Cheer Skill Review: How To Perform A Tuck Jump (Visual Guide)

Cheerleading jumps are a basic, but mandatory skill for all levels of cheerleading – from pee wee to All Star. Sideline and elite choreography feature jumps, and forget about trying out for a cheer squad if you can’t do jumps! Jumps are not only a great basic skill that will help you master advanced cheer choreography and moves, they are also a wonderful, crowd-pleasing celebration move at games! Learning how to properly enter a jump is vital to a cheerleader’s training and development. A good method for conditioning is to perform entry steps and basic jumps in repetition. This exercise will help your body build muscle memory so that the movements needed for jumps become like second nature. As always, never perform physical activity without stretching and warming up! The Tuck Jump is a basic jump, but requires a lot of power and technique. For cheerleaders that hope to move on to advanced tumbling moves, like a front or back tuck, learning the proper way to perform a tuck jump will be invaluable to them in the future! How To Perform A Tuck Jump for Cheerleading Click above to view large image Start your jump entry with your feet together, your arms straight down on your side and your hands in fists. Clap your hands and then put your arms into a High V position, and slightly bend your knees. The Tuck requires a powerful launch, so you’ll need some leverage to help you push off the ground. Cross your arms into an X and swing them down. Don’t just pull your arms down – swing them to help you build momentum for your jump. Your arms will uncross after lining up with your knees. As you continue to swing your arm motion back out and up, use your bent knees to spring up and launch yourself into the air. Continue pulling your arms back up into a High V motion. Jump straight up, keeping your legs together, your head and chest up, and your back straight. Once you are off the ground, pull your knees up to your chest. Be sure that you use your ab muscles to pull your knees in – do not bring your head or chest down! Begin to straighten your legs as you are coming back down. When you land, bend your knees to absorb the shock, and bring your arms straight down by your side, keeping your hands in fists. Straighten your knees once you are steady, and finish the jump with a basic cheer clap. *While executing these each of these steps, make sure they are down quickly and consecutively of each other, so your jump will be one continual, smooth and powerful motion.