Saturday, January 21, 2012

What to Know About Cheerleading Stunters?


Stunting is when cheerleaders lift or toss another cheerleader into the air. There are four positions for stunters to fill, each with an important and specific role. To be more versatile, you should aim to master as many positions as you can within each stunt. Simply learning the roles can help you perform your main position better.
Main Base
The main bases are the ones who hold up a stunt. You must remain in direct contact with the ground at all times. Your strength for basing starts at the bottom of your body and travels up. It emanates from your thigh and butt muscles. After initiating the power for your stunt with them, use strong core muscles as the stunt ascends. Finally, incorporate the muscles of your shoulders and arms last to lift the stunt into its final position and hold it steady.
Back Base
Sometimes referred to as a spotter, the back base is responsible for protecting and assisting the top person in a stunt. Stand behind the top person, and as the stunt is building, assist the top person with her load in. As it is ascending, lift her up toward the final position. Once the stunt is in place, support the top person, steadying her and helping her balance in the final stunting position. One of your most important jobs occurs during the dismount portion of a stunt. Whenever a cradle dismount is done, catch the top person by the shoulders and protect her head and neck from injury.
Top Person
The top person in a stunt typically is the one who gets the glory of being the focus of the stunt, but your job is no less difficult than the others. You must be an active participant in stunting, using your legs to jump off the ground, supporting your own weight in your arms as you load in, and tightening your core muscles as you ascend to the top of a stunt. Once in the position of glory, balance and execute feats of extreme flexibility as you are perched many feet off the ground. The path out of a stunt is just as difficult as getting into it. Control your body for a straight cradle dismount. Increase the excitement of your dismount by adding twisting to your cradle.
Spotters
Spotters are not directly involved in the stunting process, but instead surround a building stunt and stand at the watch in case the stunt goes wrong. Your primary goal is to prevent injury, mostly by protecting the top person. From the moment a stunt group sets in a ready position until the time the dismount is complete, keep your arms up and your full attention on the stunt in process. When a stunt starts to fall, grab the top person with one arm around her waist and one arm around her thighs. Tuck your head into the top person's lower back. Stay aware as you also might be called upon to steady a falling base who has lost her balance.

 
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