Bellenae Balancer two-foot spring balance board with royal blue mats on gold springs over a clear acrylic base

Cheer Training Equipment for Home: A Setup Guide for Flyers, Bases and Tumblers

Written by: Bellenae

Published on October 29, 2026

Time to read 13 min

The cheer training equipment worth having at home is short and depends on the role: a stretch strap and a single-foot balance board for flyers, resistance bands and a two-foot board for bases and back spots, and a firm mat, a jump rope and a foam roller for tumblers. Stunts and tumbling passes stay at the gym, with a coach and proper matting.

This guide is for families setting up a corner of the house before competition season. It covers what each piece is for, how much floor it takes, what to skip, and when a balance board is worth the money. We make spring balance boards, so we will say plainly where one fits and where it does not.

The Short Answer

Every cheerleader: a firm exercise mat, a jump rope, a foam roller and a clear patch of flat floor near a wall.
Flyers: add a stretch strap, then a single-foot spring board for standing-leg control in liberty, heel stretch and arabesque shapes.
Bases and back spots: add loop bands and long bands, then a two-foot spring board for stance holds and squats.
Tumblers: the basics cover it. Flexibility, conditioning and landing holds at home; tumbling itself at the gym.
Leave at the gym: stunting, tumbling passes and anything that puts an athlete in the air.

Home Cheer Equipment at a Glance

Equipment	Best for	Space	Spend
Firm exercise mat	Everyone: core, stretching	Rolls up	Low
Jump rope	Everyone: conditioning, light feet	Driveway or garage	Low
Foam roller	Everyone: after practice	A shelf	Low
Stretch strap with loops	Flyers, tumblers	Fits in a bag	Low
Loop bands + long bands	Bases, back spots	Fits in a bag	Low
Folding panel mat	Tumblers: conditioning, not passes	A strip of floor	Medium
Single-foot spring board	Flyers training most days	Fits in a bag	Higher
Two-foot spring board	Bases, back spots, shared homes	A clear patch of floor	Higher

"Low" means a small spend most families can cover in one trip to a sports store. Prices on third-party gear vary a lot, so we have kept to broad bands.

Everything above is about the work around cheer skills: flexibility, strength, balance, conditioning and recovery. None of it replaces a stunt group or a coach; the next section explains why.

On balance boards, the honest version is in the role sections below. Most cheerleaders do not need one to start. A board makes sense for an athlete who trains several days a week and has a specific balance job to work on. For a flyer, that is usually the single-foot Bellenae Mini, because nearly every flyer shape is held on one foot.

For Competitive Cheerleaders

For a flyer who trains most days. The Bellenae Mini is a single-foot spring board, so the standing ankle keeps working through liberty, heel stretch and arabesque shapes at floor level, with no base underneath. The 10" fits in a bag.

See the Bellenae Mini →

First, What Stays at the Gym

A home setup works best when everyone agrees on its limits before the first session. The American Academy of Pediatrics says cheer stunts, skills and events should never take place on concrete, asphalt, dirt or vinyl floors, or on surfaces that are wet or uneven. It also says spotters should always be present to steady athletes during flying moves and dismounts, and that coaches should be trained and certified in spotting.

In its 2024 policy update, the AAP adds that practices should only be held at facilities that follow safety rules from groups such as USA Cheer, the NFHS or the US All Star Federation. A garage, a basement or a back lawn is not that.

So the home rules are simple:

No stunting at home. Not a quick prep, not a liberty with a sibling as a base. Stunts need a full group, a spotter and a coach.
No tumbling passes at home. The USASF rules define tumbling as any hip-over-head skill not supported by a base. Those belong on a sprung floor or proper matting with a coach watching.
Home is for the work around the skill. Stretching, strength, balance on the floor, conditioning and recovery. That is where home gear earns its place.

Set Up the Space Before You Buy

Pick the spot first. Most cheer families end up with a bedroom floor, a corner of the basement or a cleared strip in the family room. What matters is a flat, non-slippery floor, a wall or a sturdy chair within reach, and enough room to lie down fully stretched without kicking furniture.

Check the ceiling too. Arms go overhead in nearly every cheer motion, and a jump with arms up needs more height than most basements have. If it is low, keep jumps to the driveway or the gym.

Three small things decide whether the corner gets used:

Keep it set up. A mat that stays down and bands on a hook get used. A bin in a closet does not.
Add a mirror if you can. Flyers and tumblers check shapes constantly. A long mirror on the wall makes ten minutes of stretching far more useful.
Agree on time. Ten to fifteen minutes on practice-free days is plenty. Short and regular beats a long Sunday session nobody wants to repeat.

Equipment for Flyers

The US All Star Federation rules define the flyer (the "top person") as the athlete supported above the performance surface in a stunt, pyramid or toss. In a liberty, for example, the bases hold one of the flyer's feet while the other foot sits next to the knee. Whatever the shape, the standing foot and ankle have to stay quiet while the rest of the body is extended. Home equipment for a flyer should train exactly that, plus the flexibility the shapes need.

A stretch strap. Heel stretches, arabesques and scorpions all need flexibility, and most flyers stretch daily anyway. A strap with loops along its length lets them work the same lines on the floor with support and shorten the reach as they improve. It is the first thing to buy.

A single-foot spring board. This trains the standing-leg job directly, at floor level, with no one underneath. The platform keeps moving under the foot, so the ankle makes small corrections the whole time, the way it does at the top of a stunt. Hold a liberty shape on the board with a hand on the wall, then fingertips, then no hand. Step off and do the same shape on the floor. Our balance board drills for flyers have the full progression.

Three Bellenae Mini single-foot spring balance boards in lilac, grey and pink on a white marble background

The Mini in three mat colours. One foot, one small platform, and the ankle does the work.

The Mini comes in two sizes. The 10" suits smaller feet and younger athletes and fits in a bag. The 12" gives more platform for larger feet and harder single-foot work. Both have three professional-grade springs between crystal-clear acrylic platforms and a non-slip yoga-mat surface.

Who should skip a board for now: a flyer who cannot yet hold a steady liberty shape on the floor for 30 seconds, a flyer on a recreational team who practises once a week, and anyone recovering from an ankle injury without a physio's go-ahead. A stretch strap and floor balance work come first.

Equipment for Tumblers

A balance board does not teach tumbling, and nothing bought for home should replace coached tumbling on proper matting. The USASF rules split tumbling into standing tumbling (from a standing position, no forward momentum) and running tumbling (a step or hurdle first). Both stay at the gym.

What a home setup can do for a tumbler is support the work around the passes:

A folding panel mat. For stretching, core work, bridges and handstand holds against a wall. Not for flips. A folding mat on a basement floor is not a tumbling surface, and calling it one invites trouble.
A jump rope. Calf and ankle endurance, light feet, conditioning. Use it in the driveway or on the garage floor.
A foam roller and a massage ball. Calves, feet, quads and upper back after long tumbling days. Recovery tools, not a fix for pain. Pain is a job for a physio.

If the tumbler also stunts, buy for the stunting role first. A base who tumbles needs bands before a panel mat; a flyer who tumbles needs a strap before either.

Equipment for Bases and Back Spots

The USASF rules define a base as the athlete who holds, lifts or tosses the top person while staying in direct contact with the performing surface. The back spot stands behind the stunt, and a spotter's job is protecting the flyer's head, neck, back and shoulders. Both jobs start from a stable two-foot stance under a moving load, with legs, hips, core and shoulders working together. That is what their home gear should build.

Loop bands and long bands. Small loop bands for hips and glutes (lateral walks, glute bridges, clamshells), and a couple of long bands for shoulder presses and pulls. A set with several resistance levels lets them move up without buying again. This is the most useful low-cost item for a base.

A two-foot spring board. Stance holds, slow half squats and overhead-arm holds on a platform that keeps moving. The knees have to track over the toes rather than cave in, which is the habit a base wants under a flyer. The Bellenae Balancer is our two-foot board, with three professional-grade springs under two platforms.

Bellenae Balancer two-foot spring board with royal blue mats and matching blue resistance bands on a white marble background

The Balancer with the resistance band add-on, for stance holds and band work in one corner.

A simple routine for a base: feet in their stunting stance, knees soft, hold for 30 seconds. Then slow half squats with the chest up. Then a hold with both arms pressed overhead. Three rounds is enough. For a back spot, add a tennis ball thrown against a wall and caught one-handed for quick hands.

For Bases and Back Spots

A base's job starts with a steady two-foot stance under a moving load. The Bellenae Balancer trains that with stance holds, half squats and overhead holds on three professional-grade springs, and flips over into a raised flat platform. Also the board to pick when a flyer and a base share one. Not for a newer athlete still learning a solid stance on the floor.

See the Bellenae Balancer →

Who should skip the board: a base still learning a solid stance on the floor, and any athlete with a back or knee problem until a physio has cleared balance work. Bands and floor squats come first. In a home with a flyer and a base, the Balancer is often the shared board, since a flyer can still do two-foot work on it.

What to Skip, or Ask the Coach First

Some popular cheer gear does more good at the gym than at home:

Stunt stands. Static raised platforms that let a flyer rehearse body position. Many gyms already have one. If you are thinking about one for home, ask the coach first and use it only the way the coach sets out.
Inflatable tumbling tracks and backyard trampolines. Fine as a coached tool, a poor substitute for one. Most of their value comes with a coach's progression behind them.
Heavy weights without a coach. Bands and body weight cover most home strength work for young athletes. Barbell training belongs with a qualified coach.
Forced-stretching gadgets. Anything that cranks a split further than the athlete can control. Flexibility a flyer cannot hold on one foot is not much use in a stunt.
Team-specific clothing and shoes. Many teams set exact rules for shoes, practice wear and bows, so check before buying.

Through the Season: What to Buy When

Before competitions start. Set up the space and buy the basics: mat, jump rope, foam roller, plus the strap or bands for the role. This is the time to build habits, when practice is less intense and there is room for an extra ten minutes at home.

Once competitions are on. Keep home sessions short and light. Recovery matters more than extra work, so the foam roller and stretching carry most of it. A balance board fits here as a 10-minute warm-up for an athlete who already uses one, not as something new to learn the week of a competition.

After an injury. Follow the physio's plan, not this list. If balance work is part of that plan, which drills and when is their call. The AAP also says athletes with a concussion or other serious injury should not go back to cheer until a medical professional has cleared them.

What to Buy, by Budget

Bellenae Mini single-foot spring balance board with a pink mat on gold springs over a clear acrylic base, on white marble

A single-foot board takes no more floor than a pair of shoes.

Almost nothing. A towel as a stretch strap, a wall to balance against, body-weight squats and planks. That covers a surprising amount of a home routine.

A small spend. A firm mat, a jump rope, a foam roller, plus a stretch strap for a flyer or a band set for a base. This is the full kit for most cheerleaders.

A medium spend. A folding panel mat for a tumbler who does a lot of floor conditioning, and a long mirror for the corner.

A bigger spend. A spring balance board, for an athlete on a competitive team who trains most days and has shown they will do ten minutes on their own. Bellenae boards run from $219 CAD, and every one is handmade to order in Ontario and ships in 3–9 business days. You can see the range in our Bellenae balance boards collection, and our balance board guide for cheerleaders compares the options board by board.

Buying for a Cheerleader Who Isn't Yours?

Grandparents, aunts and uncles often ask what a cheerleader would actually use. Low-risk picks are a stretch strap, a band set or a good jump rope. For anything bigger, ask the parents about space and the athlete's role first. If you are not sure which board, a Bellenae gift card lets the family choose. Handcrafted in Canada by five sisters who danced their entire lives. The boards were built for dancers first; cheerleaders use them for the same reason, which is balance on one foot under pressure.

Where to Start This Week

Clear a patch of floor near a wall, lay down a mat and leave it there. Add the one item that matches the role: a strap for a flyer, bands for a base, a jump rope for a tumbler. Keep stunts and tumbling at the gym, where the coach, the spotters and the floor are.

A balance board earns its place once an athlete trains most days and has a clear balance job to work on. For a flyer, that usually means the single-foot Mini. For a base, or a home where a flyer and a base share, the two-foot Balancer. For a newer or recreational cheerleader, it means waiting a season and spending the money on the basics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What cheer training equipment do you need at home?

Less than most families expect. A firm exercise mat, a jump rope, a foam roller and a clear patch of flat floor near a wall cover every cheerleader. Then add one item for the role: a stretch strap for a flyer, loop and long resistance bands for a base or back spot, and a folding mat for a tumbler's floor conditioning. A spring balance board is a later step, for an athlete who trains most days. Stunts and tumbling passes stay at the gym.

Can cheerleaders practise stunts at home?

No. The American Academy of Pediatrics says cheer stunts and skills should never take place on concrete, asphalt, dirt, vinyl or wet or uneven floors, and that spotters should always be present during flying moves and dismounts, with coaches trained in spotting. A home has neither the surface nor the spotters. What a flyer can do at home is the work around the stunt: flexibility with a strap, and single-leg balance on the floor or on a balance board, holding the same shapes at floor level.

Is a balance board good for cheerleaders?

For a competitive cheerleader who trains several days a week, yes. A single-foot spring board trains the standing ankle a flyer relies on in a liberty, heel stretch or arabesque. A two-foot board trains the stance a base holds under a flyer. It adds to practice and does not replace stunting with a group. For a recreational cheerleader, or one who cannot yet hold a steady shape on the floor, a stretch strap, bands and floor balance work come first.

Which Bellenae board is best for a flyer, and which for a base?

For most flyers, the Bellenae Mini: a single-foot spring board in 10" (smaller feet, fits in a bag) or 12" (larger feet). For most bases and back spots, the Bellenae Balancer: a two-foot spring board that also flips over into a raised flat platform. In a home where a flyer and a base share one board, the Balancer covers the most work. Both have three professional-grade springs, support up to 500 lbs and can take the resistance band add-on.

Is a stunt stand worth buying for home?

Usually not without the coach's say-so. A stunt stand is a static raised platform that lets a flyer rehearse body position without a stunt group. Many gyms already have one, and it teaches shape rather than balance. If the coach says the flyer's shapes are fine but they wobble once they are up, floor-level single-leg balance work is the closer match. If you do buy a stand, use it only the way the coach sets out.