All-Star Flying Advice

[Quotation]

I've been a flyer for a while and these are some tips and tricks I've learned over the years

• core strength is super important for staying in the air, squeeze your core and butt, lock your knees, and keep your head and chest up
• the load position (I've heard it called squish, sponge, or load, depends on the coach) is the most important thing to learn how to do right, and will be useful at all levels. Having a good load will make it much easier for the bases to get the stunt up. Make sure that your CP has her feet, knees, and chest all in a straight line, with her chest up and all of her weight in her arms.
• if a stunt is falling the flyer should always hold their position, so that the bases can balance the stunt and push it back up.
• make sure that your CP is pulling their scorpion directly behind them, not to one side or the other. I was never taught this when I was younger and now my back hurts when I pull it directly behind me, because one side is more flexible than the other
• when doing any twisting stunts make sure the rotation comes from the hips, not the shoulders, so that the body twists as one piece

 

[rdavis4]

You go down when your bases are ready to put you down.

My CP based all last year and now bases on one team and flies on another. She is not naturally flexible so we enrolled her in a flexibility and strength class at a rhythmic gymnastics gym and that has helped immensely. She also takes a private stunting lesson once a week and stretches every day at home.

At home, CP uses this to practice sometimes: Cheer Mat, Stunt Balance Trainer, Cheer practice mat - Resilite Sports Products, Inc.

We didn't buy this for her until after she had been flying for almost a year. She mostly uses it to practice her tic-toc (it's much easier to tell of her foot isn't landing in the same spot when she lands on the floor instead of the stand) and stepping into stunts in front of a mirror. It is also a good height for her to work on her over splits.

I agree with the previous posters: Strength and flexibility are best worked on at home. Actual flying is best worked on at the gym.

A local gymnastics place is offering a strength and flexibility class this summer so we will definitely be enrolling!

 

[rdavis4]

This video might help in regards to how to actually pull it. When it comes to balancing, just have her balance on the leg she is going to be flying on, and then once that gets steady, move to an elevated surface, similar to the stunt stand, and try pulling the body positions there, you just need something the size of the foot, thats elevated and that should simulate being in the air the best way, without actually going up. I hope this helped! let me know how everything goes

Well I think stretching has helped! First picture is from the day I posted here. Second one is from Wednesday of this week. Her coach had her pull it at the end of her private and told her it looked better and told me she can see an improvement in her flexibility. She's loving doing some extra stretching at home.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

 

[cpersichilli]

Well I think stretching has helped! First picture is from the day I posted here. Second one is from Wednesday of this week. Her coach had her pull it at the end of her private and told her it looked better and told me she can see an improvement in her flexibility. She's loving doing some extra stretching at home.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

So much better already!!!! Glad she's getting better!

 

[njallday]

as someone who is very concerned about cheerleaders' spines, please make sure she's going slow and do everything on both sides! so important! She may only need a left scorpion in the routine, but stretch the right side equally or you're setting her up to be a mess.

My school/career choice ruined me. I literally cringe and audibly gasp at every scorpion and straight leg I see nowadays because I really think about what you're doing to your low back. and shoulders. ugh.

 

[rdavis4]

as someone who is very concerned about cheerleaders' spines, please make sure she's going slow and do everything on both sides! so important! She may only need a left scorpion in the routine, but stretch the right side equally or you're setting her up to be a mess.

My school/career choice ruined me. I literally cringe and audibly gasp at every scorpion and straight leg I see nowadays because I really think about what you're doing to your low back. and shoulders. ugh.

I've wondered about this....one more reason I really would rather her continue to base! It just doesn't look or seem natural to have your leg straight behind your back like that. We have been stretching both sides, as both sides are fairly equal in terms of flexibility. Her gym requires all tumbling skills on both sides, and I think they spend equal time stretching both sides.

 

[Cheer Dad]

as someone who is very concerned about cheerleaders' spines, please make sure she's going slow and do everything on both sides! so important! She may only need a left scorpion in the routine, but stretch the right side equally or you're setting her up to be a mess.

My school/career choice ruined me. I literally cringe and audibly gasp at every scorpion and straight leg I see nowadays because I really think about what you're doing to your low back. and shoulders. ugh.

Soooooo much yes to this. Unbalanced muscle strength or flexibility can effect the whole body alignment. Work both sides for everything she can to reduce that risk.

Don't be afraid to see a masseuse once in a while. CP is much older and doesn't fly but darn if a good massage and occasional chiropractor isn't heaven for him.