Extreme cheerleading stunts shown on sports television during national competitions might be exciting to watch, but easy cheerleading stunts are the best level of acrobatics for younger squads. For games and warm-ups, easier stunts are also a nice addition.
Small and medium size squads may not have enough spotters for more complex stunts that require even more spotters. A simpler, yet eye-catching stunt is a good alternative in cases like this.
Best Easy Cheerleading Stunts to Try
Use these basic stunts as a starting point for creating new and original stunts with your squad.
Shoulder Sit
The shoulder sit is probably one of the easiest and most common stunts. The stunt requires three people: a base, a spotter, and a flyer.
- At a 90-degree angle, the base lunges with her right leg.
- As the flyer stands behind the base, she places her right foot on the bent leg of the base as close to the hip as possible and leaps up, swinging her left leg over the base’s left shoulder. Over the right shoulder, the right leg follows.
- The base should stand as the flyer swings the right leg into place. Flyers can hook their legs around the backs of the bases for added support.
- In case the flyer loses her balance and falls, a spotter stands behind them to catch her.
L Stand
At basketball games, the L Stand is often seen during cheers and chants. Despite being an easy stunt, it looks pretty impressive. When performed by multiple pairs, this stunt can appear more complicated than it actually is. It requires two people to perform the stunt.
- Behind the spotter stands a spotter.
- She lunges her right leg at a 90-degree angle just as she would for a shoulder sit.
- By placing her right foot near the hip of the base’s right leg, the flyer stands behind the base’s right leg.
- She uses her right arm to place the foot under the flyer’s right knee to support it. She grasps the foot with her left hand and holds it in place with her left hand.
- When the flyer swings her left leg out to the left, she places her hands on the shoulders of the base and pushes straight up.
- When the flyer extends her left leg, the base should move her left arm to a V position, helping the flyer extend her leg into an L position.
- Meanwhile, the flyer will stiffen the right leg, which will be pushed up by the base, allowing the flyer to stand.
As shown in the video above, the flyer ends in a shoulder sit.
Thigh Stand
Almost resembling a pyramid, the thigh stand is perfect for beginners and younger squads. Three people are needed for the stunt: two bases and a flyer. Spotters are not usually needed, but coaches should decide if they are necessary. With younger children, you might want to consider a spotter.
- There are two bases standing side by side in a lunge. With bent legs facing each other and feet side by side, one base will lunge to the right and one to the left.
- Using her left foot on one base’s thigh and her hands on both bases’ shoulders, the flyer places her left foot on one base’s thigh. Her left hand should be placed under the flyer’s knee, while her right arm should be grasped with the left hand.
- Flyers then push up into position, placing one foot on the other base’s thigh and locking their legs together. With the right hand, the right base should grab the flyer’s foot, and the left arm should hook around the flyer’s knee.
- Flyers gain their balance by lifting their arms into a high V or on their hips in the ready position.
Basket Toss
The basket toss is a basic stunt that beginners can learn. As the base and the flyer improve, the stunt can be made more impressive by throwing the flyer up higher in the air. For a basic basket toss you will need at least four cheerleaders: A backspot, two sidespots and a flyer. If the base is a bit unsteady, a frontspot can be added for stability and to better protect the flyer.
- Two bases face one another and clasp each other’s wrists. It is important that the grip is strong between these two bases, so a trained coach should show the sidespots how to correctly clasp one another’s wrists.
- The flyer stands behind the clasped arms and places her hands on each sidespot’s shoulder.
- The backspotter places her hands on the flyer’s waist.
- In one fluid motion, the two sidespots squat, and the backspot lifts the flyer onto the clasped arms while the flyer pushes up.
- Once the flyer is in position, the backspot places her hands on the flyer’s buttocks so she is able to boost the flyer into the air.
- The flyer pushes up and the three bases throw their arms up, lifting the flyer high into the air.
- As the flyer comes down, she must keep her body straight and fall back into the arms of the base. Her arms should be tight at her sides and not flailing or she and/or the bases could get hurt. Try to never fall forward. The flyer must trust the base to catch her.
It bears repeating that this stunt should never be attempted without a trained coach overseeing the practice. A trained cheer coach will make sure the bases and flyer are in the correct positions, using the right technique and that everyone from the flyer to the backspot know what their roles are and how to safely land the stunt.
Elevator
The elevator stunt is a basic stunt that can be adapted into more advanced stunts later. You will need four cheerleaders to complete this stunt: Two sidespots, a backspot and a flyer. A frontspot is optional.
- The side bases should stand across from one another with the flyer behind.
- The flyer places her hands on the side spots’ shoulders.
- The back spot stands behind the flyer with the hands on the flyer’s waist.
- Once everyone is in the correct position, the two sidespots should squat with their hands cupped.
- On a count of four, the backspot should lift the flyer so that she steps into the side spots’ cupped hands.
- The side spots stand while the flyer pushes off their shoulders until her feet are lifted to the chest height of the two side spots.
- The backspot steadies the flyer’s legs by holding her legs in place.
Learn the Basics
Learn these basic stunts and you will have a strong foundation for more complicated cheerleading stunts. It is important to learn to perform these stunts regularly and without hesitation because the chance for injury increases with more advanced stunts, and not knowing proper form increases those risks.
Put the time into learning these simple stunts and soon you’ll move on to more advanced cheerleading.