How To: Do blades and fists hand formations for cheerleading

Cheering is all about the right moves. Cheer along with Coach Lauren as she shows you the basic hand motions used in almost any cheer! Follow along in this cheerleading how-to video and learn how to do blades and fists hand formations.

Instructions:
1. A blade is when your fingers look like they are glued together in a point. Your hands are straight and stiff as boards. Keeping your fingers tightly together like this instead of loose and sloppy makes your cheer more dramatic and gives you a nice clean line.
2. A fist is when you crunch your hands up in a ball like you're holding a candlestick. Don't bend your fist. Keep it straight. It packs a real punch into your cheer!
3. Try them in a cheer, "Rip 'em up, tear 'em up." First learn the words Rip 'em up Tear 'em up Let's go blue!
4. Now try the moves Start the cheer by putting your hands on your hips and your feet about a foot apart.
5. For "Rip 'em up, tear 'em up" Put your hands in blade formation and clap on "rip" and "tear." Remember to clap stiff, like you're squashing a bug!
6. For "Lets" Take a step back on your right foot and put your left hand on your hip. Put your right hand in a half low V. Both hands should be in blade formation.
7. For "Go" Switch your hand positions and put your right hand on your hip with your left hand in a high half V.
8. For "Blue" Bring both feet together and bring your arms up in a high V.
9. You can end your cheer a few different ways: You can jump up and down and hold your finger in a #1 sign. You can make spirit fingers. (Palms facing the crowd with fingers straight while you wiggle your fingers.) Or you can do a jump. Extra! The fists twistWatch the video to learn how to add fists into this routine.