MAG Rules

What are these new levels and why the new names?

TLDR: The rules are pretty similar to last year but were updated and simplified to fit the new FIG quad. The Developmental and Intermediate levels have minimal changes from last year. The Advanced level has several updates per the new quad and GymACT rules. Please see the MAG Rules Breakdown for the full rules (link at the top of this page).

NAIGC Level 7 -> NAGIC Developmental

NAIGC Level 9 -> NAIGC Intermediate

NAIGC Mod-NCAA -> NAIGC Advanced (GymACT)

The MAG levels were renamed because the new USAG rules are notably harder than in the past quad, and no longer fit what has historically worked for our membership. To make the USAG rules work, we would have had to make so many adjustments that they could hardly be called 'USAG' anymore. As such, we simplified the rules by only using FIG as a basis, and then provided NAIGC modifications and NAIGC level names.

Key Changes:

MAG level changes are based off of the new FIG quad rules and are similar to the old NAIGC levels but with key updates. The Advanced rules match the latest GymACT rules exactly (with the exception of allowing the NAIGC CoP). 

• All Levels
  • Floor removed the Dismount EG (element group) and added a Twisting EG
  • EG credit varies based on level and skill difficulty (see rules breakdown)
  • All NAIGC CoP skills allowed at all levels
  • Rings strength bonus added
• Intermediate and Advanced Only
  • Max counting skills changed from 10 to 8 
• Developmental Only
  • Unlimited empty swings allowed 
  • Reduced short routine deduction from -1.0 to -0.5 (per short skill)
• Intermediate Only
  • Swing-to-handstand is no longer required on rings

Why is the Advanced level using the GymACT rules?

We choose to have our highest MAG level match the GymACT rules because their rule difficulty more closely aligns with what has historically worked for our membership, and it will allow easier crossover with GymACT, which in turn provides more competitive MAG opportunities. 

If you don’t know which level to choose, we recommend the following:

• Developmental: Tailored to new gymnasts to showcase their abilities while giving structure and guidance to their training with a focus on safety and basic skill development.
  • When to Move to Intermediate: If you can do a 6 skill routine with no extra swings on several of your events, or you are near the start value cap, you should strongly consider moving up to Intermediate.
• Intermediate: Tailored to gymnasts with some experience. This level is also recommended for WAG gymnasts who are competing MAG.
  • When to Move to Advanced: If you can do a 6 skill routine, have a few B value skills or higher, are doing mostly FIG skills, or are near the start value cap.
• Advanced: Tailored to gymnasts with prior competitive experience. 

Note: If you placed in the top 3 on any event at Nationals last year, you should strongly consider moving up a level. If you can meet all of the requirements in a level, you should strongly consider moving up a level.

• NAIGC MAG Rules Policy - Auxiliary details, clarification, and general policy.
• NAIGC MAG National Championship Format - Explains structure of Nationals and finals qualification numbers
• NAIGC Competition and Eligibility Policy - Outlines awards categories and finals qualification eligibility
• MAG Rules Response to 2023 Feedback - In response to feedback from 2023 Nationals survey and 2023 Nationals interviews, we have provided written explanations to common feedback we received.
• MAG Rules Response to 2022 Feedback - In response to feedback from 2022 Nationals survey and 2022 Nationals interviews, we have provided written explanations to common feedback we received.

Rule Guides (UPDATES IN PROGRESS to accommodate the new 2024-26 Rules)

• MAG Routine Composition Planner - This spreadsheet will help you plan routines for your level and events, hitting key requirements and helping you maximizing your start value.
• Introduction to MAG Rules - Totally new to the sport? This document should help you understand the MAG Rules.
• NAIGC MAG Code of Points - This document details skills that are not found in the FIG Code of Points but are allowed for credit in some or all of the NAIGC levels. To submit a skill for consideration, please email a video and explanation to rules@naigc.org. If it’s accepted, you may submit a video of yourself competing it with no major deductions, and we’ll name it after you if it's a B or higher! Videos of all skills are on our Youtube Channel and are linked directly from each illustration in the NAIGC Code.
• NAIGC MAG Judges Cheat Sheets - Helpful for gymnasts, not just Judges! These have a quick review of the overall rules and the event specific rules, plus the page from our Code of Points, for each apparatus.
• WAG to MAG Transition Tips - If you're a gymnast with WAG experience looking to learn some MAG events, check out this page for some quick tips!

Skills and Routines

• Example Routines (spreadsheet, Youtube Playlist of Routine Videos) - Example routines at the Developmental and Intermediate Levels to use as inspiration or a starting point.
• MAG Beginner Progressions and Routines (PDF Guide, Videos) - Guide for each event on strength and flexibility training, beginner through intermediate routines, and skill progressions.
• Start Value Sheets (Developmental | Intermediate | Advanced) - Useful to help calculate your start value and to hand to judges in meets to help ensure you get the right start value!
• MAG Routine Construction Guide - Want to put together your own routine (rather than the suggestions in the Progressions Guide)? This document will help guide your skill choice.
• Judged Routines - A judged routine on every event for every level, with detailed deduction explanations.
• MAG Rules Tips Videos - A variety of different quick videos with rules tips for MAG gymnasts.
• MAG Skill Tips and Drills Videos - A variety of different quick videos with specific skill tips and drills for MAG gymnasts.
• Coaching Guide for WAG Athletes/Coaches Teaching MAG - A guide for programs that have experienced WAG athletes and coaches to help them coach MAG athletes and grow their MAG programs.
• Twisting Technical Literature - If you have trouble twisting while flipping, perhaps a deep dive into how the physics of twisting works could help! Check out these two excellent papers: Learning How to Twist Fast, by Fred Yeadon and The Physics of Somersaulting and Twisting by Cliff Frohlich

(UPDATES IN PROGRESS to accommodate the new 2024-26 Rules)

• NAIGC MAG Judges Cheat Sheets - To help judges know our rules better!
• NAIGC MAG Start Value Calculator - A webpage-based calculator to determine the SV for an NAIGC routine, for all levels, and all events.
• Calibration Routines (videos | PDF)- A judged routine on every event for every level, with detailed deductions (in both the videos and the PDF), to use as a training and educational tool. Also good for gymnasts wanting to know where deductions can be taken!

Training Advice and Rules Questions

If you’re looking for more training advice or rules explanations, check out the NAIGC Skills and Drills Facebook group to get gymnastics tips from your fellow NAIGC gymnasts and certified judges. You can also find lots of helpful tips and tricks on the @NAIGC_RulesInfo Instagram Page. New MAG posts are uploaded every Monday!

Other Disciplines

For those gymnasts interested in competing WAG, T&T, or all fourteen events, see our Unified division! Email rules@naigc.org directly if you have any questions regarding Decathlon, Omnithon, or Unified Artistic Gymnastics. Also make sure to check out our Trampoline and Tumbling division.

Social Media and Contact Information

For more information from the NAIGC Rules teams, make sure to check out our Instagram page and YouTube channel. If you have any specific questions, feel free to email rules@naigc.org.

The community division originated because there are some clubs whose schools will only provide funding for nationals if it is a collegiate-only competition. Each division has unique training and life circumstances and dividing the competition also allows for recognizing the unique achievements within each group.

When the NAIGC was created, it only catered to collegiate clubs. As athletes graduated, they couldn’t find a venue for continuing the sport of gymnastics, so the NAIGC stepped up to fill that need. This is aligned with our core value of providing radical opportunity.

Allowing cross gender competition aligns with the NAIGC’s core value of providing radical opportunity. Gymnastics is one of the few sports that offers different opportunities based on gender, and the NAIGC is working to provide equal opportunity for all participants.

The NAIGC prides itself on adopting innovative and inclusive policies to encourage gymnastics at all levels and with any background. As such, our technical systems require significant adjustments to typical gymnastics scoring. These adjustments sometimes require manual verification of scores, which can take quite a while for thousands and thousands of scores. The NAIGC volunteers have been working hard to improve this system and the use of ScoreFlippers should reduce the time it takes to announce qualifications, and should improve as each year goes by. 

The level of competition can vary between sessions, so not all sessions have the same opportunity to get the top spot. Aka, some sessions might be easier or harder than others, so it wasn't fair for an 'easy' session to steal a spot from a 'harder' session. Its also important to note that Nationals judges stay at the same apparatus throughout the entire competition (every session and finals) and as such, judging across each session should be consistent.

We don’t currently have capacity on our MAG equipment to offer finals for all three levels. As such we have prioritized finals for Intermediate and Advanced for both the added difficulty of two days of competition and to showcase the highest level of MAG offered. 

MAG has no uniform deductions, so wear proper attire for doing gymnastics. Typical attire is often a singlet or leotard combined with with shorts on floor and vault, and pants and socks on the other four apparatus. The only attire that isn't allowed is clothing that would be dangerous to the gymnast or equipment, or attire that would be considered inappropriate. Dangerous clothing could include baggy clothing or rings and jewelry.