How to Perform a Cheerleading Pyramid

An advanced cheerleading pyramid is quite impressive. This stunt requires more bases (the team members who hold and secure the cheerleaders that are lifted in the air) than a typical stunt. It also utilizes a number of flyers as well. Once a squad has enough experienced bases and flyers, they may attempt a dramatic pyramid, which is often a combination or two or more advanced stunts.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Experienced coach
• Catchers
• Flyers
• Bases
• Floor mats

Perform a Cheerleading Pyramid

1. Practice your advanced stunts individually before attempting a cheerleading pyramid. Some advanced stunts used in pyramids are the heel stretch, the scorpion and a full extension.

2. Put your stunts together in a creative fashion. Flyers can link the stunts (such as a liberty and a prep) by holding each others' hands, legs or both. Some pyramids even use the entire squad.

3. Dismount safely. To dismount, or get down, from most stunts, the flyer will simply step down on the shoulder, then the thigh of the base. There are also a number of spectacular dismounts that are much more complex and include dropping from dramatic heights into the arms of two to three waiting bases.

4. Use the most common "wow" dismount which is called the cradle. The cradle is used primarily to dismount from an advanced level full extension stunt. Two bases catch and support the flyer's back and thighs. The bases first throw the flyer higher in the air where they will pose in a lying down position mid-air. Then bases (who are now called catchers) must time their catch perfectly and join their arms together while the flyer falls into their arms in a seated position.

5. Be safe. With advance routines that perform the pyramid stunt, most coaches will assign extra bases and catchers for precaution. All the stunts should be practiced multiple times on mats and other safe floor materials before trying them on grass or wood flooring.

Tips & Warnings

• Always perform advanced stunts under the supervision of an experienced cheerleading coach and use spotters.
• Most advanced stunts can only be performed by high school juniors and above, so check with your state rules on this. Younger cheerleaders are usually confined to simpler compulsory routines and use props to excite the audience.
• Never attempt an advanced stunt or dismount without first agreeing to a countdown beforehand with your teammates.
• Only perform advanced stunts after the coach has given permission and feels the team is ready.

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