Quick answer: a waist-level stunt is a two-leg stunt position in which the flyer is held lower than a prep, roughly between waist and chest height - often used as a foundational or beginner stunt and as a step within a longer stunt sequence.
A Note on Naming
This position is sometimes called a "half" or "half-up" informally at some gyms - but several official governing-body glossaries instead use "half" as a synonym for prep (shoulder height), not this lower position. Because the same word points to two different heights depending on who's using it, this site uses "waist level," which is the more precise, less ambiguous name. If your coach says "half," it's worth confirming which height they mean.
What Does It Look Like?
At waist level, the bases hold the flyer at a lower height than a prep, with less arm extension. The flyer typically stands on both feet, balanced and controlled, close enough to the ground that a dismount is short and simple.
Who Is Involved?
A waist-level stunt is built by a stunt group - a flyer, two bases and often a back spot, depending on the team's level and the stunt's context.
Where It Fits in a Routine
Waist-level stunts commonly appear as an early stunt for less experienced teams, and as a transitional position within longer stunt sequences at any level - for example, briefly passing through waist level on the way up to a higher position.
How the Term Is Used
"Waist level" describes the height category itself, distinguishing it from a full prep or extension. See "A Note on Naming" above for why this site avoids calling it a "half."
Related Skills
Waist level sits below the prep in the general height progression, and is often the first two-leg stunt position newer athletes learn before progressing to a prep.
Level / Division Context
Under the USASF All Star rules (2026–27), waist-level stunts - including waist-level single-leg stunts - are allowed from Level 1, making them among the first stunts teams learn. They remain a useful lower-risk building block even as teams progress to higher levels.
What Judges Look For Conceptually
Judges are generally looking for the same fundamentals as any stunt - a controlled load-in, a stable and level position, and a clean, controlled dismount.
| Waist Level | Prep | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flyer height | Roughly chest to waist height | Shoulder height | Above the bases' heads |
| Typical use | Beginner stunt, transition point | Foundational stunt | Higher stunt |
Cheer stunts and tumbling should be learned with qualified supervision, appropriate equipment and proper progressions. This site explains terminology and concepts; it is not a substitute for coaching.
Checked against: USASF All Star Cheer Rules and Cheer Age Grid, 2026–27 (updated 18 May 2026) on 15 October 2026