What Is a Liberty in Cheerleading?

Quick answer: a liberty is a single-leg stunt position in which the flyer stands on one foot, with the other leg bent and the free foot held at or near the knee. It's usually the first single-leg position athletes learn.

What Does It Look Like?

The flyer balances on one leg, supported by a single base holding that foot, while the other leg is bent with the foot tucked near the standing knee. The position can be held at prep height or at full extension height, and is often used as a base for further single-leg skills.

Who Is Involved?

A liberty is built by a stunt group - a flyer, typically one main base supporting the standing foot, a second base assisting, and a back spot supporting from behind.

Where It Fits in a Routine

Libertys commonly appear as a stand-alone stunt, as part of a transition sequence, or as the entry position before moving into more advanced single-leg positions such as a heel stretch or scorpion.

How the Term Is Used

"Liberty" refers specifically to the bent-leg, foot-at-the-knee position. It's sometimes shortened informally to "lib" in gyms and on teams.

Related Skills

The liberty is closely related to other single-leg positions such as the heel stretch and scorpion, and is typically built from a prep or extension.

Level / Division Context

Under the USASF All Star rules (2026–27), a prep-level liberty is allowed from Level 2 (at Level 1, only with an extra base keeping a hand/arm connection to the flyer), and an extended liberty is allowed from Level 3. The move from prep-level to extended libertys is one of the clearest stunt differences between Level 2 and Level 3.

What Judges Look For Conceptually

Judges are generally looking for a controlled transition into the position, a stable single-leg base, correct leg and foot placement, and control held for a clear moment rather than a brief, unstable touch.