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Welcome to my stunt page. The page with all the stunts, duh.
As a girl base, do you feel like it takes longer to master a stunt
than it should?
Are you using your back when you stunt? Are your wrists and grips in
the incorrect
positions? Does the stunt come down every time? If you answered yes
to these
questions, then you are probably using poor technique.
Poor technique is the most common problem when it comes to all-girl
bases.
And it doesn't just affect the quality of your stunt. Bases can be
plagued by
injuries.
Performing some simple exercises will help with strength and
technique.
Below are some common problem areas along with exercises to help you
improve your technique and become a better girl base. Have fun and
safe
stunting!
Problem: You use your back every time you stunt. All-girl bases do
not use
their legs enough and use their backs instead. The legs on a human
body
are the strongest part of the body and along with the torso are
crucial when
stunting.
Solution: Make sure you lock out your legs and arms at the same time
while
performing a stunt. If you lock your legs first, and then your arms,
you'll try and
use your back. During a cradle, use your legs to absorb the momentum
of the
top person and make sure you keep your back straight.
Exercise: Simple exercises such as lunges for the legs will help
strengthen
them. Other exercises include squats with or without a weight bar,
crunches for
the abs to strengthen the torso and lower back exercises. For the
lower back,
lay flat on your stomach on the ground. Place your arms on your head
and slowly
raise up, squeezing your lower back at the same time. Perform all
exercises 15 -
20 reps for three to four sets.
Problem: Your wrists and grip give out on you when you stunt. Why is
this?
Your wrists and your grip are probably in the incorrect position
while performing
the stunt. This causes you to overexert yourself and become tired
quickly.
Solution: Make sure your wrists and grip are in the correct position
for the
stunt and perform exercises to help strengthen them.
Exercise: Simple exercises, such as squeezing a tennis ball, squeezing
grips
and using free weights to perform wrist and forearm exercises, will
help.
Perform all exercises 15-20 reps for three to four sets.
Problem: You are not able to hold a stunt once it's up. Often the
base is not
locking out her arms or shrugging through the shoulders. When the
arms are
unlocked, it causes pressure and makes the base work harder than
needed.
Solution: Make sure you lock out your arms and shrug up through your
shoulders.
Exercise: Push-ups, handstand push-ups and dips for the tricep muscles
will help the arms. You can also use a weight bar and perform the
military
press and upright row for the shoulders. Perform all exercises 15 -
20 reps
for three to four sets.All Girl Stunts -
Beginning Preparations -
In all beginning stunts, you need 2 bases, a backspot, a front spot, and a flyer. The bases face each other with their knees bent and hands cupped together, fingers touching. The flyer is on her toes with her hands on the bases' shoulders. The back spot is behind the flyer with her hands on the flyers waist. The front spot stands in front of the stunt with arms reaching up incase flyer falls forward. The back spot calls the count: "1, 2, down, up, down, up." You use "1, 2" to get ready for the stunt. On "down," the flyer bends her knees to get height when she jumps. The backspot keeps her hands on the flyer's waist. On "up," the flyer jumps up and straightens her arms and locks out her elbows. She brings her knees up, but make sure she doesn't drop her bum below her knees. The flyer's bum should always be over her knees. She should be hanging over the bases. On "down," the bases dip as the flyer lowers herself so her feet land in the bases cupped hands. On "up," the bases lift their hands up and straighten their knees. When they lift up their hands, they should turn them out so their own wrists are touching or are close together, with one hand holding the toe and one hand holding the heel of the flyer. The flyer should push off the bases' shoulders and stand up in their hands while they lift up. The bases should stop when they hit their shoulder level. Without a flyer in their hands, this position should feel comfortable, like, if you lower or raise the height of your hands, it doesn't feel normal. Does that make sense? Anyways, that's how you get into beginning stunts. This is called an elevator. Once you have mastered the elevator. The bases can press their arms fully up to the locked position and the flyer stays tight. This is called a full extension. Or you can go all the way from the strating position without stopping into the extension. The following animation is a full extension, using the beginning approach.
Ready Position (Shoulder Stand-Hitch)
• Back Base - The back base is responsible for maintaining a sturdy foundation on which the flyer will stand during the ready position. The back base should be positioned behind the side bases at a comfortable distance, allowing the flyer’s knee to be directly over the foot she is about to step up on. During this phase of the stunt, the flyer is further stabilized by the back base pulling downward above the back of the calf. The back base’s other hand is placed on the ankle of the "step-up" foot in anticipation of the liberty.
• Flyer - From a shoulder stand, the flyer shifts her weight so that her supporting leg’s foot may be placed in the hands of the side bases. Once the ready position is executed, weight will remain on the back base in anticipation of the pop.
• Side Bases - The primary side base will use a heel-and-toe grip and is responsible for supporting the flyer’s weight. Her hands should be placed under the foot, allowing the fingers to wrap around the heel and toe. Space must be left in the middle of the foot for one hand of the secondary base. The secondary base is responsible for both weight bearing and control. One hand is placed under the arch of the flyer’s foot (between the primary base’s hands) for weight support and the other is positioned on top of the foot or around the ankle for stability. A firm, level foundation should be created by the three hands covering the bottom of the flyer’s foot and pressure (or squeezing) should be applied by both bases to reduce movement.
• Front Base - Front bases may be used to assist in stabilizing the step-up foot; however, once a stunt group becomes more comfortable with the liberty, the front spot is not necessary.
The Step-Up
• Back Base - The back base is responsible for the initial pop of the flyer. By the back base bending slightly at the knees, the flyer is provided added momentum to help her step up into the liberty position. Care should be taken not to overpower this pop, as too much momentum makes controlling the liberty more difficult for the side bases. As the flyer leaves the back base’s shoulder, the base’s hands are placed on the flyer’s supporting leg for added control. *Flyer - As the pop is made, the flyer quickly, yet smoothly, steps up onto the platform created by the side bases and hits the proper liberty position. The quicker the supporting leg is "locked out," the sooner the side bases will be able to control the stunt.
• Side Bases - Prior to the step-up, the side bases’ arms should be placed in an extended and locked position; locked arms significantly reduce the amount of strength ("muscle") needed to support the flyer. In the final liberty position, the side bases must center the foot directly below the flyer’s body.
• Front Base - If the front base is tall enough to make contact with the ankle, additional support may be provided; however, front bases often attempt to assist by pushing upward on the toe, which can result in the flyer falling off the back.
The Ready Position (Load)
• Back Base - There are two hand positions commonly used by the back base during the two-to-one ready phase. The first is positioning the hands on the waist of the flyer. This is beneficial for back bases with well-developed upper body strength. The second is placing the hands under the seat using a "butterfly" hand position. This allows the back base to utilize her legs as her primary power source.
• Flyer - The flyer begins in a three-quarter squat like that of a hop-in elevator. Her feet should be shoulder-width apart with her head and chest upright. The flyer’s hands are placed on the side bases’ shoulders so that her arms may help to support her own weight.
• Side Bases - Side bases begin in the common hop-in position with their hands gripping underneath the heel and toe of the flyer’s feet. [Note: Bending forward at the waist and/or stepping away from the flyer drastically reduces the strength of the pop.]
• Front Base - The front base places her hands under the shins, not only adding stability to the flyer, but also helping the feet to remain in the correct position.
The Pop
• Back Base - With both hands positioned under the flyer’s seat, the back base should not allow her hands to move below her own chest level during the initial downward motion. As the side bases absorb, the back base also absorbs through her legs, then drives the flyer upward using first the legs and then following through with her arms. Those utilizing the waist technique must rely highly on upper body strength to propel the flyer. Once the flyer reaches the lib position, the back base positions both hands as high on the supporting leg as her reach permits.
• Side Bases - For proper timing and added momentum, the side bases begin the pop with a downward motion, absorbing with the knees and keeping their backs straight and heads up. After the pop is made, the primary base positions the flyer’s foot directly beneath her body. The secondary base releases the foot at about eye level and immediately grips the supporting foot as explained in the ground-up. Once the flyer assumes the liberty position, it is important that the supporting foot be kept level and directly beneath her body.
• Flyer - During the initial downward movement of the bases, the flyer should remain in a half-to-three-quarter squat position. Bending deeper will increase the likelihood of "bottoming out." The flyer assists the upward momentum by pushing off the side bases’ shoulders and extending her legs with the bases’ pop. It is important that the flyer not extend too quickly during this phase; extending out of time can force the bases’ hands downward and lessen the momentum of the pop. Only after the legs are fully extended, should the flyer attempt to position the hitched leg. Attempting this prematurely will also decrease the upward momentum. The flyer should also assist in the placement of the supporting leg’s foot by forcing it directly to the middle of her body.
• Front Base - Utilizing the shins as a lever, the front base can add to the side bases’ momentum. Although the lever is only available for a short time, that instant allows the front base to assist with the upward momentum and reduce the weight placed on the side bases. It is important to note that the front and back bases must pop straight up. Pushing forward (usually the back base) or backward (usually the front base) can result in the flyer "traveling" instead of remaining inside the stunt group.
Dismounts -