ONE SKILL, ONE POINT: The Top Elements in Artistic Gymnastics

In 2006, the Gymnastics Federation introduced an open-ended scoring format, and despite some caps on specific groups of skills, the level of difficulty of the sport has increased massively since. In this video, we'll take a closer look at the incredible but few J-rated skills in the 2025 Code of Points, which means these elements alone are worth a full point. The first J-rated skill in artistic gymnastics was born in 2019, after none other than the incredible Simone Biles successfully landed a triple-double tuck at the World Championships. This was the second eponymous floor skill submitted by the American gymnast, and rightfully became the highest-rated skill in the entire Women's Code of Points. It consists of a double salto backward tuck with three twists, and as of 2025, she's been the only gymnast to attempt it. The Biles, too, takes a tremendous amount of height, a precise tuck shape, and a refined twisting technique to land, and these are attributes no other female athlete has shown in competition so far, at least not at the same level as the Olympic champion. Simone's ability to push the limits of the sport and challenge the laws of physics are nothing short of remarkable. In 2021, it was time for Russia's Nikita Nagorny to make history at the European Championships by becoming the first male gymnast to land a triple pike on floor, stamping his name in the rulebook of the discipline in the process. This outstanding tumbling pass was initially given an I rating, but in the most recent version of the Code of Points, it was upgraded to J. The Nagorny is described as a triple salto backward in a piked position and requires a huge amount of power to generate the proper height to complete the three rotations, not to mention the air awareness it takes to find the ground, as the under-rotation or over-rotation of the landing can lead to costly deductions. The upgrade from I to J has encouraged multiple gymnasts to start training this skill and possibly incorporate it into their routines, so expect some of them to debut this jaw-dropping move in competition in the upcoming years. In 2023, Great Britain's Jake Jarman showcased his twisting prowess by debuting a double salto backward laid out with a whopping three and a half twists on floor at the Paris World Challenge Cup. At the time, the technical committee awarded the Jarman an I rating, tying the Nagorny as the two highest-rated floor elements in men's gymnastics. In the 2025 Code of Points, however, the Jarman has also been upgraded to J. This is Jake's first eponymous skill, and he's been the only gymnast to attempt it in competition so far. Factors such as landing and twisting deductions, the risk of injury, and the blind landing have to be taken into consideration when implementing such a difficult move, so it will be interesting to see if other athletes will gravitate toward this challenging skill, now worth a full point. What's your favorite J-rated skill in artistic gymnastics?