There are a total of 10 levels in USA Gymnastics Sanctioned Events. Levels 1-5 are Compulsory, meaning all athletes compete the same routine.  Levels 6-10 are known as Optional, meaning the athlete and coaches build routines that follow special requirements. The Elite program is sanctioned by the Federation of International Gymnastics Rules. 

At Thrive Training Center Inc. we are part of Norther California Women's Gymnastics Association. All our athletes compete for State Championships in Northern California. Yes, there is a Southern California region and we can participate in competitions in Southern California. 

California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah are all part of Region 1. There are 8 Regions in the USA. Athletes are eligible to compete in Regional Championships if they make the qualifiying score at State Championships. 

• Levels 1-5 State Championships

• Levels 6-8 State & Regional Championships

• Level 9 State, Regionals, & Western Championships

• Level 10 State, Regionals, & National Championships

Athletes compete in 4 events; Vault, Bars, Beam, Floor.

An 84' runway, a springboard, and a vault table. The athlete's goal is to accelerate velocity and move their center of mass as quickly down the vault runway. Taking approximately 12-14 steps the athlete hurdles to the spring board quickly trying to get their feet in front of their hips before contacting the springboard. As the athlete pushes the springboard down they must travel over their point of contact in rhythm of the springboards compression in order to conserve maximum power. As the springboard releases and sends the athlete into the air, the gymnast then places their hands onto the vault table quickly in order to produce maximum height and distance. 

The Main Types of Vault:

• Handstand Flatback | Level 3

• Front Handspring | Level 4 - 8

• Round Off | Level 6|

• Tsukahara | Level 8 - 10

• Yurchenko | Level 9 - 10

• Kazamatsu | Level 9 - 10

• Front Handspring Front Flip | Level 9 - 10

Key Focuses: 

• A quick and even run that accelerates through the hurdle.

• A long and low hurdle.

• Punch on the front of the board.

• Timing with the springboard.

• Quick response timing towards tension to load the system.

• Nerves of steel.

A good vault will take under 5 seconds to perform from start to finish.

Two fiberglass rails with steel rod inserts, metal uprights and some cable. Bars are quite the modern day contraption. The main objective for the athlete is to move the bar, this is where all the power, energy, timing etc come from. One rail is high the other rail is low. The height and distance may be adjusted for levels 1-10, however the bar settings are preset for Elite. The athlete must mount the bar, circle or cast and jump to the other rail. This exchange of circles, pushes and pulls happens back and forth on bars until the athlete dismounts the bars. The longer the athlete is the more they can swing. Due to the bars having a specific response time, athletes who are more quick twitch tend to struggle a bit more. 

Key Skills:

• Glide

• Pull Over

• Casting

• Kip

• Circling Skill (Front hip, stride, back hip)

• Circling to Handstand

• Bar transfer from low to high

• Bar transfer from high to low

• Bar release move: Jaeger, Geinger, Tkatchev

• Dismount Flyaway

Key Focuses

• Hold a handstand shape under tension

• Move the bar horizontally

• Late Drop Circling

• Awareness of body angle on the bar

• Ability to fire posterior chain followed by anterior chain

At 16 feet long and 4 inches wide the beam doesn't leave much room for error. The height of the beam is adjustable by level however its most commonly competed on at around 4 feet high. The illusion to beam is that an observer might think it is easy to fall off. The truth is once an athlete reaches a certain level of ability falling off becomes less of an issue and generating speed and force on the beam become bigger issues. 

Key Skills:

• Handstand

• Cartwheel

• Back Walkover

• Round Off

• Back Handspring

• Back Layout Step-out

• Side Aerial

• Standing Back Tuck

• Split Jump

• Switch Leap

• Full Turn

Key Focuses:

• Releve Positioning

• Bridge Flexibility

• Arm Positions

• Head Position

• Dynamics

At 40' x 40' the floor exercise has its limits. What makes gymnastics tumbling fascinating is that the distance a gymnast can run is limited. The goal of the event is to mix dance, choreography and tumbling into a 1 minute and 30 second routine. Depending on the level the length of routine and requirements will adjust. 

Key Skills: 

• Round Off

• Back Handspring

• Front Handspring

• Front and Back Whips

• Front and Back Layouts

• Flipping with Twisting

• Double Flipping

• Switch Half or Leap Fulls

• Double Turns

Key Focuses:

• Accelerating a run

• Understanding late and early block

• Flipping with hips

• Landing properly

• Tension in tumbling

• Dynamics