Hands are flat with fingers squeezed tightly together.
| Motion Name | Arm Position | Visual Description | Common Tips | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Fists resting on the hip bones. | Clean, confident stance. | Thumb goes behind the hip bone, fingers forward. Don't let elbows stick out too far like chicken wings. | | Clean / Clasp | Hands clasped together at chin level. | Like a prayer position. | Keep elbows in tight against the body. "Pretty hands" position. |
Before you perform, check these 4 things: cheer motions chart
Integrate these standard terms to help users understand how to execute motions correctly:
Ensuring elbows are fully extended and rigid during arm motions. stances & motions for cheerleading - SCHOOLinSITES Hands are flat with fingers squeezed tightly together
Arms should be close to the ears; "little circles" face forward.
Use this diagram to visualize the arm angles relative to the body. | Thumb goes behind the hip bone, fingers forward
The primary function of a cheer motions chart is to establish a universal standard. In dance or free-form gymnastics, individual expression often reigns supreme. In contrast, cheerleading is predicated on the power of the group. A squad is only as strong as its weakest angle. The chart eliminates ambiguity. It defines exactly where the arms should be for a "High V" (arms forming a 45-degree angle above the head, fists facing out) versus a "Touchdown" (arms straight up, parallel, with fists facing in). It dictates that a "T" motion must be slightly below shoulder height, with the elbows locked and no "broken" wrists. When every athlete on a 20-person squad executes a "Right L" with identical shoulder placement and fist rotation, the visual impact is a single, explosive organism. The chart is the contract that ensures this synchronization.
Quick, snappy transitions and squeezed muscles.
A clap uses flat "blade" hands under the chin, while a clasp involves interlocking fingers or wrapping one hand over the other in a tight grip. The Core Motion Chart