What Is a Brace in Cheerleading?

Quick answer: a brace is extra support provided to a stunt by a neighbouring stunt group within a pyramid - often a hand, arm or shoulder connection - that adds stability beyond what that stunt's own bases and back spot provide alone.

What Does It Look Like?

Rather than a stunt group supporting its flyer entirely on its own, a braced stunt receives an additional point of contact from a neighbouring flyer - typically a hand or arm connection between the two flyers - allowing a more difficult position to be held safely within the wider pyramid.

Who Is Involved?

Bracing involves multiple full stunt groups working together - the flyer, bases and back spot of the braced stunt, plus the flyer of a neighbouring group providing the brace connection.

Where It Fits in a Routine

Braced skills are, by definition, only possible within a pyramid or other multi-stunt formation, since they rely on the extra support only a connected structure can provide.

How the Term Is Used

"Brace" and "braced skill" describe any position that depends on this kind of extra, cross-group support to be performed safely, distinguishing it from a stunt a single group could hold independently.

Related Skills

Bracing is one of the core techniques that makes advanced pyramids possible, often used alongside release moves and inversions in higher-level pyramid work.

Level / Division Context

Bracing is part of pyramids from the very first level - under the USASF All Star rules (2026–27), even Level 1 pyramids can include an extended two-leg stunt connected to a prep-level bracer by a hand/arm connection. What changes as levels rise is what can be braced: extended single-leg stunts connected to a bracer from Level 2, and braced flips and inversions at higher levels.

What Judges Look For Conceptually

Judges are generally looking for stable, well-timed connections between groups, no visible strain or instability at the brace point, and clean technique in both the supported stunt and the group providing support.