Full up in cheerleading: a full twist on the way up into the stunt. How much twist each level allows, how it is counted, which prerequisites and spotters apply.
A full up is a stunt entry with a full twist: the flyer turns 360 degrees around the long axis on the way up and then stands in the stunt. The rulebook calls a 360-degree rotation a "full" [3]. It is not a stand-alone circus act but a milestone in a chain that leads from quarter and half twists to the full twist.
The honest answer to "How much twist may I do when?": the rulebooks stage it precisely. At ICU level Novice up to a quarter twist is allowed, at level Intermediate up to a half [1]. At level Median a whole twist is allowed, but only if the stunt starts and ends at prep level or below; a full up into an extension is explicitly prohibited there [1][2]. Only at level Advanced (CCVD level 4) may a twist of more than a half up to a whole twist land at extended height, but only in a two-leg stunt, a platform position or a liberty [1][2]. In All Star (USASF) the full up into a two-leg extension is allowed as early as level 3, into a one-legged extended stunt with up to one twist at level 4 [3].
Why so strict? Because stunts are the most dangerous area: in a US study they made up 60 % of all injuries and 96 % of concussions [5]. This guide explains rules, counting and prerequisites; building and assisting belong exclusively to a qualified coach. How long the way to the full up takes depends on the team and cannot honestly be promised in weeks.
Extension and half up are calm, repeatable and spotted. Milestone: five half ups in a row without coach correction (practice value).
The flyer practises straight jumps with a full turn on the floor and a stable landing, gaze on a fixed point. Milestone: ten clean turning jumps without losing balance.
The rulebooks stage the twist by level: quarter (Novice), half (Intermediate) [1]. Your coach builds the twist in these stages. Milestone: the coach confirms each stage before the next follows.
At level Median the whole twist is allowed at prep level [1][2]. Build-up, dip timing and spotter positions are decided by your coach. Milestone: five spotted full ups at prep level without correction.
Only at level Advanced or CCVD level 4 (in USASF into a two-leg stunt already at level 3) and only into a two-leg stunt, a platform position or a liberty [1][2][3]. Milestone: release by the coach, not by you.
What is counted is the total rotation of the flyer's hips in relation to the floor; an additional turn by the bases in the same sequence counts too. If the stunt has clearly stopped and the top person stands still, the bases may additionally walk the stunt around; a new twisting sequence begins with a new dip or a change in direction of the rotation [1][3]. Milestone: your choreography keeps the counting rules.
This guide explains and motivates but does not replace supervised training. The full up belongs in training only with a coach, spotters and a mat.
Count the twist on video. Pause at the end of the twist and check: where are the hips in relation to the floor? If only shoulders and face are "done", the twist is not yet complete, and the judges measure at the hips [1]. That is coaching experience, not a study.
A stunt entry with a full twist: the flyer turns 360 degrees around the long axis on the way up and then stands in the stunt [3]. It is the next step after the half up and builds on a stable extension. Anyone who tries it too early risks falls; fall heights reached up to 3.35 m in a US study [8].
At ICU level Median up to a whole twist, but only at prep level or below; at level Advanced (CCVD level 4) also into the extension, but there only into a two-leg stunt, a platform or a liberty [1][2]. In USASF the full up into a two-leg extension is allowed as early as level 3 [3].
The total rotation of the flyer's hips in relation to the floor counts; an additional turn by the bases in the same sequence is added. If those involved show a clear stop with a stationary top person, the bases may additionally walk the stunt around; a new twisting sequence begins with a new dip or change of direction [1][3].
No. At extended height a full up may only land in a two-leg stunt, a platform position or a liberty; a full up directly into an extended heel stretch is explicitly prohibited [1][2]. The rulebook wants you to visibly hold the position first.
Kick Full in Cheerleading: Tosses With Tricks, Rules and Catchers