How many moves are named after Simone Biles
The short answer is that four elements are officially named after Simone Biles in the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Code of Points, with a fifth listed as a rarely performed connection. This evergreen explainer details each skill, the disciplines in which they appear, and how the naming and difficulty recognition process works, based on current FIG records and verified competition results.
The verified Biles skills in women’s gymnastics
What counts as a “Biles move”
In gymnastics, a move is named after an athlete only when the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) formally registers it with a difficulty letter and value in the Code of Points. For a skill to be credited to Simone Biles, judges must document it under her name in recognized competitions. Below is a concise table summarizing the core attributes of each officially recognized Biles element.
| Skill name | Apparatus | Official FIG name | Difficulty (2024–FIG) | Notes / Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biles (Vault) | Vault | Handspring half-on to layout salto backwards with two twists | H | Yurchenko entry; one of the most valuable vaults in women’s gymnastics |
| Biles (Floor) | Floor exercise | Double-twisting double back salto | H | Extremely high difficulty; requires exceptional power and spatial awareness |
| Biles (Balance beam) | Balance beam | Double-twisting double back salto | H | Dramatic and rare; balance and landing stability are heavily penalized if compromised |
| Biles (Uneven bars) | Uneven bars | Stalder shoot-up to handstand with 1/2 turn to blind giant | J | A high-end D or low-H release move; showcases transition mastery |
| Biles II (Floor) | Floor exercise (connection) | Double layout to double pike | – | Included in the queue but not awarded as a standalone named element in women’s routine composition rules |
Details by apparatus
Vault: the original Biles
The Biles vault on vault involves a round-off onto the springboard, a half-on to a handstand position on the table, then a backwards salto with layout position and two full twists before landing. It is classified as a H difficulty, which is among the highest values for women’s vault. It became associated with Simone Biles after she debuted it at a major senior international competition and consistently landed it under pressure.
Floor exercise: double-twisting double back
On floor, the Biles is a pass starting with a round-off or sprint entry into a double back salto while twisting twice in the air. It is also rated H difficulty and is one of the most acrobatic combinations allowed under the women’s code. Because of the twist and flight time required, it is rarely attempted outside of elite training environments.
Balance beam: double-twisting double back
The beam version mirrors the floor skill in direction and twist count but adds the challenge of a narrow 10-centimetre surface. Deductions for wobbles, steps, or loss of amplitude are severe, which makes this a high-risk, high-reward element and a signature move in Biles’s beam lineups during peak years.
Uneven bars: stalder shoot-up to blind giant
On bars, the named Biles move is a release skill beginning with a stalder press to handstand, followed by a shoot-up into a handstand and a half turn in a blind giant swing. It is classified as a J difficulty and is recognized as a high-end transition rather than a flight element, highlighting Biles’s control and swing mastery.
Common misunderstandings and clarification
Not every difficult skill Simone Biles performs automatically becomes a namesake element. Only moves that meet FIG criteria for uniqueness, recognizable traceability, and consistent scoring across competitions are officially registered. In addition, some connections or combinations listed under her name in earlier seasons may be adjusted or removed in later Code of Points editions, which is why current records should always be checked against the latest FIG tables.
Skill registry at a glance
Below is a quick-reference summary that aligns the common name, official FIG traces, and typical competition contexts in which each Biles move appears.
| Common name | FIG registry note | Typical use case |
|---|---|---|
| Biles (vault) | Registered as H difficulty with specific entry and flight description | Elite and senior international meets |
| Biles (floor) | Registered as H difficulty; listed in women’s optional repertoire | Championship and qualifier routines |
| Biles (beam) | Registered as H difficulty; included in difficulty calculations for beam balances and saltos | High-level beam routines when risk is justified |
| Biles (bars) | Registered as J difficulty release move in the giant series family | Uneven bars routines focusing on transition value |
How the naming process works
When a gymnast introduces a new element or a distinct variation at a recognized competition, the technical committee reviews video, scoring sheets, and audience usage. If the move is deemed original and reproducible, it is added to the Code of Points under the athlete’s name with a letter indicating its difficulty. This process can take several competition cycles to finalize, and not all submitted elements receive official recognition. As a result, the count of “named moves” reflects only those formally ratified by the governing body at a given time.
Why the number can change over time
Gymnastics scoring rules evolve, and the Code of Points is updated regularly. Elements may be added, removed, or reclassified as difficulty values are reassessed. A skill once credited to an athlete might later be adjusted or merged into a broader category. For this reason, articles discussing named moves should reference the most recent FIG documentation rather than fixed historical counts.
Key takeaways
- Four elements are officially named after Simone Biles in women’s artistic gymnastics as of the current FIG code.
- They appear on vault, floor exercise, balance beam, and uneven bars, with difficulty ratings of H or J.
- Only skills ratified by the FIG technical committee receive official names in the Code of Points.
- The total count is not static and can change with updates to the Code of Points and verification of documented usage.
Bottom line
As things stand in the latest verified Code of Points, four moves bear Simone Biles’s name across the four apparatuses of Women’s Artistic Gymnastics. This reflects a combination of original innovation and formal recognition by the sport’s governing body. Because rules and registries are periodically updated, treat this number as current as of the most recent FIG publications and always cross-check with the official code when precision is required.