The gymnastic discipline of tumbling includes athletic skills like flips, handstands, and somersaults. Cheerleading and various stage performances incorporate tumbling tricks to accomplish dynamic acts. They add spatial creativity to each performance, allowing cheerleading squads to showcase their talents. Being a skilled tumbler automatically qualifies you to join the squad, as not every cheerleader practices the art of tumbling.
The exhilaration that comes with airborne stunts makes tumbling a favorite hobby for sports lovers. We often see cheerleading acts steal the spotlight in talent shows such as America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent. Gymnastic routines easily become the highlight of such acts, and tumbling tricks are an absolute game-changer. Rigorous training is crucial to excelling at both sports. Whether you perform for extracurricular reasons or aim to join professional sports contexts, signing up in cheerleading tumbling classes is a good way to begin.
Safety first
Certified coaches ensure that your rehearsals follow safety guidelines in the gym, so your team can take those skills into competitions and tournaments as well. Cheerleading organizations like USA Cheer and US All Star Federation define standard protocols to empower cheerleading communities. Their guidelines allow gyms and schools to implement safety ethics; this builds a strong athletic structure and perspective. Therefore, cheerleaders and tumblers feel confident in their airborne freedom through safety mats, proper accessories, and gymnastic equipment.
Cheerleading tumbling routines
There are two general ways to highlight a tumbling sequence. One tumbler may perform tumbling gymnastics in front of the cheerleaders. This includes doing cartwheels, walk-overs, handsprings, etc. with the squad cheering in the background. In this way, the performance receives a new depth and integrity to raise team spirit at any sport.
For bigger competitions, the cheerleading squad may choose to assign specific tumbling tricks to some members. These members spring into their aerial stunts at strategic points throughout the routine, diversifying it by making the act “branch out” and then come back together. Alternatively, the entire squad can choreograph a single tumbling element into their act and move as one cohesive force.
Some basic tumbling tricks that pair well with cheerleading are as follows.
Handstand and forward roll
A handstand is when you balance on both hands by lunging and kicking up. Once you maintain the handstand, you lower down into a forward roll to combine both skills into one sequence.
Back handspring step-out
This is an extension to the simple back handspring action in which you jump backward and land on your hands. Once you land on both hands and become stable, you can achieve a step-out landing by spreading your legs and continuing to land backward on just one leg.
One-handed cartwheel
A one-handed cartwheel augments the traditional cartwheeling act. By using more wrist strength, speed, and focus, you get to execute the rotation on just one hand. Balance and rhythm are important when you try to remain stable.
Backflip full twist
This is a more advanced level stunt that combines twisting and flipping within the 360-degree backflip. It can be carried out on trampolines to make the tumbling effect more pronounced. You start by doing a backflip and twisting your body mid-air before you land on both feet. The fact that you are tethered just by gravity as you form an arc adds renewed thrill to each performance – and necessitates professional training even more!
Flash kick layout
A flash kick layout is basically a backflip with split legs. You initiate the backflip and prolong the descent with split legs half-way into the tumble. This element often ends with both your arms outstretched once you land.
Back walkover
A back walkover is based on two tumbling ingredients, namely the backbend and bridge. You begin the trick by bending backward and bridging on your hands, then lifting your legs into a handstand position. Ambitious athletes can incorporate splits on a handstand, prolong the balancing act, and then lower down to finish the back walkover.
Cheerleading tumbling classes to enroll in
Elite Cheer
Elite Cheer is a member of the US All Star Federation (USASF). It raises the bar for competitive cheerleading and tumbling through certified professionals who strive for excellence. The Elite Academy of Martial Arts provides tumbling and cheer prep classes from pre-kindergarten to college levels. You can apply for a free skill assessment service and even request a tour of the academy before joining. The tumbling lessons are categorized into levels 1 to 5 along a progressive learning curve. Skills such as cartwheels, forward/backward rolls, round-offs, handsprings, full twists, etc. are trained with increasing complexity. The lesson breakdowns address the needs of beginner, intermediate, and advanced tumblers to help them with seamless transitions between cheerleading and tumbling acts.
Legacy All Sports
Legacy All Sports is a recreational hub that collaborates with the USASF. It provides free trial classes for all sports programs, including the Cheer and Tumbling Classes module. The organization has established a vast learning catalog for toddlers and teenagers to pursue their athletic dreams. Its tumbling classes cover beginner to advanced levels of cheerleading-based training programs. Recreational cheerleading lessons are also associated with relevant tumbling skills. Tiny Tumblers, Tumble Level 1, and Tumble Level 2 classes are 55-minutes long and teach kids fundamental tricks. Tumble Level 3 classes are 90-minutes long and require graduation from levels 1 and 2 to qualify for more complex routines.
USA Youth Fitness Center
USA Youth Fitness Center is also known as USA Gym and offers dance, cheerleading, and tumbling classes. Its program encompasses all school levels, so kids and teenagers are welcome to sign up in their fields of interest. USA Gym reinforces athlete safety and teaches various tumbling strategies like spotting techniques. The progressive learning environment is split into Young Tumblers, Beginner Tumbling, Intermediate Tumbling, Advanced Tumbling, and School Team Tumbling programs. Students train with elements like handsprings, round-offs, and full twists and learn how to connect different tumbles into the act. The School Team Tumbling module places a primary focus on team cheer classes. These enable cheerleading squads to achieve athletic milestones with tumbling skills practiced on trampolines, spring floors, rod floors, and tumbling tracks.
To cheer, or not to cheer, that is the question
Cheer organizations like those discussed above have impeccable training opportunities that rely on safety gear, useful apparel, ideal tumbling equipment, and personal limits. These practices create competitive cheerleading squads that derive their success from teamwork strategies. Therefore, it is always a good idea to enroll in certified and authorized cheerleading tumbling classes and train for your artistic pursuit. Cheerleading is a group performance, and rehearsing routines with your team helps you appreciate the building-block power of teamwork. If one member goes down, the domino effect is inevitable!
