Cheer and gymnastics have a language of their own — and knowing it makes every conversation with a coach, squad, or judge easier to follow. Here are the terms parents ask about most, in plain English.
Aerial
A cartwheel with no hands. Requires powerful cartwheel mechanics and upward lift. A signature acro-dance skill.
Back handspring
The gateway tumbling skill: jump backward onto the hands, snap through to standing. Foundation of nearly every cheer pass.
Back walkover
From standing, arch backward through a bridge, kicking one leg over. A control and flexibility skill that feeds many others.
Backbend
Arching backward from standing to a bridge. Prerequisite flexibility for walkovers and handsprings.
Block (mental)
When an athlete suddenly can't throw a skill they've done many times. Common, real, and fixable with patient coaching.
Block (technique)
The explosive push through the shoulders off the floor that creates height in handsprings and aerial skills.
Bridge
Face-up arch position, hands and feet on the floor, arms straight. The foundation flexibility shape for backward tumbling.
Cartwheel
Sideways rotation through a handstand, landing one foot at a time. Where every tumbler starts.
Chin stand
An acro balance on the chin and chest with legs overhead. Advanced flexibility skill \u2014 always coached, never self-taught.
Dive roll
A forward roll with flight before the hands touch. Builds air awareness for punch fronts.
Front aerial
A front walkover with no hands. Typically learned after the side aerial.
Front handspring
Forward spring from hands to feet. Less common in cheer, foundational in gymnastics.
Front walkover
From standing, kick through a handstand and bridge, walking out one foot at a time.
Full
A layout with a complete 360\u00b0 twist. Elite-level cheer tumbling; the pass that opens top-team doors.
Handstand
Straight-body balance on hands. The most underrated drill in tumbling \u2014 nearly every skill passes through it.
Hollow body
Core position: ribs down, lower back pressed, body slightly dished. The shape that makes tumbling tight and fast.
Hurdler
A jump with the front leg extended and back leg bent \u2014 a staple cheer jump.
Kickover
From a bridge, kicking one leg over to stand. The bridge-to-walkover stepping stone.
Layout
A back flip in a straight, tight body line. The step between a tuck and a full.
Layout step-out
A layout landing one foot at a time \u2014 used to connect passes in gymnastics and elite cheer.
Needle
A standing split with the back leg pulled vertical \u2014 flexibility showpiece for dance and cheer.
Pike
Bent at the hips with straight legs. Both a jump and a flip shape.
Punch front
A front tuck from a run and two-foot punch. A crowd-pleasing intermediate pass.
Round-off
A cartwheel that lands both feet together, converting run speed into backward power. The engine of every running pass.
Scorpion
Standing flexibility pose pulling the back foot to the head. Cheer's iconic flexibility skill.
Series
Two or more back handsprings connected. Builds the power needed for tucks and layouts.
Set
The explosive upward jump and arm lift before a salto. A strong set is what makes tucks safe and high.
Splits
Legs extended in opposite directions \u2014 right, left, and middle (straddle). Trainable at any age with correct technique.
Spot / spotting
A coach physically guiding an athlete through a skill. How new skills are learned safely \u2014 and why some skills can't be taught over video.
Standing tumbling
Passes that start from standing (standing back handspring, standing tuck) \u2014 judged separately from running passes at most tryouts.
Straddle
Legs wide to the sides \u2014 a jump shape, a split variation, and a flexibility staple.
Toe touch
Cheer's signature straddle jump. Scored on height, hit position, and snap-down timing.
Tuck (back tuck)
A back flip with knees pulled to the chest. From a round-off back handspring it's the classic intermediate pass; from standing it's an advanced skill.
Valdez
A one-arm back walkover entered from a seated position \u2014 an acro classic.
Walkout
Landing a skill one foot at a time to flow into the next \u2014 how passes get connected.
Whip
A layout-speed back handspring with no hands \u2014 an elite connector skill in level 4+ passes.
Hearing a Term That Isn't Here?
Ask — seriously. Renee would rather explain a skill three times than have a parent nod along confused. Call or text (914) 656-3790, or start with the skill readiness quiz to see where your athlete fits.