Basic Cheerleading Positions

CLEAN
HIGH-V
Extend your arms
upwards and at a 45-
degree angle from your
head with your hands in
fists. Keep your thumbs
facing out and your
pinkies facing back.
LOW-V
Extend your arms
downwards and at a 45-
degree angle from your
body with your hands in
fists. Keep your thumbs
facing out and your
pinkies facing back.
TOUCHDOWN
Extend both arms straight
up, and bring them in line
with your body so that
your arms touch your
ears. Keep your hands in
fists, with your fingers
facing in and your
knuckles facing out.
LOW TOUCHDOWN
Extend both arms straight
down, and bring them in tight
with your body. Arms should
be in line with, but pulled
slightly in front of the legs.
Keep your hands in fists, with
your thumbs facing the crowd
and your pinkies facing your
body, with your fingers facing
each other.
PUNCH
Extend one arm straight up (into
the Touchdown position). The
other arm is resting on the hip,
with the hand in a fist. That
elbow should be pointing to your
side. The punch can be done as a
right punch or left punch. The
arm in the Touchdown position
determines which move it is (if
the right arm is in a Touchdown,
it is a right punch).
DAGGERS
Bend your elbows and bring
your arms in tight to your
body. Your elbows should be
pulled in and pointed down,
and your hands should be just
below your chin. Keep your
hands in fists, with your
fingers facing in and your
knuckles facing out. Your
thumbs will be toward your
body, and your pinkies will be
away from your body.
TERMS
• Sharp Moves. Your muscles should be tight and your arms should be
stiff when you are hitting your motions. A loose arm will make the
motion sloppy. Don't just put your arms into position, snap them into
position!

• Straight Lines. All of your lines should be straight, and this includes
making sure your wrists don't bend. Keep your wrists tight too, and
make sure they are aligned with your arms.

• Thumbs Up. Never tuck your thumbs inside your fist. Instead, lay
them across your fingers on the outside of the fist.
TERMS
• Spot On. Through practice, you will gain muscle memory and know exactly
where you need to hit a motion. While you are learning, remember that
your arms should never be behind you. Always keep them slightly in front
of you when performing a motion.

• No Shrugs. Your shoulders should be low and relaxed and your neck should
be extended. Do not shrug your shoulders up.

• The Shortest Distance. Instead of bringing your arms all the way out and
around to hit a motion, practice bringing them forward then up in one
swift, fast move.
TERMS
• Arabesque: One leg is down straight and the other leg is behind you almost at a ninety degree angle to your
back.

• Arch: A position in which the back is curved.

• Aerial: A cartwheel without hands touching the ground or floor. Sometimes called a walkover.

• Attack the Crowd: A technique used to whip the crowd up and get them involved in a cheer, dance or song.

• Base: The bottom person/persons in a stunt who remains on the ground while lifting a flyer into a stunt.

• Basket-toss: A stunt involving three or more bases, two of whom have their hands interlocked and toss the
flyer into the air.
TERMS
• Buckets: A move where a cheerleader holds their arms straight out in front, fists
facing down, almost as if holding the handle of a bucket in each hand.

• Candlesticks: A cheer motion where a cheerleader extends their arms out in front
with fists facing each other as if they were holding a lit candle in each hand.

• Cradle Catch: An end movement where a base catches the flyer and hold her
under her thighs and around her back.

• Cupie: A base holds up a flyer with one hand. The base's arm is fully extended
and both of the flyer's feet are in the base's one hand. Also known as a kewpie or
awesome.
TERMS
• Deadman: Used to describe a move when the flyer falls backwards or
forwards out of a stunt. They are caught by several bases.

• Dismount: A method used to return to a floor position following a stunt.

• Elevator: Two bases hold a foot each of one flyer to elevate them. Both feet
are held at shoulder height.

• Extension: Arms of each base extended fully above the head to support the
flyer who stands on their palms.
TERMS
• Flyer: The brave person who is lifted or thrown into the air to perform
a mount.

• Handstand: Springing from your feet to your hands to your feet again.

• Jump: A springing move where both feet leave the ground.

• Liberty: A base holds up a flyer with one of her feet in both of the
base's hands. The flyer's other leg is bent. It is called a ‘Liberty’
because the pose is thought similar to the Statue of Liberty.
TERMS
• Mount: Any skill in which one or more persons is supported in the air.
Another word used is stunt. The person being supported is a mounter or
flyer.

• Pyramid: A stunt involving one or more mounters supported by one or

more bases linked together.

• Routines: A choreographed sequence of moves.

• Scorpion: While in a Liberty, a cheerleader grabs the toe of their bent leg
and brings it up to almost behind their head.
TERMS
• Spotter: The person who stays in contact with the ground and
watches for any hazards in the stunt or mount. They help with the
dismantling of the mount are responsible for trying to catch the flyer
if they fall.

• Straddle: A position where the legs are straight out and apart.

• Touchdown: Motion where both arms are held directly overhead,

tight against the head. Hands have palms facing each other. This
motion is used when a touchdown is scored.
TERMS
• Tuck: A position in which the body is bent at the hips and the
knees are pulled in tightly to the chest.

• V Motion: A motion where both arms are up forming a V.