Performing a basketball high-five, an impressive cheerleading stunt, requires at least four people: two bases, one backspot, and one aviator. Every member of the stunt had to actually do the right thing at the right time or they would risk hurting each other, especially the pilot. A cheerleader jumping off the floor is always a potential hazard, so you have to be really, really careful when performing this stunt, especially for high-fives basketball.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Getting Basic
Step 1. Grasp your left wrist and grasp the right wrist of your partner which is also the base
Have someone else serve as the basis for doing this as well. This will form a box-shaped foundation, as a place to stand for people who fly and will be ejected.
Hold your own wrist and your partner's wrist just below the wrist bone. Keep your grip loose and flexible. Too stiff will make the throw can go anywhere. Adjust as necessary until you are both comfortable
Step 2. Bend your knees slightly, matching with your friends
Keep your hips over your toes and your feet slightly wider than your shoulders. Always keep your back straight. Otherwise, you will injure yourself.
If possible, make yourself as tall as your partner, by spreading your stance (or your partner spreading his stance). The best pairs for the base are usually the same height. What's more, the taller you are, the easier it is to lift the aviator higher in the air – don't compromise height unnecessarily
Step 3. Make sure the aviator is positioned correctly
As you practice, be patient to make sure the pilot feels safe. Do their hands rest on the tip of your neck and do they feel strong? How is his right foot positioned on your hand? Is it in the middle? This part is very important for the success of your action.
Do a lot of basketball practice before you get on board to do the actual stunts. Basically, all you need to do is set the pilot and stop when his feet touch your hands. If in that position, his hands and feet are strong, in the middle, and secure, then you are doing it right. Try to limit the time it takes to make the process as smooth as possible
Step 4. Bend and dampen, dampening the pilot's weight as he swoops down
The pilot prepares for the action with his right foot on your hand and his hand on your shoulder. Then, the backspot will help elevate the pilot's entire body on your wrists and hands. When the aviator's left foot touches down as well (that's where all his weight is now), bend slightly down as if you were starting a slingshot.
- There should be no jerky movements in this action. You and your base partner bend your knees and arms lower than the rest of your body to accommodate the pilot's weight. This is one big slingshot move.
- If you are jerky, do the exercises. Do whatever it takes up to this point, then act as if you were throwing the aviator in the air, stopping many times before you actually do it. This will help you all to time your actions.
Step 5. Throw your arms up, lifting the aviator high into the air
Straighten your legs and throw your arms up, giving the pilot the highest possible height using your entire body. Release your partner's wrist when you feel it's starting to come off – don't hold it in. With a slight flick of the wrist, the pilot was already in the air..
- The more passionate you are in doing this move, the more you use your whole body, the higher your aviator will fly. When you bend down with the pilot's left foot positioning, use the force of your leg and push it up.
- You can even jump a bit, adding a bit of height to your throw. Assume that you are 177 cm tall, with a throw of 121 cm. It was a toss basketball with a height of 298 cm. With a jump, it will be 309 cm – and it all adds up! Every cm that increases, the more impressive the action.
Step 6. Always pay attention to the pilot
He will probably move through the air and you below will have to follow him. If you throw it right or left (like a human bowling ball), you have to catch it right or left.
Of course, the ideal is that you throw the pilot straight up, get your feet ready, and the pilot will drop back down – you shouldn't move at all. But if this happens, adjust your position to catch the aviator
Step 7. Catch him with your arms in front of you, catch him when he lands
Make sure to stick to your partner at all times – you both have to move like one person. You will be on one side of the pilot and your partner on the other. The pilot's arm should land around your neck.
Dampen the aviator's body weight as he descends, bending your arms and your knees when he lands on your artificial swing. Place one arm on the pilot's back and one on the pilot's knee
Step 8. Help the aviator trun
To get off, you have two options:
- From your bend, easily lift the pilot in front of you, lower your arms slightly around his knees and push your arms on his back forward. The aviator will instantly stand in front of you with ease.
- From your bend, bounce him back from where his foot could land on your hand again, and move on to a different action straight away – another high basketball or an elevator maybe?
Method 2 of 3: Become an Aviator
Step 1. Place your hands on the shoulders or head base
Do whatever is more convenient for you. For many women, placing your hands on the base of the neck feels safer. Your thumb should be on their collarbone and your other finger on their back.
Make sure you feel strong. If not, reset. Don't worry about hurting or suffocating the base – because it certainly won't
Step 2. With your right foot then left foot, stand on the base hand
Their wrists come together to provide a foundation for you to stand on. Place your right foot on the right side of the foundation to prepare for the action. This is your starting position.
When you're ready, the backspot will count for you, signaling you for every move. On cue, he will lift you up to put your left foot on the foundation as well. You will be in a crouching position
Step 3. Bend down, bending your knees and elbows
Put all your weight on your arms, taking the weight off the base hand. This will help bring your body high up, allowing you to push yourself up, in addition to the base providing you with that effortless strength.
Don't jump. You want to touch as long as possible to gather speed. If you jump, chances are that your jump will not coincide with the bottom, which will result in a bad weak jump in the air
Step 4. Keep on tiptoe
You should touch your hands from the bottom with the toes of your feet – this will make you feel like a spring instead of a dead weight that has to be lifted into the air. It will also be easier to tiptoe from this position.
Think about how you jump. Do you jump on flat feet? Probably not. When you're squatting on the base hand, make sure your toes are where the weight of the action is, so you can fly high from there
Step 5. Imagine a rope pulling you into the air
When you feel the ground moving you up and your feet are about to leave their hands, pull yourself up. When in the air, keep your back straight and your legs locked, so that your body is in a straight line. It should feel like a rope pulling your entire body on a flat plane.
You must maintain this position until you reach the top of the throw. At that point you can perform moves or perform tricks. Make sure the trick is done as smoothly as possible
Step 6. Keep your feet together as well as your hands so you don't hurt anyone below when you're on top
Moving arms or legs can cause serious harm.
Step 7. Above, do your trick
When you fly straight, keep your arms straight in the air or in a high V position and keep your legs straight. Get on tiptoe and it's done!
Some other options besides flying straight are toe touch, kick-arch, pretty woman, back tuck, full tuck, and many more. The higher you are in the air, the easier it is to pull off the trick (the more time you have to do it)
Step 8. Try toe-touch
In addition to the usual basketball toss, the toe touch is the most common addition. Do what you would normally do in a traditional high-score basketball, but don't just drop normally, you'll add a touch of toe as you go down.
- Fly as high as you can then quickly touch the toes of your feet, keeping your back straight. When returning to the basic shape then v shape, breaking down from the touch of your toe quickly, this will look cleaner than slowly descending to your final position.
- You also won't have much time to return to the starting /v position, so breaking will give you plenty of time to land on the base arm.
Step 9. Tighten your legs on the way down and smooth out your body position
Keep your arms up for you to wrap around the base's neck when you land (and to avoid hitting the base's head as you do so). To tighten, bring your toes toward you (still on tiptoe!), placing your body slightly arched for capture.
As long as you don't bang and stay relaxed, the base will catch you easily. Do not worry! At the very least, you will land on top of them and they will hold you back
Step 10. Try doing a back flip
This is a very difficult move to do with a basketball high, so practice the less difficult moves first. The full back flip will be completed in one move, so there's no breaking down to the basic catch.
- When you feel like leaving your basic arm, start turning to do a back flip, remembering that most people don't hold or insert their knee during a back flip.
- A lot of people are turning to tighten the legs, this makes it easier to land in a V position when you are caught.
Step 11. Descend gracefully
When you're caught, the base will bend and lay you smoothly on the floor (or they should if all goes well). Then you can continue cheering from a safe place on your own two feet.
Or go back to doing another action. From the catch, the bottom can bend once more, and on an upward bounce you pull your feet in – then your feet can rest on the base's hands, preparing for the next basketball toss or elevator
Method 3 of 3: Being Backspot
Step 1. Grasp the pilot's waist, just above his hipbone
Make sure your grip is firm and doesn't sink into the shirt, shorts, or skirt. If necessary, make skin-to-skin touches to be sure.
Always be lighter than you think. You don't risk hurting the pilot or hindering the action if you hold on tight. In fact, with this you will be able to give the aviator more power
Step 2. Give your team a count of eight or “1, 2, down, up
Backspot has one of the most important jobs in this action – calculating, making sure the team is ready and united. You count actions, keeping all team members in sync.
- For eight counts, “1, 2” is the team getting into position. On "3, 4" the base bends their knee and the pilot raises his or her right leg over the base hand. At “5, 6” the pilot readies his left foot and his body and team drop down. On “7, 8” the aviator is flown into the air.
- With everyone in position, you can count “1” for the pilot putting his right foot. “2” for the left leg, “down” for lowering the arm, and “up!” to throw the aviator into the air.
Step 3. Bend with the pilot as he bends and lift him on the base arm, placing the pilot in the middle
You have the ability to put the aviator where he should be – in the center of the foundation he bases on his wrist. Make sure the pilot is in the correct position to fly.
You are also the reason the aviator can stand on the basic hand in the first place. Without your encouragement, the pilot will not be able to get off the floor. Use your feet to lift the pilot into position and to put you in a position to throw the pilot up
Step 4. Throw the aviator up with your whole body
Straighten your legs, using your legs as strength, to give the pilot the initial throw. With your hands still on the pilot's hips, push him into the air, releasing the grip when you feel the pilot start to let go of you.
Make sure you throw the pilot straight up so he doesn't turn left, right, back, or forward. Your hands direct the aviator more than anyone else
Step 5. Always look at the pilot when in the air
Sometimes the aviator doesn't fly straight through the air and instead moves in a completely different direction. This can happen either because the pilot's body weight isn't evenly distributed or because he's turning the other way because you or the base throws unevenly. Because of this, it's important to always keep an eye on the aviator so you can position yourself to catch him.
Follow the base, staying a little behind them. You'll catch the aviator's arms, back, and neck
Step 6. Catch the pilot with your forearm at the pilot's armpit
The base will be in front of you, catching the pilot by the torso and legs of the pilot, at his side. You're behind him, catching him by the armpit – the aviator's arms will be wrapped around the base's neck.
Clench your fists, so you don't end up slapping or poking the aviator or some other base. Your arms should be in front of you when you see the pilot descending, but your elbows should be relaxed. No body, including yours, is rigid
Step 7. Help the pilot down
You have two options:
- This base will lower his arm on the pilot's feet, and the pilot will stand on the floor. All you need to do is give a slight push forward with your forearm and then get out of the way.
- If the pilot wants to jump right into the action again, use your arms to lift the pilot to where he can put his foot back into the base hand. Immediately move your hands back to the pilot's hips and lift him up on a basketball toss or another elevator.
Tips
- Always practice the stunts you perform before you perform them. If you haven't warmed up to some action, don't let the aviators fly. Don't do stunts you've never done without a mat and a guide.
- It's important to pay attention to what's going on. Always know what is going on in your group action and those around you.
- The head, neck and spine are the most important parts to catch from an aviator. If your feet touch the floor, it's not a big problem. However, when the aviator descends, make sure you catch his head, neck and spine.
- The eye is always on the pilot. It's a good idea to have a guide around you (people standing around the action if the base/backspot can't catch the pilot) to avoid injury.
- The faster you throw up, the higher your aviator will fly.
- You can use the front place if you like. They put their hands under the base, stood in front of the pilot, and helped propel him up.
Warning
- You have to be very careful when performing this action. Injuries would be possible if everyone involved didn't really pay attention. The eye should always be on the pilot.
- If someone falls but is not injured, don't scream and move on. This will bring a lot of attention to the fallen cast group.
- If an injury occurs when someone hits their head, neck, or spine, don't move them. Call the coach right away or seek professional help.
