Cheer How-To Series, Extensions, Featured, Tips

Mastering Cheerleading Extensions: A Guide for Flyers with Troublesome Extensions

Posted on September 15, 2023September 15, 2023 by Steve Pawlyk

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15
Sep

Steve Blog Circle

Steve Blog Circle

By Steve Pawlyk

Published September 15, 2023

If you’re a cheerleader struggling with extensions, especially as a flyer, you’re not alone. It’s an area that many flyers find challenging, but it’s crucial for nailing your routine and impressing the judges. Today we’re gonna go over how to improve your extensions, with specific reference to a Reddit post that highlights challenges such as balance issues and hypermobility. Let’s jump right in.

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The Problem with Extensions

A Reddit user recently highlighted a common issue among flyers — difficulty in maintaining balance during two-leg extensions. Whether it’s wobbling, falling forward, or not being able to keep your feet together, these issues can throw off your entire routine.

The Role of Joint Hypermobility

If you, like the original poster, have excessive joint hypermobility, it’s essential to adapt your technique accordingly. This could mean avoiding locking your knees too tightly, as hyperextension can contribute to imbalance.

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Tips for Flyers Struggling with Extensions

Find the Sweet Spot: Balance is about weight distribution. Try to find that perfect balance between your heels and toes.
Engage Your Core: This is more than just “squeezing”. Your core muscles are essential for stability.
Alignment: Ensure that your hips are stacked over your knees and your knees over your ankles.
Feedback from Bases: Communication with your bases can offer vital feedback for improving your form.
Practice Low: Try practicing the extension at a lower height to build confidence and fine-tune your form.
Foot Position: Experiment with keeping your feet at hip-width versus together to see which offers better stability, gradually moving to the desired position.
Consult a Specialist: If hypermobility is a concern, consult a physiotherapist familiar with cheerleading injuries.

cheerleading-flyer-extensions

Takeaway for Coaches

Coaches, if you’re primarily experienced as a base, it may be beneficial to bring in an experienced flyer to provide specific tips to your team. The simple directive to “just squeeze” might not cut it for everyone.

Extensions are a vital part of any cheerleading routine, but they can pose challenges, especially for those new to flying or those with hypermobility. With the right techniques and a bit of focused practice, you can turn your troublesome extensions into a showcase skill. And remember, communication with your team and coach is vital for identifying problems and implementing solutions.

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Featured, Tips

Completion Mode Vs Performance Mode: Answering the age-old question of ‘Why don’t my flyers perform in the air’

Posted on November 19, 2018November 29, 2018 by catweeden

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19
Nov

Cat Weeden Circle

Published November 19, 2018

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Completion Mode Vs Performance Mode

Answering the age-old question of
‘Why don’t my flyers perform in the air’

Of all the valuable lessons I have learned through trial and lots of error in coaching, Completion Mode vs Performance Mode may be the most important. In an industry that not only puts a lot of emphasis on the aesthetic, but also assigns it a competitive value (performance, technique, creativity, showmanship, overall impression scores), teams scores don’t just depend on what they do, they depend on how they do it.

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As one of the creators and administrators of the Small Cheer Gym Association Facebook group, which is a fb community dedicated to Small Gym owners and coaches, the question, in many forms, that is asked constantly is “Why don’t my flyers perform in the air?” Its usually followed up with “they are flexible, work hard, the group is good enough to nail the stunt, but for some reason they never turn it on and create ‘A Show.’

For me the answer to this question lies in asking yourself are the focused-on Completion of the Stunt or the Performance of the stunt. Because it’s very hard for kids to do both.

In LuxeLand (the Luxe Cheer universe lol) we define being in Completion mode as: when the stunt group is concerned mainly with making it through the stunt. They are actively focused on getting from the starting point of the stunt or pyramid to the end.

The completion phase will vary per group on the team.
Some may be out of this phase fast, while others stay in it for a while.
In this phase they do not trust that they can make it to the end without concentration on every moving part of the stunt and most likely there’s one or two sticky parts of the sequence that they repeatedly miss.

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The most important thing to take away from being in completion mode, is that it will almost ALWAYS lead to:

A lack of timing across groups
Inaccurate building formations
Inconsistent performance from your flyers.
Increased stress or anxiety from the group or team

When the athletes are concentrating on just making it through, it leaves no room for details, faces, and growth. And the longer they stay in this place, the more likely you are going to start seeing bad attitudes, frustration, and anxiety from your team members.

As coaches, we put a lot of pressure and stress on ourselves to create and compete the most perfect, win-able routine from the start. We know the grids, the rubrics, the magic numbers and who our competitors are. And we know what skills it takes to be unstoppable. We also know the full potential of the kids in our programs. But knowing their full potential, or how they need to be pushed can cripple us.

So how do we get out of Completion Mode and move into Performance Mode???

1. EDITS

Modify the stunt or section of the pyramid that is causing the issue. If 2 out of the 3 groups have no problem with it, leave theirs and take out the 3rd. Knowing your magic numbers (the number you must hit in that section to score in the range you are going for) helps this tremendously. MAKE THE EDIT

2. KEEP THE KIDS IN THE LOOP

When you modify, explain. “Suzie, were going to take out your switch up lib and just do a straight up one for this event. We only need 2 not 3 to score high and I really need you to focus on nailing the dismount.” The older the team, the more likely they believe they know the scoresheet, remind them that their job is to trust your edits. Trust your gut and your edits.

3. REPETITION WITH POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

Once you modify and get them on board, repetition is key! Have them do the modified section numerous times and point out the good, you as the coach, need to get excited for the good. Help them celebrate the little achievements and growth.

4. MAKE IT FUN!

Games, contests and candy will make superstars out of your tinys all the way up to your open college level athletes. Break up the monotony.

5. REMEMBER NOT TO MAKE YOUR ROUTINE ABOUT A SINGLE KID, SKILL OR SELECTION

If Suzie cannot hit a skill, or will not throw it, take it out and move on. I know it can be so frustrating, but you are letting the one skill or section define the whole team. You may not be in the range you want if you pull a skill, but what’s the likelihood it will be done correctly, if at all, on a competition day? Find another place on the scoresheet to make up what you lost. I.e Lose .2 in standing tumbling difficulty but gain .3 in technique with the ones who are solid.

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Once the kids KNOW they can all hit the routine that’s in front of them, you will immediately see a difference. The anxiety of uncertainty is what keeps them from rising to their full performance potential.

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