Basic Stunting Safety

 

 

Here are a few helpful safety tips to use when learning to stunt:

 

·       Follow safety progressions; be sure that you begin with basic stunting drills and skills, and your lead-up skills are perfected before moving on.

 

·        Take your time, just like learning to walk before you try to run! Make sure the bases and spotters are trained in how to catch. We teach the bear hug technique at VCA, the athletes learn to drop the feet and hug the top girl, ensuring her safety all the way to the ground. The top girls head and neck arethe most important part to protect, so we always want them coming down from a stunt feet first.

 

·        Don’t ever settle for “well we got it up there.” Use success and perfectionas a sign you can move on. Mastering a skill means being able to hit it multiple times in a row. Once you have mastered a skill, you can then move onto a more difficult skill.

 

·       Practice safe landing tecniques on the ground, before you put up a stunt; like bending and absorbing when the top girl catches in a cradle.  Learn new skills on grass or mats, but never rely on them. Any fall can result in a serious injury if you fall the wrong way.

 

To reduce the risk of injury in stunting, the athletes must build physical strength. Strong shoulders, legs and core are essential to becoming a great stunter. Bases and backspots must be able to support and balance the top girls, full body strength and focus is used.  Top girls must lift up through their entire body when going into a stunt, and if they are coming down unexpectedly, they should remain tight with their arms up so they can be caught by the bases.

 

Timing and rhythm are a crucial part of stunting. You are working as a team to get a stunt up; everyone participating must be attentive and aware of the others in the group. Everyone must be focused and alert at all times. Synchronized timing will make stunts feel easier and more stable, working toward perfect timing is key for safe stunting.

 

Stunting is about teamwork, discipline and communication. Safety is the most important thing when learning or participating in stunting. For more information on cheerleading safety, you can visit USASF.net(United States All-Star Federation) orAACCA.org(the American Association of Cheerleaders Coaches and Administrators).


Author, Michelle Critzer, currently a 9th year UCA staff member and head instructor. She travels to instruct, choreograph and judge Regional and National competitions. She has had the opportunity of teaching in Hawaii, Alaska, across the US and now China!



 

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