In this video lesson, Cheerleading Instructor Lucy Spain teaches that when practicing cheerleading stunts, it is important to have an experienced coach and several spotters.



Video Transcript: LUCY SPAIN: "Hi, I'm Lucy Spain here to tell you how to practice your cheerleading stunts. It's very important when you're practicing any kind of cheerleading stunts that you have an experienced coach around, mats set on the ground, and you also need to make sure you have some people on the squad that are acting as spotters, which is very important. You're going to decide who is going to play which role in the stunt. You're going to need at least two bases, a back spot and a flier. Now the bases are probably going to be the strongest people on your squad, as they are going to be lifting the fliers up into different positions. You're going to want to make sure that they have strong leg muscles, strong arm muscles. Now bases, your most important exercises to worry about are going to be weight lifting and toning with your legs and arms. Next you have the flier. The flier is going to be some of the smaller members of the squad. It doesn't always make the most sense to pick the smallest girl. You're going to want someone who's muscular and who can keep really tight while they're up in the air being thrown around. The back spot is going to always be one of the most tall people on the squad so they can reach up and catch the flier before they come down to the base's level. Some good stunts to practice are a half, where the flier will hit this position and be chest level on the bases. Next the bases can pull the flier in her same position up to a full. We can also work on one legged stunts where the bases will hold, one will hold the front and back of the shoe, the other base will hold the top and bottom of the shoe. The flier can hit many positions, the liberty, the heel stretch, and the scorpion. Some good drills for fliers to practice are obviously going to be your flexibility. It's also great if you can find an uneven ledge such as a staircase, and step up on that ledge. Practice pulling yourself up tight and practice holding your balance. Those are going to be crucial to practicing your stunts."

1. How to Do a Cheerleading Toe Touch
2. How to Do a Cheerleading Herkie
3. How to Do Splits for Cheerleading
4. How to Make Cheerleading Hair Bows
5. How to Make Cheerleading Pom Poms
6. How to Make Cheerleading Tryouts
7. How to Perform a Cheerleading Pyramid
8. How to Perform Popular Cheerleading Chants
9. How to Practice Cheerleading Jumps
10. How to Practice Cheerleading Stunts
11. How to Choreograph a Cheerleading Routine

In this course, Cheerleading Instrucutor Lucy Spain gives 11 video lessons on Cheerleading Stunts and Accessories.



Cheerleading was invented by a man in 1898, who first directed a crowd in cheering on the University of Minnesota. Since then, cheerleading has become a popular culture phenomenon and a sport. Cheerleaders began as male; but slowly females, who had few offerings for collegiate-level athletics, dominated the hobby. In the early 1970s, the Dallas Cowgirls changed professional cheerleading into simply dance, removing most of the stunts and tumbling in favor of revealing outfits and choreography. In the early 1980s, cheerleading as a competitive sport became popular, and stunts and gymnastics gained in popularity for high school teams. Now there are both amateur and pro official styles of cheering. In this free video series on cheerleading, an experienced cheerleader demonstrates a variety of cheerleading stunts and explains cheerleading accessories like hair bows and pom poms. Learn to do cheerleading toe touches and cheerleading jumps. Perform the splits and a cheerleading pyramid with the help of an expert, all in this free video series on cheerleading.