Cheer Stunts Explained
Cheer stunt terminology explained clearly - prep, extension, liberty and how stunt positions relate to each other.
Quick answer: a "stunt" in cheer is any skill where a flyer is lifted, held or thrown by a group of bases and spotters. Stunt terminology describes both the position held (like a prep or liberty) and the transitions between positions.
Stunts range from foundational two-leg positions to advanced single-leg positions, tosses and pyramids. This section explains what each term means, who's involved, and how they relate to one another - it does not teach how to perform them. See our safety policy.
Sponge
A braced loading position used to move a flyer into a stunt.
Half-Up
A lower two-leg stunt used as a foundation.
Prep
The foundational shoulder-height stunt position.
Extension
A stunt held above the bases' fully extended arms.
Load-In
The entry technique that gets a flyer into a stunt.
Cradle
The controlled catch that ends a stunt or toss.
Liberty
A single-leg stunt position, usually learned first.
Cupie
A two-leg stunt at extension height with the feet held together.
Heel Stretch
A flexibility-based single-leg stunt held overhead.
Scorpion
A flexibility-based single-leg stunt held behind the body.
Bow-and-Arrow
A flexibility-based single-leg stunt held to the side.
Scale
A forward-leaning single-leg stunt position.
Arabesque
A forward-leaning single-leg stunt, closely related to a scale.
Tic-Tock
The flyer switches standing legs while staying at height.
Switch-Up
A ground-level release, landing on the opposite foot.
Full-Up
A twisting load directly into a higher stunt.
Rewind
A ground-level backward flip that lands directly in a stunt.
Basket Toss
Bases fling the flyer into the air for a trick and catch.
Straight Ride
A fully released toss with a straight body line, no trick.
Toe-Touch Basket
A basket toss with a toe-touch shape mid-air.
Kick Full
A basket toss combining a kick with a full twist.
Pyramid
Multiple stunt groups connected into one structure.
Brace
Extra support from a neighbouring stunt in a pyramid.
Release Move
A skill where the flyer is fully released and re-caught.
Inversion
A skill where the flyer passes upside-down.
Prep vs Extension
How the two foundational stunt heights compare.
Liberty vs Heel Stretch
How the two single-leg positions compare.
Stunt vs Pyramid
How a single stunt differs from a connected pyramid.