV Bonus
.4 of the .7 in difficulty bonus count and .1 CV bonus for a total of .5 Bonus
Special requirements are met
2 Salto pass – front layout front layout with double twist
Three different saltos – full in, front layout, double back tuck
Leap pass with 2 group 1 elements, one with 180 split – switch side leap to Popa (straddle jump with full turn)
Last salto C or higher – double back tuck
10.0 start value
