Health & Fitness

The Shoulder Stand is the advanced version of the Shoulder Sit, and is performed in a 2-person stunt group (plus spotters). Practicing the
beginner level Shoulder Sit is also a great way for your stunt team to work out any kinks, get familiar with the count series and build trust before attempting the Shoulder Stand.

Before any group attempts a stunt, they should discuss and decide on a standard count series. Each and every move a
stunt group performs should be done on counts, and it is typically the responsibility of the spotter to keep the beat and call it out. Timing is critical in stunting, and new teams need to practice their timing as much as they practice their actual stunts.

Many stunts begin with a two beat, “Ready, OK” count, where all positions bring their arms up and clap once on beat. This helps get everyone’s attention, lets them know to focus and assures the entire group that everyone is ready. From there the stunt group gets into formation, and the spotter begins the count series (typically based on an 8-beat count).

How To Perform A Shoulder Stand




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Set-Up

Stunt Groups: 1

Spotter: At least 1

Bases: 1

Flyer: 1

Level: Intermediate

Base

• The base should get into a deep squat position with their arms in a T position. While their main body will face forward, the toes of their bent legs should turn slightly sideways. One of their bent legs will act as a platform for the flyer’s foot.
• Once in position, the base should bend and begin to raise their arms toward a High V position, and grab the flyer’s hands.
• As the flyer rests their foot on the base’s leg, the base should hold their position as the flyer pops up and begins to pull their other foot up onto the base’s shoulder.
• As the flyer’s foot is settling on the base’s shoulder, the base should release the flyer’s hand and bring that now free hand down around the flyer’s ankle. The base should pull down firmly to root the flyer and give them extra stability.
• As the flyer is bringing their other foot up, the base can release their hand (the spotter will offer the flyer help) and bring it down to grip the flyer’s ankle when it settles.
• Simultaneously, the base will start to straighten their legs so they end in the standing position.

Flyers

• The flyer will start this stunt by standing behind the base.
• As the base lifts their arms up, the flyer should start to lift their arms also, coming into a High V position and gripping the bases hands.
• Once the base has a firm grip on the flyer’s hands, the flyer should raise one leg and bring it up to rest on the base’s thigh.
• Once the flyer’s foot is in position, they should dip down then pop up, shifting their weight from their legs to their arms. During this move the flyer should keep her core tight and use the leg that is resting on the base’s thigh to gain air.
• The spotter will help lift the flyer, and when the lift has reached a point where the flyer’s arms are almost straight, she should begin to swing her leg up to rest her foot on the base’s shoulder.
• The flyer’s other leg will be pulling up also, and once the other foot is secure, it should come up to rest on the other shoulder.
• Once the flyer is secure, she will release the base’s hands and stand up straight, hitting a High V motion with her arms.

Spotter

• The spotter’s main responsibility is to support and guide the flyer, and of course keep her from hitting the floor if anything goes wrong.
• The spotter should stand directly behind the flyer with her hands on the flyer’s hips. The spotter’s grip should be firm, but not restricting.
• The spotter should follow the movements of the flyer as she dips and pops up, and help lift her onto the base’s shoulders.
• If the stunt group is still new, the spotter should release the flyer’s hips once she is in position, but grip her calves or thighs for extra support. If the stunt group is a little advanced the spotter can let go of the flyer. Letting go doesn’t mean the spotter’s job is over, they still need to stay directly behind the base and keep alert. They will also need to count out the series for the dismount.

*This guide should serve as an introduction to the basic steps for a Shoulder Stand stunt and should be used as a reference only. This guide should not be used to replace the instruction and supervision of a trained professional.

How Stunting Started

When cheerleading first began, the main goal was all about
building team spirit. When stunting was incorporated into sideline chants and cheers as a new way to entertain the fans, it also allowed cheerleaders to show a new level of talent and be recognized in a different and innovative way.

Lawrence Herkimer is one of the important figures that can be credited with making
stunting in cheer popular. The clinics he held in the 1940s, now called
cheerleading camps, served as a place for new stunts to be developed and taught, and these stunts eventually spread throughout teams all over the US.

During the 1970s, cheerleading stunts really took off and began progressing from thigh stands to fulls. Pyramids debuted, which involved a large part of the team and and demanded strength and synchronization. As
basket tosses and pyramids started appearing as
standard cheer routine stunts, it was clear that the skill level and athleticism expected from sideline and competition cheerleaders was changing.

By the 1980s competitive teams, now known as
All Star teams, were created in the United States. These teams focused on competitions exclusively, and combined gymnastics, stunting and dancing. When ESPN began broadcasting cheerleading competitions nationally, it was these All Star teams that helped usher cheerleading and its stunting element into main stream America. As the popularity of cheerleading spread, All Star teams created more cutting-edge stunts; the skill level these teams reached was phenomenal.

In the 1990s, other areas of cheerleading were being manipulated. Spring floors were introduced, and the competition mat size increased which made room for bigger and better stunts. Basket tosses now involved twists and flips. The simple liberty had transformed and now a
flyer showed off her flexibility by performing scales, bow-and-arrows and scorpions.

Since cheerleading was still growing, and was not a sanctioned sport, there were no regulated rules and guidelines that restricted the devleopement of new stunts. Each
cheerleading team had the freedom to branch out and use any moves they wanted to create new stunts. While this allowed cheerleading to progress with innovation, it also put the athletes in danger.

Rules and Regulations of Stunting

As stunting became part of the competitive aspect of cheerleading, so did the pressure to reach a certain level of creativity and difficulty. Although these advancements made stunting that much more entertaining and breathtaking, they also became more dangerous. Injuries were becoming more likely with stunting and cheerleading was labeled as one of the most hazardous activities for young athletes. Since cheerleading is not a sanctioned sport yet, individual governing organizations are responsible for creating and annually revising rules and regulations. While there is a general acceptance of the rulings from these organizations, it isn’t uncommon for competitions to have their own set of stunting regulations – banning some stunts and limiting others so that tossing, twisting and flipping can only be done in a certain way and at a certain height.

One thing is for sure; cheerleading would not be what it is today without the inclusion of stunting. New stunt
trends and techniques debut annually, along with new regulations, which keeps the platform of cheerleader on a constantly changing path.

Key Takeaways Be prepared for a variety of skills. Tryouts may include cheers, short dances, jumps, tumbling, and stunting. Coaches are typically looking for well-rounded cheerleaders. Focus on technique and clean performance.…

Want tumbling advice and tips for cheerleading or gymnastics? Then you’ve come to the right place! This how-to article can help guide beginners as they learn how to tumble and refine their…

Tryouts are just around the corner! The sooner you start getting ready, the better prepared you will be, not to mention more confident and less stressed! Last month we discussed the four areas you should be working on now to build a foundation for tryouts. Here is everything you need to know to prepare:

• You can  learn chants and cheers  closer to tryouts, but getting in physical shape is something you have to put in the time for early. Doing cardio exercises will give you a solid foundation for the physical aspects of tryouts. This will help you function at high levels throughout the day and not fade toward the end” “plus, you don’t want to be out of breath after just a few minutes of choreography! Find out how to get your cardio level up for tryouts here.

• Now is the best time to start building a strength foundation for tryouts. Talk to the cheer coach to see if she or he has any tips for exercises you can do to get ready for  the big day. Building your strength  before tryouts won’t be time-consuming, so don’t worry or feel overwhelmed. If you enjoy working out and want to set aside a half hour or hour to go to the gym each day, that’s great, but  you can also squeeze it in throughout your day.

• As a cheerleader, a big part of your fitness level is flexibility. Unfortunately, you can’t increase your flexibility overnight. These tips will help you increase your flexibility and achieve your goals by tryouts. Start working now and follow these four tips.

• The final piece to being ready for tryouts is getting in peak health. Just like with the other aspects of preparing for tryouts, you can’t just  start incorporating healthy behaviors  a few days before and expect results. Start focusing on these four components of health now to be at your best  by tryouts.

When are your cheer tryouts? What are you doing to prepare?

Want stunting advice and tips for cheerleading or gymnastics? Then you’ve come to the right place! Check out all of Omni Blog’s how-to articles on stunts and tumbling. We’ll walk you through…

Everyone’s bodies are different and we all have areas on our body that we want to tone up and slim down. This is especially true on a
cheerleading squad where there are not only different shapes and sizes, but also radically different positions on any one given team. Bases will want to focus on arms, back and upper legs, flyers want to focus on core and ankles, and tumblers have to focus on shoulders, legs, and middle body strength. To stay fit as a cheerleader, it becomes very evident that personal strength training is not only important but mandatory.

To make your life simpler, we’ve found an easy to use “exercise finder” at
Divine Magazine. This cool application lets you click on different regions of the body and get a detailed description of muscles with in that area. Once you click on a core muscle group, it gives you a multitude of exercises with easy to follow instructions and descriptive pictures to help you sculpt, lift, and strengthen.

Whether your a small or large cheerleading team, everyone can benefit from a personalized workout regiment. Check it out at
www.divine.ca

One of the big fitness trends this year is High-Intensity Interval Training (which
we talk about here). Athletes and fitness-fans of all kinds are trying Interval Training and seeing major results. Interval Training is especially great for individuals who don’t have a lot of time in their schedule to dedicate an hour on the treadmill, like cheerleaders. Interval Training gets your heart pumping in no time and you can get more done in 15 minutes than you would in that hour on the treadmill.

Fix.com shared a great guide all about Interval Training, including the benefits and how to get started. Take a look and then
visit Fix.com to see the whole article!

Remember! Always
wear proper practice wear when working out, especially when performing something as high energy as Interval Training. Try the new Chasse C-Prime line, which includes a
compression-style sports bra, shorts, and racerback tank made from C-dri, the brand’s very own sweat-wicking fabric that keeps the body cool and dry.

Source:
Fix.com

Check out the complete Cheerleading Guide To Summer Camp – available now for free!

The end of cheerleading
camp season is just around the corner, which can only mean one thing – the regular season is coming up fast!

Cheerleading squads spend several months planning and executing
fundraising activities for camp, and then dedicate themselves for a week or more to learning as much as they can.

So now that camp is ending, what’s next? What can a squad do to keep their new and perfected cheer (and life!) skills fresh so they can apply them to their season, and pass them along to future squad members? Here are just a few ways to keep camp spirit alive!

• Do a visual comparison. Before attending camp, record your squad performing a routine. Spend some time evaluating the performance and taking notes. Record another version of the same routine after your team attends camp. Compare the two videos with your team and point out areas where they have improved. Sometimes a person’s achievements will really sink in when they can get a visual on them!
• Recognize your team’s achievements. Most camps will have a competition and awards ceremony, but go above and beyond that to recognize your team’s successes and encourage them to have the best year they can! Create your own certificates of achievement, based on the unique members of your squad, and surprise your team after camp with a ceremony. Or, just take some time at the next practice or meeting to recap the successes of each team member. Send a recap of your team’s experience to local news, and secure a feature in your school’s newspaper.
• Create a cheer book. But take it to the next level! Have the captain take all the squad member’s notes and create one big package of lessons, quotes, inspiration, motivation and photos. You can have one team copy printed, and if you have the funds you can print a book for each squad member.
• Expand camp’s team building. Have a team meeting and let each team member have the floor for a few minutes to talk about what they learned. You can even give them specific topics to talk about (such as: What was your favorite moment? What did you learn about yourself? How do you think you will be a better team mate now?). Strive to make this a sharing/ teaching/ learning event. One team member may have learned something that another didn’t, so it is really important to recap!
• Relive camp! Before your first game, turn one of your practices into a camp clinic to refresh the best from camp, like safety lessons, technique tips and teamwork.

Have you developed your own way to keep camp spirit alive all season? Share it with us and our readers here!