To be a successful cheerleader, it is important to develop mastery of cheerleading terminology. Keeping all of the names and definitions straight might be confusing at first. One good way to conquer this challenge is to keep a cheerleading notebook in which you list all of the terms and their definitions. Refer back to this list to brush up on your terminology. As you progress, continue adding new terms.
Chants
Chants are performed on the sidelines during a game. They typically are shorter and repeated three or more times. Chants can be all-purpose, such as "Go Fight Win!" or specific to offense or defense, like "Score, Score, Score, Two Points More" or "De-fense, De-fense!" Make sure to keep your chants simple, as the goal of chants is to get your crowd to yell the entire chant with you. Make the words understandable and do not use too many motions. Feel free to use signs to cue your crowd what and when to yell.
Cheers
Cheers are longer and more intricate and typically performed during a break in the game, such as during timeouts, between quarters or at halftime. A cheer can incorporate jumps, tumbling, stunting and signs, and has a set formation related to the stunts that are incorporated. Cheers typically do not apply to a specific part of the game, such as offense of defense. Your crowd will not necessarily be able to shout along with all of a cheer, since you will repeat the entire thing only once, but you should have certain parts in which the crowd yells, too. Cue it with signs or by repeating the parts onlookers should yell.
Toe Touch
The toe touch is a position in cheerleading that you must master. It is a straddle position in which your knees point to the ceiling as if you were sitting on the ground, and is used in jumps and stunting. Your legs should be widespread and straight. Your toes always should be pointed. In a toe touch position, you extend your arms in a "T" motion, straight out from your shoulders and parallel to the ground. Do not reach for your toes, but instead bring your legs up to meet your arms if you can.
Liberty
The liberty is a stunting position. Mastering a liberty is for advanced cheerleaders, but even beginners can benefit from practicing the balance and form required while standing firmly on the ground. Stand with your weight supported on one leg. Bend the other leg, lifting the foot off the ground. Keep the foot of your free leg near, but not necessarily touching, the knee of your standing leg. The thigh of your free leg should be parallel to the ground. Pull your abdominal muscles in tight and squeeze the muscles of your butt to help you balance. Keep you arms in a high "V" motion above your head.
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