Gymnastics Levels Explained
How classes work by age and skill at Brown’s Gymnastics in southwest Las Vegas, from a parent-and-child class at 18 months to the Xcel, Compulsory and Optional teams, and how kids move up along the way.
All 17 classes, in order
Each class has its own set of skills. When your child has them, their coach moves them to the next one. Tap a class name to see its details.
| Class | Ages | What they learn | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool | |||
| Mini Stars | 18 months to 3 years, with a parent · 45 min | Coordination, balance and confidence through stations and obstacle courses | Super Stars at age 3 |
| Super Stars | Age 3 | Their first class on their own: vault, bars, beam and floor through learning games | Allstars |
| Allstars | Ages 3 to 5 | Body shapes, strength and flexibility on kid-sized equipment and the trampoline | Novas at age 5 |
| Recreational (beginner) | |||
| Novas & Supernovas | Ages 5 to 7, and 8 and up | All four Olympic events through stations, skills and learning games | Meteors |
| Meteors | After Novas | Forward and backward rolls, bridges, cartwheels, more strength and flexibility | Comets |
| Comets | After Meteors | Splits, leaps, two-second handstands, back hip circles, pullovers and vault drills | Bronze |
| Recreational (intermediate) | |||
| Bronze | After Comets | Body shaping and precision on every event; also offered as a hybrid competitive class | Pre-team or an Xcel tryout, if they choose |
| Boys | |||
| Boys Classes | Boys | Tumbling, twisting, flipping and strength on rings | Ask about the boys’ path |
| Tumbling | |||
| Beginning Tumbling | No experience needed | Cartwheels, round offs, bridges, handstands, front and back handsprings | Intermediate Tumbling |
| Intermediate Tumbling | Coach approval: standing back handspring with a light spot and a good hurdle round off | Standing back handsprings alone, round off back handsprings, front handsprings | Advanced Tumbling |
| Advanced Tumbling | Coach approval: round off back handspring, or a standing back handspring | Back tucks, front tucks, aerials and series tumbling | Keep building |
| Strength Advancement | Any level | Core, upper and lower body conditioning for every skill | Alongside any class |
| Teams (by invitation or tryout) | |||
| Pre-Team | By invitation · 2 classes a week | Correct body positions, form and the skills to progress | Compulsory or Xcel team |
| Xcel Team | By tryout · 6 to 12 hours a week | Individual routines built around each gymnast’s skills | Higher Xcel divisions |
| Compulsory Team (DP) | By invitation | Set routines that build the foundations for the higher levels | Optional Team |
| Optional Team (DP) | By invitation · 20+ hours a week | Their own routines at the top levels of the sport | College gymnastics and beyond |
| Acro Team | By tryout; no acro experience needed | Partner and group balance, strength and trust; season runs March to August | Competitive acro |
Preschool
18 months to 3 years, with a parent · 45 min
What they learn: Coordination, balance and confidence through stations and obstacle courses
Next step: Super Stars at age 3
Age 3
What they learn: Their first class on their own: vault, bars, beam and floor through learning games
Next step: Allstars
Ages 3 to 5
What they learn: Body shapes, strength and flexibility on kid-sized equipment and the trampoline
Next step: Novas at age 5
Recreational (beginner)
Ages 5 to 7, and 8 and up
What they learn: All four Olympic events through stations, skills and learning games
Next step: Meteors
After Novas
What they learn: Forward and backward rolls, bridges, cartwheels, more strength and flexibility
Next step: Comets
After Meteors
What they learn: Splits, leaps, two-second handstands, back hip circles, pullovers and vault drills
Next step: Bronze
Recreational (intermediate)
After Comets
What they learn: Body shaping and precision on every event; also offered as a hybrid competitive class
Next step: Pre-team or an Xcel tryout, if they choose
Boys
Boys
What they learn: Tumbling, twisting, flipping and strength on rings
Next step: Ask about the boys’ path
Tumbling
No experience needed
What they learn: Cartwheels, round offs, bridges, handstands, front and back handsprings
Next step: Intermediate Tumbling
Coach approval: standing back handspring with a light spot and a good hurdle round off
What they learn: Standing back handsprings alone, round off back handsprings, front handsprings
Next step: Advanced Tumbling
Coach approval: round off back handspring, or a standing back handspring
What they learn: Back tucks, front tucks, aerials and series tumbling
Next step: Keep building
Any level
What they learn: Core, upper and lower body conditioning for every skill
Next step: Alongside any class
Teams (by invitation or tryout)
By invitation · 2 classes a week
What they learn: Correct body positions, form and the skills to progress
Next step: Compulsory or Xcel team
By tryout · 6 to 12 hours a week
What they learn: Individual routines built around each gymnast’s skills
Next step: Higher Xcel divisions
By invitation
What they learn: Set routines that build the foundations for the higher levels
Next step: Optional Team
By invitation · 20+ hours a week
What they learn: Their own routines at the top levels of the sport
Next step: College gymnastics and beyond
By tryout; no acro experience needed
What they learn: Partner and group balance, strength and trust; season runs March to August
Next step: Competitive acro
How kids move up
Start where they fit
Book a free class. Coaches place your child by age and experience, and kids coming from another gym start at the right level.
Learn that class’s skills
Every class has its own skills, so you always know what your child is working on next.
Move up when ready
When the coach sees they are ready, they move to the next class. Intermediate gymnasts can keep advancing in class or try out for pre-team or Xcel, held twice a year.
There is no set timeline. Kids move up when their skills are ready, not on a fixed schedule.
Xcel vs. Development (DP)
Both are USA Gymnastics competitive programs, and Brown’s runs both. Here is how they differ.
| Xcel | Development Program (DP) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | Gymnasts who love the sport and want to compete with a more flexible commitment | Gymnasts aiming for the highest levels and college gymnastics |
| Training | 6 to 12 hours a week, at the right level for each gymnast’s skills | Compulsory levels build the base; Optional team members train at least 20 hours a week |
| Routines | Individual routines built around each gymnast’s own skills | Set routines at the Compulsory levels, then each gymnast’s own routines at the Optional levels |
| How to join here | Try out; tryouts are held twice a year | By coach invitation, often through Pre-Team |
Gymnasts who love the sport and want to compete with a more flexible commitment
Development Program (DP): Gymnasts aiming for the highest levels and college gymnastics
6 to 12 hours a week, at the right level for each gymnast’s skills
Development Program (DP): Compulsory levels build the base; Optional team members train at least 20 hours a week
Individual routines built around each gymnast’s own skills
Development Program (DP): Set routines at the Compulsory levels, then each gymnast’s own routines at the Optional levels
Try out; tryouts are held twice a year
Development Program (DP): By coach invitation, often through Pre-Team
USA Gymnastics now calls the Junior Olympic (JO) program the Development Program. Many families still say JO.
Questions parents ask
Start with age. Toddlers from 18 months join Mini Stars with a parent, 3 year olds join Super Stars, 3 to 5 year olds join Allstars, and kids 5 and up start in Novas unless they already have experience.
The easiest way to be sure is a free class: our coaches will see your child move and place them in the right class.
Both are USA Gymnastics competitive programs. Xcel has a more flexible commitment, 6 to 12 hours a week, with routines built around each gymnast’s skills. The Development Program, still often called JO, runs through Compulsory and Optional levels and is the usual route to college gymnastics.
Each class has its own skills. When your child has them, their coach moves them to the next class. Intermediate gymnasts can keep advancing in class or try out for pre-team or the Xcel team, held twice a year.
Yes. Boys Classes cover tumbling, twisting, flipping and strength on rings.
Not for Beginning Tumbling. Intermediate and Advanced Tumbling need coach approval and certain skills first, such as a standing back handspring.
Not sure where your child fits?
Book a free class and our coaches will place them in the right class.