How does the vault work in gymnastics, and why do some gymnasts do two?
B · Beginner · Vault and the women's apparatus · 6 of 6The gymnast runs up to 25 metres, takes off from a springboard, pushes off the table with both hands and lands on their feet. Each vault has a listed difficulty value. One vault counts in the team and all-around events. In the vault final, two vaults from different groups are performed and averaged.
How it works
- The run: "a maximum of 25 meters", measured from the front edge of the table.
- Take-off: from the springboard with both feet, facing forwards or backwards.
- Both hands: all vaults "must be performed with repulsion from both hands off the vaulting table".
- Four phases judged: first flight, support, second flight and landing.
- The number: the gymnast shows the number of the intended vault before running.
- The D score: the value printed for that vault in the code's table of vaults.
- One vault: in qualification, the team final and the all-around final.
- Two vaults: in the vault final, and in qualification by a gymnast who wants to reach it. They "will be averaged for the Final Score".
- Different groups: the two vaults must come from different vault groups. Each code sorts its vaults into five.
- Landing zone: a corridor is marked on the mat, and landing or stepping outside it is penalised.
- An empty run: a gymnast who runs without touching the board or table may run again, with a deduction. In the men's code it is 1.00.
- The safety collar: a pad around the springboard is compulsory for vaults that begin with a round-off.
The glossary has the vault, the vault groups, the Yurchenko vault, the handspring, the invalid vault and the two-vault bonus.
Tricky cases
A gymnast touches the table with only one hand. Does the vault count?
It depends on the code. In the men's code the vault is invalid and scores zero. In the women's code only a vault where neither hand touches is invalid, and support with one hand brings a deduction.
A gymnast lands on their back and rolls to their feet. What is the score?
Zero. Failing to land feet first makes the vault invalid in both codes.
In the final, a gymnast performs two vaults from the same group. What happens?
In the women's code, 2.00 points are taken from the second vault before the two are averaged. In the men's code, repeating the first vault makes the second one invalid.
A woman performs one vault with a forward salto and one with a backward salto. Is there a reward?
Yes. A bonus of 0.20 is added to her averaged score, provided neither vault has a fall.
Why the rule exists
A vault lasts a few seconds, so the code values the whole thing as one element. Two vaults from different groups in the final show that the champion can do more than one kind of vault. The collar and the both-hands rule are there because the vault is the fastest and highest event.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Women | Bonus of 0.20 for saltos in different directions across two vaults | FIG WAG 10.4 |
| Men | One-hand support makes the vault invalid | FIG MAG 13.2.2 |
| Men | Vaults with a salto before the table are not permitted | FIG MAG 13.2.1 |
| Women's final, one vault scoring zero | The other vault's score is divided by two | FIG WAG 10.4.2 |
From the rule book
Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique, Code of Points 2025-2028, WAG section 10 and MAG article 13. Checked 14 October 2026. Official documents: 2025-2028 Code of Points, Women's Artistic Gymnastics and Men's Artistic Gymnastics (PDF).