The number of elements included in the Short Programs, Original Dance and the Compulsory Dances is fixed by the rules. Some latitude, however, is permitted for the number of elements of each type in free skating and free dance. One goal of a revised 6.0 system is to score performances on an absolute scale. To accomplish that, and to allow competition on a level playing field it is necessary to specify the number of elements of each type that can be attempted in free skating and free dance programs.
Compared to the content skaters typically include in their programs this would primarily consist of limiting the number of jump elements in singles free skating programs. The program requirements specified by CoP are not particularly offensive, and are as good a starting point as any for program requirements at the Senior and Junior Levels. Since another goal of the revised 6.0 system is to be applicable at all levels, these program requirements would have to be extended to all other levels.
The following program requirements are suggested. Senior and Junior program requirements are taken from the ISU. For Novice and below these requirements are drawn primarily from the USFSA well balanced program requirements, with the addition of restrictions on the total number of jump elements in singles events at all levels.
| Suggested Well Balanced Program Requirements | ||||
| Jump Elements | Spins | Footwork | Total Elements | |
| Senior | 8 (2 of which may be jump combinations or sequences) | 4 | 2 | 14 |
| Junior | 8 (2 of which may be jump combinations or sequences) | 4 | 2 | 14 |
| Novice | 8 (2 of which may be jump combinations or sequences) | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| Intermediate | 8 (2 of which may be jump combinations or sequences) | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| Juvenile | 6 (2 of which may be jump combinations or sequences) | 3 | 1 | 10 |
| Pre- Juvenile | 6 (2 of which may be jump combinations or sequences) | 3 | 1/2 | 10 |
| Preliminary | 5 (2 of which may be jump combinations or sequences) | 2 | 1/2 | 8 |
| Pre-Pre | 5 (2 of which may be jump combinations or sequences) | 2 | 1/2 | 8 |
| No-Test | 5 (2 of which may be jump combinations or sequences) | 2 | 1/2 | 8 |
(As in CoP, one of the combinations/sequences could consist of two jumps of one rotations or greater, and the other could consist of up to three jumps of one rotation or greater.)
| Suggested Well Balanced Program Requirements | |||||||||
| Lifts | Throws | Solo Jump | Jump Combination | SbS Spin |
Pair Spin | Death Spiral | Footwork | Total Elements | |
| Senior | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| Junior | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| Novice | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| Intermediate | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| Juvenile | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| Pre-Juvenile | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1/2 | 8 |
| Preliminary | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1/2 | 8 |
(In principle, the number of elements for the Senior and Junior levels could be increased to 16 to be more consistent with the content top couples attempted prior to this season; e.g., one additional lift and one additional pair spin.)
| Suggested Well Balanced Program Requirements | |||||
| Lifts | Spins | Twizzles | Footwork | Total Elements | |
| Senior | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| Junior | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| Novice | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Intermediate | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Juvenile | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
(In principle, the number of elements for the Senior and Junior levels could be increased to 14 to be more consistent with the content top couples attempted prior to this season; e.g., one additional lift and one additional spin.)
It is recognized that some might object to the loss of freedom/variety resulting from specifying program content at the lower levels in detail. However, one of the reasons the lower level events are difficult to judge fairly is the "apples and oranges" nature of the programs in these events. By standardizing program content more than is currently the case, these events will become much more "judgeable," resulting in fairer competitions for all skaters at the lower levels. These restrictions would also serve to reinforce that skills in all aspects of skating should be developed at the lower levels, with the focus not on jumps alone.