Quick answer: a stunt is one stunt group lifting a flyer on its own. A pyramid connects two or more stunts together - usually by the flyers holding hands or bracing each other - into one larger structure. In the USASF rulebook's own words, a pyramid is simply "two or more connected stunts."
| Stunt | Pyramid | |
|---|---|---|
| Official definition (USASF) | A flyer supported above the floor by one or more people | Two or more connected stunts |
| Structure | One stunt group working independently | Several stunt groups physically connected |
| Connections | None | Hand or arm holds, braces between flyers, transitions between groups |
| Timing demand | Within one group | Across every connected group |
| Maximum height (USASF) | Extended (from Level 2) | Two people high at Levels 1-6; 2½ high at Level 7 |
The Core Difference
Every pyramid is built from individual stunts, but not every stunt is part of a pyramid. Several stunt groups standing side by side doing the same stunt are still separate stunts. Once the flyers are physically connected - holding hands, linking arms or bracing one another - those stunts become a pyramid.
How the Rules Treat Them
Because connected flyers can support and stabilise each other, the rules allow some positions in pyramids that wouldn't be allowed as free-standing stunts at the same level - but only with the right connection. For example, under USASF rules:
- at Level 1, an extended two-leg stunt is allowed in a pyramid if it's braced by a prep-level flyer through a hand or arm connection, even though Level 1 doesn't allow free-standing extensions;
- at Level 2, an extended single-leg stunt is allowed in a pyramid when braced by a prep-level flyer.
Pyramids at Levels 1 to 6 can be up to two people high. Level 7 allows pyramids 2½ people high (a flyer standing on another flyer's shoulders), with dedicated spotters.
Why the Distinction Matters
A single stunt depends only on its own stunt group. A pyramid depends on every connected group staying synchronised: a wobble in one group can pull on the stunts connected to it. When pyramids go well, they're one of the most impressive parts of a routine; when they go wrong, the effect can spread across several groups.
How They're Judged Differently
Most score sheets score stunts and pyramids as separate categories. Stunts are judged on the difficulty and execution of what each group performs. Pyramids are also judged on the connections, transitions between positions and how the whole structure moves together - often building up to a big final position.
Related Skills
See Pyramid, Brace and Extension, one of the most common pyramid building blocks.