Cheerleading — Glossary

Every Cheerleading term explained in plain language: technique, equipment, rules and slang – with tips on avoiding the classic mistakes.

Dip (Movement)

The synchronised leg pre-load of bases and flyer right before a stunt goes up — the real engine of every lift, like the dip before a jump.

Dismount (Cradle & Pop-off) (Movement)

The controlled end of a stunt. In a cradle the bases catch the flyer in their arms; in a pop-off the flyer lands on their own feet.

Level System (Levels 1–7) (Rule)

The grading of every skill by difficulty from level 1 to 7. Stunts, tosses and pyramids only enter the programme from level 3 upwards.

Motions (Arm Positions) (Movement)

Cheer's straight, hard-stopped arm positions — high V, low V, T, clean, touchdown. They are the alphabet every routine is built from.

Soft Landing (Flyer Landing) (Cheat code)

On a dismount the flyer's own landing decides the impact peak — measurably far more than how well the base catches. Landing soft is trainable.

Spring Floor (Equipment)

The sprung competition and training floor. It offers roughly 22 times the critical fall height of concrete and is cheerleading's single biggest safety factor.

Tightness (Slang)

The state of full-body tension that makes a flyer feel like one rigid object to the bases. The opposite gets called a “noodle” in the gym.

General

Terms from training theory that apply in every sport.

1RM (One-Repetition Maximum) (Rule)

The maximum weight you can move for exactly one clean repetition. The reference value behind almost every training plan.

BMR & TDEE (Rule)

BMR is your basal metabolic rate at complete rest; TDEE is total daily expenditure including everyday movement and training. Nutrition targets always work off TDEE.

Cadence (Movement)

Steps per minute when running, or pedal revolutions when cycling. For most runners, 170–180 steps per minute sits in the sweet spot.

Core Tension (Movement)

Active stabilisation of abdomen, back and pelvis — the bridge that lets force travel between legs and arms at all.

Deload (Cheat code)

A deliberately lighter week with volume or intensity clearly reduced, so adaptation can catch up.

DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) (Cheat code)

Delayed muscle soreness 12–72 hours after unfamiliar load. Not a measure of training quality.

Knee Valgus (Movement)

The knees collapsing inward during squats, jumps and landings. One of the key risk markers in technique analysis.

Progressive Overload (Cheat code)

The one principle no training works without long-term: the stimulus has to grow over time, otherwise adaptation stops.

RIR (Reps in Reserve) (Rule)

How many clean reps you had left at the end of a set. RIR 2 means two more were available.

RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) (Rule)

A scale for perceived effort. In strength training it usually runs 1–10, where RPE 8 means you had two more reps in the tank.

Zone 2 (Aerobic Base) (Cheat code)

The easy endurance zone where you can still hold a conversation in full sentences. The base of almost every endurance plan.