How To Do an Arabesque

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*DISCLAIMER: Please consult an instructor or medical professional before attempting any exercise routine.*

Stand upright with the chin up, arms on the sides, and legs together.
With your weight balanced on one leg – specifically on the inside of the foot, pull the other leg backward, straight up as far as you can, without dropping your chest but rather allowing the back to arch naturally.
Keep your arms straight out to the sides and in line with your shoulders.
(Your body should appear like the letter T from the front) For safety reasons, the arabesque should be practiced and perfected on the ground before it is attempting in the air.

Back: Need this for both pulling your leg up, as well as not bending forward when you pull the position.

Legs: If you can do the splits while keeping your hips square or keeping your hips facing the front.

Arms: No flexibility required.

Step 1: Do not drop your chest.

Step 2: Pull your free leg straight back and up as far as you can without dropping your chest.

Step 3: Keep your arms straight out to the sides and in line with your shoulders.
(Your body should look like the letter T from the front)

Mistake #1: Flyers tend to bend at their waist and drop their chest, making their stunt fall forward.

Mistake #2: Flyers tend to bring their leg up and to the side instead of straight back, making their weight fall backwards in the stunt.

Mistake #3: Flyers arms are not being held straight out to the side and are either too high or too low.

The arabesque is a cheerleading posture where the body is supported on one leg while the other leg is extended horizontally backward with the arms in a T position.
Pulling the arabesque may be quite complicated and demand a comprehensive understanding of basic cheerleading motions and techniques.
Also, to be able to do the arabesque cheerleading stunt, one must possess a balanced center, strength, with back and leg flexibility.

To improve flexibility; balance; body control; and endurance; which are all essential in pulling an arabesque, the following stretches are recommended.
Back flexibility is needed for pulling the leg up, as well as for not bending forward when you pull the position.
If you can do the splits while keeping your hips square or keeping your hips facing the front then your legs should be flexible enough.
Stretch your back and your front splits beforehand.
You can do Sphinx stretch for your back and front splits for your hip flexors to loosen up your muscles.

Flyers tend to bend at their waist and drop their chest, making their stunt fall forward.
Flyers also tend to bring their leg up and to the side instead of straight back, making their weight fall backward in the stunt.
Flyers arms are not being held straight out to the side and are either too high or too low.

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