It is extremely important to ensure that every cheer stunt is performed properly to avoid the risk of injury. Cheerleaders should feel comfortable, confident, and capable before attempting any kind of stunt. Avoid performing any stunts that are too advanced without the proper knowledge, preparation, and supervision. It is important to have spotters surrounding the group when attempting new stunts in case of an error. Each person in the stunt group is responsible for understanding their role to ensure the stunt is performed successfully and safely.
There are four basic positions in every stunt group, with an optional fifth position. Exercises and drills that focus on the legs, hips and core for stunting will be challenged to a greater degree if performed while wearing the Myosource Kinetic Bands. The targeted muscles required for advanced cheer stunts will be engaged with the bands worn properly, making it possible for all positions in a stunt to seek and experience improvement.
A flyer is the person on top of the stunt. This person must be able to keep a tight body in order to feel lighter while in the air. Therefore, a strong core is critical for a flyer to defy gravity and lessen the strain being put on the bases. Prior to even going into the air, flyers must learn how to hold their own weight and keep their chest up. As the core becomes stronger, correct posture and control of the body will follow, giving the flyer more confidence to focus attention on selling the stunt with facial expressions and sharp motions. Confidence in the air shows and lack of it can result in injury.
A tight body to fly light as a feather is not the only attribute flyers must possess. The ability to perform a variety of additional tricks once in the air is also desired to master advanced stunts, such as an Arabesque, a Scorpion, a Heal Stretch, a Bow-N-Arrow, and a Scale. All of which require a great deal of flexibility, range of motion and balance. Flyers can tremendously improve each of these areas by activate, challenge and elongate more muscle fibers with the help of resistance. The Myosource Kinetic Bands can be utilized while flyers perform specific stretches for each stunt, enhancing flexibility in a way that would otherwise be impossible. Flyers will notice visible, immediate and positive improvements in flexibility given stretching with resistance becomes a routine. Flyers will experience more fluidity in movements as they are able to go above and beyond certain limits and boundaries, surpass the competition and reach their greatest potential both on the ground and in the air.
The bases share the responsibility of propelling, sustaining and safely dismantling the flyer in the air during a stunt. Always remember, from the moment the flyers feet leave the ground, the bases are fully responsible for the safety of the top person. Whether the stunt is one-legged or two-legged, the bases may have different tasks but will still require strength, power, endurance and stability. When stunting, each base must remember to use their legs and not their back when lifting a flyer into the air. In order to maintain the proper form to prevent injuries, core and leg strength is crucial for bases and can be achieved by utilizing the Myosource Kinetic Bands while training. A tight core will create the strong foundation needed for bases to keep the stunt stable for an extended period of time.
In a stunt, the role of the back spot is to keep the flyer safely in the air by stabilizing the ankles and pulling up as much weight as possible. This requires back spots to stay tuned in on the top girl at all times, staying attentive and ready to act on any clues that the flyer may be leaning in any direction. The back spot can either aid to correct the stability of the stunt or be ready to do whatever it takes to stay between the flyer and the ground in the event of a fall. It is critical for the safety of every position in the stunt to be able read and recognize when it is time to “save the stunt” and when it is time to “save the Flyer.” Therefore, the back spot has to be able to drive the stunt, be quick on their feet, understand the importance of safety, and have the courage and conviction to keep every member of their stunt group safe. Back spots can use the Myosource Kinetic Bands to gain the leg strength required for a stable base to support the weight of flyers during pyramids and stunts. The lower body strength and endurance gained through resistance training will enable the back spot to better hold static positions, such as holding flyers up in the air during stunts for an extended length of time.
In addition to the benefits each position will gain to keep a stunt in the air more safely and effectively, the Myosource Kinetic Bands will also greatly advance the skills required for each position when dismounting a stunt.
During the entire dismount, the flyer needs to stay tight by keeping all muscles squeezed. Training with the Myosource Kinetic Bands will develop a core of steel, making dismount easier and safer for all of those involved in the stunt. The bases will begin the dismount by performing the dip and pop. The flyer will need to focus on staying firm as the bases dip. On the pop, the flyer should pull herself upwards as she is being released from the bases' arms, using the abdominals to lean backwards with an arched back and belly facing the ceiling. Arm positioning must always remain tight and locked for a smooth and graceful dismount, also aiding to prevent injuries. At the top of the toss, as soon as she begins to descend, the flyer should shift into a V position, bending at the hips with her legs straight out and toes pointed. The flyer must always keep her abdominals engaged to support her back. The flyer will land in the arm bridge of the bases, then allow them to pop her off into a sharp, finished and upright position. Again, challenged and targeted with resistance, the core and hips will be strengthened to make these transitions during dismount more controlled.
The bases must keep their eyes up, on the flyer, at all times during any stunt or dismount. The bases will perform the dip and pop by using the muscles of the legs. Again, not the arms or back. To dip, the bases will bend the knees with a straight back to help them gain momentum for the pop. As they are returning to the standing position, they should pop up by powerfully exploding in an upward motion, which can be gained through resistance training. Simultaneously to the dip and pop, the bases' arms should extend straight upward in a locked position to propel the flyer into the air. As the base's arms go up, they should naturally go into creating the bridge the flyer will land in. As the flyer descends, the bases will catch her at the highest point possible to decelerate the flyer by powerfully absorbing the shock of the landing with bent knees during the catch. The bases' back arms will catch the flyer on her upper to middle back, while their front arms will catch just below and above the knees. After the catch and a brief pause, the bases will gently pop the flyer back into a standing position so that she lands in front of them. Once the flyer has landed and is stable the bases should release their inside arm, which should be gripping the flyer's waist.
The back spot’s main and crucial responsibility during the cradle dismount is to support the flyer's head and neck, and of course be there to keep her from hitting the floor if anything goes wrong. The back spot will perform the dip and pop with the bases, using the muscles of the legs, not the arms or back. As the group is returning to the standing position from the dip, the spotter will help the bases propel the flyer into the air by pushing her ankles up. The spotter's arms will go straight up and prepare to catch the flyer on the highest point of her descent. The spotter's arms will go underneath and push through the flyer's arms, so it is important for the spotter to keep their hands in fists so they don't scratch the flyer. The spotter's knees should bend with the catch. After the catch and a brief pause, the bases and the spotter will gently pop the flyer back into a standing position so that she lands in front of them. Once the flyer has landed and is stable the spotter should release the flyer and the entire group faces forward with the feet together and their arms at their side.
