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Like PP said it is very, very gym dependent because there are huge differences in the ways both Xcel and JO are done from gym to gym.
In your gym specifically, are Xcel and JO completely separate programs or do you know if all JO girls start out in Xcel?
If they are completely separate, then obviously first you’ll need to know IF they ever allow girls to move from one stream to another. If they do, then you can likely expect more hours, more conditioning and possibly lower scores.
If all of your JO girls start out in Xcel then there may not be much difference in training because they will have been preparing them for JO all along. You will still likely see lower scoring though.
Now, if you’re talking about actually switching gyms to leave Xcel and compete JO the differences could actually go either way. JO at a different gym could be more intense or less- all depends on the program.
Hope that makes sense!
In your gym specifically, are Xcel and JO completely separate programs or do you know if all JO girls start out in Xcel?
If they are completely separate, then obviously first you’ll need to know IF they ever allow girls to move from one stream to another. If they do, then you can likely expect more hours, more conditioning and possibly lower scores.
If all of your JO girls start out in Xcel then there may not be much difference in training because they will have been preparing them for JO all along. You will still likely see lower scoring though.
Now, if you’re talking about actually switching gyms to leave Xcel and compete JO the differences could actually go either way. JO at a different gym could be more intense or less- all depends on the program.
Hope that makes sense!
Oh and skill wise...well that depends too. Unless your daughter is in high school she will have to start at Level 4. (High school aged kids can petition into 5, 6 or 7 if they can demonstrate proficiency on video without having to actually compete each level below that.)
Here’s a random video on You Tube that shows a recent Level 4 state meet. These are the skills currently required for Level 4 - which is the first level that scoring out of is required in JO. There are levels 1-3, and some gyms do compete those but it’s not required.
Xcel Silver is probably about a JO Level 3 so moving to JO 4 after Xcel silver is a common path.
Here’s a random video on You Tube that shows a recent Level 4 state meet. These are the skills currently required for Level 4 - which is the first level that scoring out of is required in JO. There are levels 1-3, and some gyms do compete those but it’s not required.
Xcel Silver is probably about a JO Level 3 so moving to JO 4 after Xcel silver is a common path.
All of the above. Also, required skills will depend on what level the gym starts her at in JO. The highest they can start her at is Level 4. She would have to at least score out of Level 4 in 1 meet to go any higher.
Level 4 requires kips on both low bar and high bar, a ROBHSBHS and FHS on floor, and a cartwheel and handstand held for 1 second on beam. Vault is a FHS.
If she doesn't have all of these skills, she would not be ready for Level 4. If she does, to score out, she would need a 34 AA or better to go to Level 5.
Level 5 adds a clear hip circle and flyaway on bars, a BWO, BHS, or Back extension roll to handstand, and a 2-second handstand on beam. On floor, FHS stepout to FHS and a ROBHSBT. Vault is the same as Level 4. If she is missing these skills, she would not be ready for Level 5. If she does, after scoring out of Level 4, she could compete the season of Level 5 or score out of Level 5 with a 32 AA or better.
Level 6 requires 5 A skills and 1 B skill on each event... but is similar to Xcel Platinum in a lot of ways. Casts need to be higher on bars, splits in jumps and leaps need to hit 180º for no deduction on beam and floor.
I hope this helps.
Level 4 requires kips on both low bar and high bar, a ROBHSBHS and FHS on floor, and a cartwheel and handstand held for 1 second on beam. Vault is a FHS.
If she doesn't have all of these skills, she would not be ready for Level 4. If she does, to score out, she would need a 34 AA or better to go to Level 5.
Level 5 adds a clear hip circle and flyaway on bars, a BWO, BHS, or Back extension roll to handstand, and a 2-second handstand on beam. On floor, FHS stepout to FHS and a ROBHSBT. Vault is the same as Level 4. If she is missing these skills, she would not be ready for Level 5. If she does, after scoring out of Level 4, she could compete the season of Level 5 or score out of Level 5 with a 32 AA or better.
Level 6 requires 5 A skills and 1 B skill on each event... but is similar to Xcel Platinum in a lot of ways. Casts need to be higher on bars, splits in jumps and leaps need to hit 180º for no deduction on beam and floor.
I hope this helps.
Thank you for that insight. I’m beginning to prepare myself with questions to ask the gyms that would be willing to test her. So just to be clear, levels 4 and 5 do not compete?
All levels 1-3 can compete.
Level 4 is the first level competing is required though.
And by required I mean they have to compete in at least one meet per level and also obtain the required score to be able to move on to the next level.
Yes, some places compete Level 1. Even more compete Level 2. Still more compete Level 3.
If she competed Gold, she shouldn't be placed below Level 3 ... so definitely do not accept placement onto a Level 1 or Level 2 team. The kip would most likely be the deciding factor for most gyms between Level 3 and Level 4 for a girl who has competed Xcel Gold ... especially if she was doing more than the bare minimum.
Mainly, Level 3 would be for:
- No kip or a muscled up kip.
- She needs a LOT of cleaning up of her skills.
- She has developed a fear that would prevent her from competing Level 4.
Thanks for the reply. Her gym only offers Xcel and she is looking for a more challenging regimen.
Thank you for all that valuable info. Her current gym only offers XCEL and her coaches are very encouraging and supportive of her transitioning to a JO gym if that is her desire. My daughter wants a more challenging regimen and aspires to take it to a collegiate level. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply!!
My daughter left one gym after a season of xcel gold (she did a season of bronze before that) and went to JO at another gym, where she ended up competing L6. The Xcel gold gym did have JO, but a very stringent program with zero mobility between the two. When she was gold she trained 6 hour per week. She ended up training around 30 hours per week at the JO gym- seven days a week, with the seventh being to try and get her stronger. It was a disaster on almost every front tbh. For your purposes, I would caution that she should make the jump to L4 at most, and she shouldn’t more than double her current hours to start. It leads to injuries, stress, and other issues imo. As for skills needed, that’s entirely dependent on the gym she switches to. I would set up a couple of trial classes to have her evaluated at more than one place.
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Wow!! I’m very appreciative of your reply!! As a parent who has to navigate this world of gymnastics without a compass, this has really provided some direction. My daughter is so eager to want to move up b as a parent who has to navigate this world of gymnastics without a compass, this has really provided some direction. My daughter is so eager to move up and be challenged but as a parent “i thought I knew” how challenging the transition might be and now I’m more aware of what to potentially expect.
I am really touched by how responsive this forum as been...so thank you! All of your collective knowledge has given me more insight into a decision that is just on the horizon.
My 14 yo daughter competed Xcel Platinum last year, was training 5 days a week. She was invited to try out for JO and did well. She did have to compete one meet as Level 4 and then 1 meet as level 5, and achieved good scores, and is now training Level 6/7. I noticed that the Optionals (level 6 and up) is on the same competition schedule as Xcel, but the compulsories are already competing. Good luck to your daughter. We are kinda clueless parents too about how to navigate this “world”. We may be looking for a gym change, but don’t really know what to ask/look for.
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