Cheerleading Fundamentals
Imagine this—
You’ve just walked into the gym for your very first cheer practice. You’ve never done cheerleading before, and everything around you feels brand new. The mats, the mirrors, the music—it’s exciting, but also a little overwhelming.
So the question becomes: Where do you begin?
That question often goes unanswered in cheerleading, but I want to make it crystal clear for you. Every journey in cheer starts the same way—with foundations. Before you ever tumble, stunt, or perform a routine, you must first build the framework that every skill will depend on.
Step 1: Building Essential Body Shapes
The very first step for a brand-new athlete is learning and mastering body shapes.
Shapes are the building blocks of cheerleading. They teach you how to control your body, hold correct alignment, and build the strength needed for harder skills.
From a hollow body to a high V, every shape has a purpose. When done correctly, they:
✔️ Train proper posture and muscle engagement
✔️ Strengthen your core, shoulders, and legs
✔️ Ensure safety and correct execution later on
Think of shapes as the “alphabet” of cheerleading. Before you can form words (skills), you must first know the letters.
Step 2: Mastering Motions
Once shapes are in place, the next step is motions.
Motions are not just arm placements—they are the foundation of performance and precision in cheerleading. Motions set the standard for how sharp, clean, and disciplined an athlete looks on the floor.
Every motion (high V, low V, T, etc.) has to be:
✔️ Sharp and defined
✔️ Placed correctly (no “almost” positions)
✔️ Matched with timing and rhythm
This stage is where athletes start to learn discipline and attention to detail—the exact qualities that separate average teams from championship teams.
Step 3: Performance – Bringing It All to Life
The final step in your first fundamentals journey is performance.
Cheerleading is not just a sport of skills—it’s a sport of presence, energy, and showmanship. Performance is how you transform motions and shapes into something exciting and powerful.
Performance means:
✔️ Expressing energy through your face, body, and voice
✔️ Adding confidence and intensity to your motions
✔️ Learning how to connect with a crowd or a judge
Even on your first day, performance can be introduced in simple ways: eye contact, sharp claps, and practicing with purpose.
The Big Picture
When you’re brand new to cheerleading, the path forward can feel unclear. But here’s the order you should always remember:
1️⃣ Shapes → Control your body
2️⃣ Motions → Build sharpness and precision
3️⃣ Performance → Bring it all to life
These are your first steps. They are not glamorous at the start, but they are essential. Without them, skills will feel sloppy, routines will lack impact, and growth will be harder than it needs to be.
By focusing on these fundamentals, you’re building the strongest foundation possible—one that will carry you through every stunt, tumble, and routine to come.