The Skills of Cheerleading: Getting Advanced
Now that we have talked about some of the basics of Cheerleading stunting, it is time to get into the more advanced level stunts in Cheer. These skills are done by experienced stutters, and it is important to know what you are doing and be able to perform the prerequisites. The skills are listed below:
1) Inverted Needle (Straight Up)
a. Make sure flyer is holding correct “Inverted Needle” position. DO NOT dip and pop through if body does not look right.
b. Body line should be: Arms all the way bent, head down, flyer holding a STRAIGHT leg all the way up (point toe at the corner where the ceiling and wall meet), leg that bases are holding needs to be STRAIGHT with a FLEXED THIGH. Be strict on how this looks.
c. DO NOT move in the dip. If flyer lowers their leg, loosens their bottom thigh and bends their leg, or picks their head up, do not pop through. Remember: We are teaching them to always be completely still in dips.
d. On pop through, flyer drives their top leg down and pushes off bases as hard as they can. Do not let a flyer get away with not pushing off as hard as they can. Thigh should be flexed and lib should be high when caught at the top.
2) Inverted Needle (Switch Up)
a. Same beginning as “Inverted Needle (Straight Up)”
b. When the pop through happens, the flyer still pushes off and drives their leg down the same. Before they switch, they need to drive their opposite lib all the way to their chest (exaggerate), and then tick tock. This will ensure they get the best lift and replacement in the skill. Make sure they aren’t rushing the skill or tick tock.
3) Inverted Needle (Half up or Full up)
a. Same beginning as “Inverted Needle (Straight Up)”
b. When the pop through happens, the flyer still pushes off and drives their leg down the same. When they stand up, they stand up to the first quarter wall towards their spin and hit a good lib “clean position”. They hold this position through the entirety of the skill.
c. Be very strict of their good lib “clean position”. Lib high, thigh flexed, and knee pushed back when they are in their spin.
1) Hand in hand Inversion
a. First and Foremost: NEVER EVER EVER POP A FLYER THROUGH IF THEIR BODY LINE IS NOT RIGHT. NEVER. DO NOT TEACH THEM THAT HOLDING A BAD BODY LINE IS OK IN ANY SITUATION.
b. Body Line should be: Arms to ears (covering ears), NO arch, straight body. Slight hollow is also acceptable. Get the flyer used to hearing “Bring your feet”, which tells them that they are arched in the handstand and crunch forward to a good body line.
c. Flyers should never move in the dip. The only time they would need to cheat their feet down during the dip is if it is a coed or 2-man stunt. In full group scenario, they can usually just freeze in the dip. Movement in a dip always makes everything harder for the bases and the flyer. If they move in the dip in ANY way, bring them down and try again. (Arms bent, body line arches, they fall over, etc.)
d. **When flyers roll up to their hand in hand, DO NOT hold their bodies**. When we are teaching this skill, it needs to be taught with them controlling their own body. You should be holding their hand and your other hand should be gripping their wrist/arm. Do not hold their body up for them no matter how many times they fall. Teach them how to hold a good body line without relying on a backspot.
e. When they pop through, they leave their arms by their ears the ENTIRE TIME, and fold in half. They need to bring their feet all the way to their hands before they start rolling up
I. Common Mistakes: The Flyer immediately moves their arms off their ears in the pop. This eliminates a lot of power that bases give them, so leaving their arms by their ears will give them much more power.
II. Common Mistakes: Flyer falls straight instead of folding. This also happens because the flyers move their arms from their ears. Do not let them flip straight in a hand in hand, emphasize the fold and leaving their arms by the bases through the pop until the roll up
III. Common Mistakes: Flyer bends arms in the dip and pop through. This is a sure way to eliminate any kind of power they were given in the pop through. Do not let them get away with popping through with bent arms EVER.
