All-girl and coed cheer teams do the same job: lead the crowd, perform at games and, for many teams, compete. The big difference is how they stunt. All-girl teams build stunts with groups of bases, while coed teams add partner stunts where one base, usually a man, lifts a flyer on his own. This guide […]
How to Base in Cheerleading: Technique, Timing and Safety for Bases
Bases do the lifting, holding and catching in every stunt. A good base makes a stunt look easy and makes the flyer feel safe. This guide covers what a base does in the gym: stance, where the power comes from, timing, holding the stunt, catching, and the safety rules that apply to you. For strength […]
How to Be a Better Flyer in Cheerleading: Technique, Body Positions and Safety
Flyers get the spotlight, but good flying is mostly about helping your bases. A flyer who holds their own weight, stays tight and stands in the right place is easier to lift and hold, no matter their size. This guide is for flyers who want to improve their own technique. If you’re a coach building […]
How to Improve Cheerleading Jump Height: Technique and Drills
Jumps are scored in competition and watched closely at tryouts. Height matters, but so do flexibility, technique, landings and timing with your team. This guide covers what judges look at, how to build jump power safely, technique for the main cheer jumps, and a conditioning drill published by Varsity that you can use with your […]
Scorpion Stretches for Cheerleaders: Flexibility and Safe Progressions
The scorpion is one of the best-known flyer body positions. The flyer stands on one leg and pulls the other foot up behind them, toward or above the head, with the back arched. It looks like pure flexibility, but a good scorpion also takes shoulder mobility, hip flexor length, upper-back extension and balance. This guide […]
How to Train Cheer Flyers: A Coach’s Guide to Progressions, Drills and Safety
Good flyers aren’t born at the top of a stunt. They’re built through progressions, strength work and a team culture where they feel safe to speak up. This guide is for coaches (and captains helping them) who want to develop flyers across a squad. If you’re a flyer working on your own technique, start with […]
How to Hit Your Stunt Every Time: Fixing Inconsistent Cheer Stunts
Hitting a stunt once is exciting. Hitting it every time, at practice, at games and at competition, takes a stunt group that knows why its stunts fall and how to fix them. This guide is a troubleshooting plan for the whole group: bases, backspot and flyer together. For position-by-position technique, see our guides on basing […]
Base Training at Home: Strength and Conditioning for Cheer Bases
You can’t practice stunts at home, but you can build the strength that makes basing easier. This guide covers what bases need, which exercises match the job, and how to train safely on your own. For stunt technique itself (stance, grips, timing and cradles), see our main guide on how to base in cheerleading. What […]