Q&A for How to Do a Scorpion in Cheerleading

Once you've got a scorpion sorted, you only have to pull your leg up straight and tilt your head back to get the needle. But don't try this if you have not stretched or you aren't supervised by teammates or coaches.

Continue to stretch to build your flexibility and complete the scorpion.

Yes, definitely. Search videos on YouTube on flying basics, and keep practicing every day. Also, remember to stretch to get those leg positions!

Lean up against a wall and do it 7 to 10 times, and then try to do it without the wall.

No, you have to work hard every day and get very flexible. Unless you are already very flexible, then possibly.

You may be flexible enough to do a scorpion without your splits, but you can't achieve your needle, especially when you haven't gotten your splits.

Use the arm that feels best, and go as far as you can without hurting yourself. If you still can't get your leg, try to raise your leg higher.

Technically no, but doing the front split will help stretch your leg muscles and prepare you for the scorpion. Many cheerleaders find that it is difficult to perform the scorpion with doing the front split first.

Use whatever leg you feel comfortable using.

Everyday you have to stretch. You can have another person push you down to where you feel comfortable. If they push you down too much then you could injure yourself. You could also try a gymnastics class.

Use whichever leg feels most comfortable. If they're equally comfortable, that's rare, but it simply means it doesn't matter for you.

To get a scorpion, it took me many weeks and a lot of stretching and practice.

Stretch often: hang from pull-up bars to stretch your spinal cord is especially helpful. You can also try curling over into the scorpion and easing your back into it.

You just have to practice every day to get your leg to go higher, because the more you practice, the better you will get at it.

Use more leg power to stretch it back behind you. If that doesn't work then keep stretching your back muscles and increase flexibility.

Ask a friend to help you by holding your shoulder to help you balance. You can also try leaning your leg against something, like a wall. Eventually you'll be able to do it unassisted.

Stretch more, and work on leg strength and your scales. Just keep practicing, you'll get it.

Try to hold your foot a different way. If you cannot sit in a right, left, and middle split, though, you will not be able to do this.

You need to be able to sit in your right, left and middle splits. Then, you should be able to do a heel stretch to be able to do a scorpion.

It's really important to stretch your back and you also need to have strength in your arms to hold it there. Maybe work on straightening it and making it a needle. I also recommend stretching your shoulders. It's all in your back flexibility.

Keep practicing as much as possible, do other stretches that help you with flexibility, and you can work your way up to being able to do a scorpion eventually.

If you do them on a hardwood floor, both of your legs should be on the same one to get your hips aligned. A lot of girls at my dance studio have flat splits but they are not square at all. Also, practice twisting in your splits. For example, In your right splits, twist toward your right leg.

There are various ways to grab your foot while cheerleading. You can thrust your leg back behind you and quickly grab your foot with your two hands. This requires good balance, so if you aren't good at coordination, this isn't recommended. You can also bring your leg to your side, grab your foot with your hand, bring it over your head and hold it with your other hand.

You can practice splits, and the most important parts to stretch are your legs, your back, and your arms.

No, you do not need to.

I would practice stretching your hands and wrists every day to improve their flexibility.

Practice with a friend who can hold your hand, or next to a wall. If you start to fall over, you can just hold the wall.

That depends. You should probably learn how to do a proper split with the leg that is forming the scorpion. You don't exactly need your middle split to do a scorpion, although it is very helpful and will make things easier when attempting the scorpion pose.

Yes, but in cheer, you pull it in the air. You go up on one leg and pull the scorpion.

It depends on your physical level and your effort. It will take 2 weeks at minimum, but for many people it will take longer.