Quick answer: a T motion is a position in which both arms extend straight out to the sides at shoulder height, forming the shape of the letter T with the body.
What Does It Look Like?
Both arms are fully straight and level with the shoulders, making one continuous horizontal line across the body. On the clock face coaches often use, the arms point to "three o'clock and nine o'clock." The arms sit slightly in front of the shoulders rather than pulled back behind them.
Hands and Arms
The fists are tight, thumbs wrapped over the outside of the fingers, and the wrists are straight so the line from shoulder to fist doesn't dip or bend. Elbows are locked. The shoulders stay down - lifting them makes the arms look higher than they are.
Common Mistakes Judges Notice
- Arms drooping below shoulder height, especially when the position is held for several counts.
- Arms too high, drifting towards a high V.
- Arms pulled back behind the body.
- Bent elbows or wrists, breaking the straight line.
- Different heights across the team - because a T is a flat horizontal line, even small differences are obvious when a row of athletes holds it together.
Where It Fits in a Routine
The T is used throughout chants, dances and transitions. It's also one of the most useful reference positions in practice: because it should be perfectly level, coaches often use it to check that every athlete's arm height and angles match.
Variations
- Broken T - the elbows stay at shoulder height but bend so the fists come in to the shoulders.
- One-arm combinations - a T on one side paired with a different position on the other, such as a fist on the hip. Names for these vary between gyms.
Easily Confused With
- High V and low V - the same straight arms, but angled up or down instead of level.
- Buckets - also at shoulder height, but with the arms reaching forward instead of out to the sides.
Parent Questions
Why does a T look so different between teams? Usually because of the details - arm height, whether the arms sit slightly forward, and how tight the fists are. Top teams look "clean" largely because those details match on every athlete.
Related Motions
See the broken T, high V and low V, or browse the full motion chart.