SAFETY & STUNTS

The first and most important thing you need to know about stunting is Safety. Let me say this again, The most important thing you need to know about stunting is SAFETY. This is why you should not attempt any stunt until you know all the safety guidelines and a knowledgeable adult is present. Also, do not use our web site as your main source of information. Try to learn everything you can. You can start by going to http//cheerleading.net or http.//cheerleadingabout.com. These two sites have links to hundreds of other cheerleading sites as well as books and tapes you can purchase. Your squad should also look for stunt clinics in your area and attend one of those. If you can't find a professional clinic you could ask a local college squad to come to your school and put one on. Whatever you do, try to do it as a squad, so you will learn to work as a team.

 

LEARN THE S.M.A.R.T RULES

To be successful at stunting then every person involved must follow these "SMART" rules. If your coach does not understand the importance of these principles then your squad should not attempt any stunts.

SMART stands for Spotting & Safety, Motivation, Athleticism, Responsibility & Respect, and Technique.

  1. Spotting & Safety-This should be the number 1 priority of you squad. Always have extra spots around when you are trying a stunt for the first time. Making sure everybody knows what is going to happen with a stunt is executed.
  2. Motivation-You should all want to do the best possible job you can. If you aren't giving 100% when attempting a stunt, it's not going to go up. You have to want to stick it before it sticks.
  3. Athleticism- Cheerleading is a very tough sport. You must be in top physical shape. You should be working out 3-4 times a week in the off season and once or twice the rest of the time. Weight training, aerobics, tumbling, dance, all of these will help you improve. The better shape you are in the better your stunts will look. As your squad progresses in their stunting ability, more and more strength will be required. You should always be working on improving you athletic abilities.
  4. Responsibility & Respect -You have to be responsible, because stunting needs to be taken seriously. You also have to respect everybody involved in the stunt, every role is important. If the bases do not lift the flyer or catch her correctly, she could get hurt. To the audience it looks like the flyer has an easy job, but she has a lot to do. She has to stay tight and stay calm even if she's falling. The back spot is important too, because they can see the whole stunt. They have to make sure everything runs smoothly, and the flyer is safe.
  5. Technique- Learn the proper way to execute all parts of a stunt and then perform it exactly the way you were trained to. If you don't perform a stunt the right way, there can be too much strain on the bases, possibly hurting them, or the flyer could be dropped. Always follow the "Perfection before Progression" rule.

 

TERMS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Aerial- This is a stunt performed in the air without contact with floor or bases.

Base Person-The base person has contact with the floor and supports another person.

Basket Toss-This is a 3 or 4 person stunt where 2 people's hands are interlocked and they toss the flyer up into the air.

Bow & Arrow-As the flyer is lifted into a full extension, her outside leg is lifted into a heel stretch position. The opposite hand will grab the bottom of the heel stretch foot and the other arm sticks out to the side like the right side of a T. It looks like a bow & arrow.

Bracer-The bracer has direct contact with the flyer, but is not a base. Their job is to stabilize the stunt.

Counts-The method your squad uses in order to perfect their timing, usually in counts of 8. One person is responsible for the counting.

Cradle catch-This is a way to catch the flyer as she is dismounting. The catchers each have one arm under the back and the other arm under the thighs of the flyer being caught.

Dead man Lift-A stunt extended above the head of the base that does not require a spotter.

Diamond Spotting-The spotters are arranged in a diamond around the stunt group. Each spotter is responsible for a certain area. The areas then overlap creating an even safer environment. This is a great technique to use when your squad is learning a new stunt.

Dismount-This is any method that a flyer uses to return to the floor.

Dip-The moment before a pop, when you bend at the knees, lowering one's self closer to the ground, in order to gather strength/momentum for the pop.

Drop-The flyer is in an airborne position before landing in a knee-drop, seat drop, split drop, or front drop. Do not allow your flyer to do these stunts. They are very dangerous and can cause serious injury to your flyer.

Extended stunt-The base person's arms are extended above the head, holding the weight of the flyer in her hands.

Extension-This is a stunt where the flyer is standing in the fully extended hands of the base. You must always have a spotter for this.

Extension Prep-The base or bases hold the feet of the flyer at shoulder level. This stunt precedes the extension and must be mastered before you can proceed to more difficult stunts.

Flick- A back handspring.

Flip- An aerial stunt where the head rotates over the heels.

Free Falling Flip-This is an unassisted flip where the flyer is not in constant contact with her bases.

Flyer- The person in the mount or pyramid who is being supported by the base or bases.

Full Extension- The base person's arms are extended above the head, holding weight of the flyer.

Ground-up Lift. The bases start at ground level. The flyer usually steps into their hands and they lift her straight up into the stunt. The crowds always love this because the flyer pops up unexpectedly.

Hands-on Spotting- The spotter provides continuous contact with the flyer.

Heel Stretch-Flyer has all of her weight balanced on one leg and at the same time she grabs the heel of the other leg, stretching it upwards.

Helicopter-The flyer is in a horizontal position and is tossed by her bases. She is then rotated around horizontally before the bases catch her.

Hitched- The bent position of the flyer's leg. This is the leg that is not holding up the flyers weight.

Hop-in -This is the motion the flyer makes when she jumps into the base's hands.

Kickstand- Similar to the reload, except the flyer actually touches the ground before she goes into another stunt.

Liberty-Flyer is fully extended on one leg, with the other leg pointing forward, knee bent and pulled up in front, foot placed firmly against the supporting leg.

Loaded position- The flyer is in the bases hands and ready to do the stunt.

Log Roll-The flyer is in a horizontal position and is tossed. She then rotates parallel to the floor before she is caught by her original bases.

Mount-This is one or more base people who hold up one or more flyers.

Partner- The flyer on top of a partner stunt or pyramid.

Partner stunt- A stunt that only has two people.

Pendulum-This stunt is performed at shoulder height or below. The flyer falls forward and/or backward and is caught by at least 4 people.

Pitch- The bases increase the height of the flyer with a throwing motion. The flyer actually loses contact with the bases.

Platform-Flat surface which the bases create with their hands, backs, arm, or thighs.

Pop- The pushing motion used by the bases to increase the height of the flyer or to release from a cradle catch.

Posting -This is when a base holds the hands of the flyer and helps push her up into the air.

Primary Base-The main person who holds most of the flyers foot. (Not every stunt has one)

Pyramid- This is made up of more than one stunt.

Reloading-Cradling the flyer or some other method of reducing the height of a stunt without the flyer touching the ground and then propelling her back up into another stunt.

Scorpion Position-The flyer's weight is all on one leg. While keeping her body straight, she lifts the other leg up behind her back and grabs her foot. This arched leg looks like a scorpion's tail.

Scoop-A scoop is a type of catch. It should be made as close to the flyer's body as possible. Hands should be open with palms up. Fingers must be together to reduce the possibility of injuring the flyer.

Secondary base-This person has the dual responsibility of assisting in weight support and controlling/stabilizing movements.

Shoulder Stand Hitch -The flyer is already standing in a shoulder stand. She shifts her weight onto one leg, and then lifts the foot of her non-supporting leg so it may be placed in the hands of a side base, or another flyer.

Side Lunge-The base lunges to one side. The knee of the bent leg should be directly over the foot of that leg. The top of the bent leg should provide a flat surface for the flyer to step on. The back leg is locked out and the back should be straight with the shoulders square to the front.

Sponging- The bending motion bases make in order to gain momentum in lifting the flyer.

Spotter-This person helps control the mount. The spotter is in direct contact with the floor and is not a base.

Step-up Lift-The flyer places one foot into the base's hands and she steps up as they lift her into the stunt.

Stunt-This is a mount, tumbling skill or a pyramid.

Stunt progression- Very important! You always must learn and perfect basic stunts before you go on to more difficult stunts.

Suspended roll-The body rotates head over heels. The flyer and base have continuous contact with hands and/or arms.

Suspended Splits-This is when the flyer does the splits between two bases. The bases hold the flyers hands continuously.

Swan Dive-The flyer is in a stomach-down position as she comes off the base and is cradled in a face down position. It is performed with continuous hand action. Do not allow your flyer to do this. It is very dangerous and can cause serious injury to your flyer.

Sweep-This is when the bases release the flyer into a cradle with a push forward.

Toss-The bases increase the height of the flyer with a throwing motion. The flyer actually loses contact with the bases.

Totem pole-This stunt creates a low to high appearance when several stunts are lined up one behind the other. For example: some one in splits, then a thigh stand, extension prep, and finally a full-extension.

Transition-Moving from one stunt to another.

Twist-The flyer rotates perpendicular to the floor.

Two-high Mount- The flyer is not in contact with the floor and her base is the one in contact with the floor.

Two-High Pyramid- This is when the flyers are not in contact with the floor and the bases are in contact with the floor.

Vault-This is a stunt where the hands of the flyer are used to assist in clearing a base. Vaults which use head over heal rotations are not allowed.

 

NEXT WEEK;

Tips for your coach. Can you give her an "A-Plus" rating when it comes to stunting?

…AND IN THE FUTURE;

Information on basing, spotting, flying and lots more