There she is, up in the air on one foot, her leg just inches away from her face. What a heel stretch! While the cheerleading heel stretch is an elite-level stunt, broken down into smaller pieces, it is actually quite attainable. Start with the basics and proceed only after you master each step. With practice, you should develop a consistent, safe, and pretty heel stretch.
Balance
The first building block of a good heel stretch is balance. Develop your balance on the ground by standing on one foot, such as in a yoga tree pose (see References). After you have mastered tree pose on the ground, try standing on something unstable like a couch cushion placed on the floor or a pillow. Do not attempt a one-foot stunt in the air until you are able to perform it while balancing for at least one minute on something low that challenges your stability.
Flexibility
Once you attain balance on one foot, you need the flexibility to do a heel stretch. Start out lying on the ground. Lift one straight leg in the air, and grab your heel. Gently pull the leg closer and closer toward your head. If you cannot reach your heel, use a yoga strap or even just a towel looped around your ankle to assist you.
Once you can perform the pose lying down, attempt it in a standing position. Initially, use a chair or wall to steady yourself. Eventually, you should be able to hold this heel stretch position while balancing on a cushion or pillow.
Form
As with all things cheerleading, it does not count if it does not look good. A sloppy heel stretch is not even considered a heel stretch. Make sure that the leg you are standing on remains straight at all times. With your hips facing forward, lift your straight leg on a diagonal. Do not let your leg drift out to your side or point straight ahead.
With your fingers together and arm straight, cup your hand and rest your heel soundly in the cupped part of your hand. Cupping your heel like this will force your toe into a pointed position. Use this form when practicing on the ground so your body can memorize what the position feels like before you are up on the top of a stunt.
Safe Execution
Use of progressions is key to safe stunting. An extended heel stretch must be done in proper progression. Before even attempting it, have mastery of an extended liberty (a basic one-foot stunt). Follow the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches & Administrators' safety regulations with regards to extended stunts. Finally, always use spotters when attempting any new stunt.
