So you’re hot, hip, and one of the trendiest performers out there, you’re a cheerleader! If you answered yes to this then the first step is already achieved, now let’s get down to the nitty gritty of the situation. One thing to remember about that lean, mean, cheerleading machine of yours, is that you have to maintain your core strength in order to keep your performance as smooth and flawless as possible. What is core strength, you might ask? Core strength is the overall stamina of your inner torsos’ muscles, and helps to maintain good posture, a tight and toned abdomen and back, and also regulates the strength of your limbs. You can achieve this with core conditioning, or, a regular exercise routine geared toward your core muscles. Without a toned and maintained core, your overall performance will be lacking due to less control over your muscles and less stamina after a peak cheerleading performance. Let’s go over the major areas a cheerleader is affected by core conditioning: 1st the Rectus Abdominis, these muscles are the front muscles of your abdomen, sometimes referred to as a “six pack”, that is, if you are one of those “ripped” hotties that has achieved that look in your cheerleading uniform. Next there is the Erector Spinae; these are three separate muscles that support from your neck down to your lower back. Underneath that lies the Multifidus, these muscles are along your spine and they rotate and extend your back. Ever hear of the term “flexible as a cat”? You do not want to let these dandies stiffen up! Along the sides and the front of your abdomen are the External Oblique’s, and beneath them, but running in the opposite direction, are the Internal Oblique’s. Deeper still is the Transverse Abdominis, these are beneath the other abdominals and are the muscles of your waist, they ensure protection and stability of your spine. Moving on to the lower regions we find the Hip Flexors, these include several different muscles that are located in front of your pelvis and on the fronts of your thighs. They allow for that awesome cheerleading swing and sway you have that you know gets you noticed! Gluteus medius and minimus are the muscles on the sides of your hips and the Gluteus maximus, also referred to as the hamstring group, is located in the back of your hips and along your upper thighs and legs. Lastly we have the Hip adductors that are along your mid thigh. Now that we know which muscles make up your core, and where they are found, let’s talk shop about how you can strengthen and maintain these core cheerleading muscles. There are many exercises that can help you to reach that goal, here are a few to get you on your way to performing like a star and looking great in that cheerleading uniform: 1st: a tight and toned abdomen can be strengthened with the use of an exercise ball while doing crunches. Lean across the ball on your lower back with your feet planted squarely on the floor for support. Next cross your arms over your chest to help maintain balance. Slowly raise your head, neck, and shoulders upward using your abdomen muscles to pull yourself forward, then slowly lower yourself back. Repeat this movement for 5 reps of 10. 2nd: How about some fun? A great way to help strengthen your core is with balance exercising. With balancing you can use such devices as a wobble board, a BOSU Balance Trainer, or even foam rollers. Trying to keep balanced for as long as you can helps to tone and strengthen your deeper core muscles (Transverse Abdominis), try at least 5 reps of balancing for at least 30 seconds each time. You should increase the difficulty after each rep with the addition of a medicine ball (switching from hand to hand), or closing your eyes. This exercise can be a lot of fun with a partner. 3rd: Who says that it has to be difficult or extravagant to be effective? Come on Cheerleaders, try these little numbers on for size, abdominal braces are not only easy, but they create results! This is actually one of the main techniques to use during core training. All you have to do is contract your abdominal muscles. Imagine you are pulling your belly button in toward your spine, not by sucking in air of course, don’t hold your breath, but by tightening your muscles to achieve this bracing effect. Hold your muscles tight for as long as you can, trying to increase your times with each rep. Remember you should be able to breathe easily during this routine for the best effects. 4th: Another tried and true method for an overall core strengthening workout is the basic push up. That’s right squads, these dandy’s aren’t just for soldiers, doing pushups properly can effectively help to create and maintain a fit and healthy core. Pushups 101: lie down on your belly, with your hands on the floor a little wider apart than your shoulders, raise up onto your toes, keeping your body straight (no butts in the air). Push yourself upward with your arms and tighten your core muscles as you do this, raise yourself upward until your arms are straight but do not lock your elbows. Now lower yourself until your elbows are in a 90 degree angle, repeating this process for as many reps as you are able to. Exhale as you rise up, and inhale while you lower yourself. Remember to keep your core muscles tight throughout this routine. Keeping your body fit is an important task that you should take seriously if you want to be a successful Cheerleader, of course too much work and not enough play can really bum you out, so be sure to make your work out as fun as possible! Group cheerleading routines have lots of potential to get downright silly, dancing is great for those core muscles and can also keep your cheer routines new and exciting, so liven it up and have a blast!
It’s very important to learn the basics to entering a jump like it’s second nature. You’ll be using this every time you want to pump up the crowd, end a cheer or even in the middle of a dance routine. Here is a quick recap if you missed that post,
“How To Do A Basic Jump Entry”.Basic Jump Entry
- Step 1: Start your jump entry with your feet together, your arms straight down on your side and your hands in fists.
- Step 2: Clap your hands and then put your arms into a high V position.
- Step 3: At the same time, bend your knees and cross your arms downward into an “X” position in front of your knees.
- Step 4: As you are continuing to swing your arm motion back out and up into a “T” or a “V” (depending on the final position you are executing), jump!
- Step 5: Upon landing from your jump, bend your knees slightly to absorb any shock and put your arms straight and down by your side with your hands in fists, much like step one.
- Step 6: Straighten your knees and clap for the finishing touch.
*While executing these each of these steps, make sure they are down quickly and consecutively of each other. It is supposed to look like one continual motion.
How to do a Toe Touch
Toe touches are one of the most popular and often executed jumps in cheerleading. From behind the scenes at tryouts to in front of the cameras at national and world wide competitions, chances are you’ll see this jump at least once in any of these scenarios. Toe touches are easy to perform as long as you are flexible and have great core strength. From step 4 in the above jump entry instructions, swing you arms into a “T” while bringing your legs parallel to the ground in a “V” position.Toe Touch Tips
A couple of tips to remember while performing toe touches are to use your stomach muscles and pull your legs up towards your chest (leaning forward towards your toes will stunt the height of your jump so don’t do it). Also remember to thoroughly warm up and stretch before executing this jump.A basic extension is an intermediate stunt in cheerleading that is most often used as the entry into more complex stunts, such as scorpions, bow and arrows and basket tosses. The basic extension is one of the most popular moves for cheerleading, and a staple for stunting teams.
Though a basic move, the extension still requires strength, agility, skill and
trust among squad members. This move should only be performed under proper, trained supervision to ensure the safety of everyone.Set-Up
Stunt Groups: 1
Spotter: At least 1
Bases: 2
Flyer: 1
Level: IntermediateThough the extension itself only requires one stunt group, having multiple stunt groups performing synchronized extensions will really take the visual aspect of your performance to the next level.
Before any group attempts a stunt, they should discuss and decide on a standard count series. Each and every stunt a group performs should be done on counts, and it is typically the responsibility of the spotter to keep the beat and call it out. Timing is
critical in stunting, and new teams need to practice their timing as much as they practice their actual stunts.Many stunts begin with a two beat, “Ready, OK” count, where all positions bring their arms up and clap once on beat. This helps get everyone’s attention, lets them know to focus and assures the entire group that everyone is ready. From there the stunt group gets into formation, and the spotter begins the count series (typically based on an 8-beat count).
How To Perform A Basic Extension
Formation
Bases: The bases should be stand facing each other in a shoulder to hip width stance, with their backs straight and their arms against their sides.
Flyer: The flyer should face forward, in between and slightly behind the bases. The flyer’s arms should be against their sides.
Spotter: There should be at least one back spotter for this stunt. A front spotter can be utilized as well, but this guide will only cover a back spotter. The back spotter should be positioned directly behind the flyer, facing forward. The base’s arms should be by their sides.
Entry
Bases: On the right count, the bases should go into a half squat, keeping their backs straight and their heads apart. Each base should cup their hands, palms up, in anticipation of receiving the flyer’s foot. The main base will receive the flyer’s foot first, in a standard step-up. The assisting base will receive the flyer’s other foot from the lift off, so needs to be ready for a more intense impact.
Flyer: The flyer positions one hand on each of the base’s shoulders, keeping their arms bent and their elbows up, and transfers their weight from their legs to their arms. Simultaneously, the flyer lifts one leg to about a 90-degree angle, placing that foot inside of their main base’s cupped hands.
Spotter: The spotter should position their hands on the flyer’s waist and follow the movement of the flyer throughout the stunt. Their grip should be firm, but loose enough so that it is not restricting. Simultaneously, the spotter is calling out the count series clearly and loudly.
Momentum
Bases: The bases will hold their supporting position while the flyer gains momentum for the lift. The flyer and spotter will sink down during this series of counts, but the bases should hold steady.
Flyer: The flyer should straighten their arms to lift their free foot slightly off the ground or up onto the ball of their foot. Then, the flyer should bend their arms again, bring their foot back down and sink down. This should not be a bouncing motion; it should be a controlled move that will give the lift more power.
Spotter: The spotter will hold their supporting position while the flyer gains momentum for the lift, and continue the count series. As always, the spotter should be sure to follow the flyer’s movements, squatting and sinking with them.
Lift
Bases: As the flyer pushes of the ground and brings their foot into the assisting base’s waiting hands, the bases should dip down low with their legs, and drop their arms to about hip level. This is to build power for the lift. Immediately following the dip, the bases will begin to straighten their legs and extend their arms upwards to lift the flyer. The lift is
not a jumping motion. The bases should be lifting from their legs, using the power of coming out of their squat to help propel the flyer upwards, and supporting the flyer on their palms. The bases will need more power for a full extension then for an
elevator stunt, since they will be lifting the flyer past the chin level. For an extension, the bases lift the flyer all the way up, so that their arms are straight above them. Once they pass the elevator position, both bases should shift their forward hand to cover the front/ toe area of the flyer’s foot to give them more support and stability.Flyer: As the flyer lands their free foot, they should repeat the push off but this time load their free foot into the hands of the assisting base. As they are loading their foot, they should also begin to dip with the bases. Then, the bases will begin to rise and lift the flyer. While the bases are rising, the flyer should begin to move into a standing position by pushing off the base’s shoulders and straightening their legs. The flyer should lock their legs and tighten their core once they are in the air and their legs are straight. Once in position, the flyer may choose to use a motion, such as a “T” or “high V” to add extra flare to the stunt.
Spotter: As the flyer brings their foot back down on the spotter’s count, the spotter should keep their hands on the flyer’s waist and dip with the stunt group. The spotter will help the flyer rise and keep stability during the lift. Once the flyer begins to stand, the spotter should release the flyer’s waist and firmly position their hands either at the tops of the flyer’s ankles or low on the flyer’s calves and help the bases lift the flyer to the full extension. When releasing the flyer’s waist, the spotter must be careful to pull their arms back and to the side so they don’t interfere with the flyer’s ascension.
Dismount
There are a few options for dismounting from an extension during practice, depending on your experience, skill and comfort.The bases and spotters can work together to lower the flyer back to the elevator position, and then use a front walkout. If you choose to have a front spotter, they would hold the flyers hands as their stunt group lowers them.
If the stunt group is ready for something a little more advanced, they can use a cradle to dismount from an extension. Check out the step-by-step instructions and visual guide from the
Beginner’s Guide On How To Perform A Cradle article.Tips For Performing An Extension
- All positions should have their eyes on the flyer at all times. This is a safety precaution, and also a requirement in competitions. The flyer’s eyes should be focused on something in the horizon during the stunt to help them keep their balance.
- Bases should stand as close together as possible without restricting the flyer’s space. If the bases create too much distance, the flyer is going to end up with sloppy form since their legs will be in a split position, which will strain and likely topple the entire stunt.
Two minutes is used as a measure for many things. There are two minute warnings in football. Dentists recommend brushing one’s teeth for two minutes. The list could go on; however, there are two minutes that cheerleaders and U.S. Army soldiers have in common. That is the two-minutes per event in the Army Physical Fitness Test, or APFT. A modified APFT, utilized by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ fitness director at the beginning of training camp, sets the tone. The fitness test, which measures conditioning, is comprised of three events: Push-ups, Sit-ups, and a two-mile run. Physical endurance and overall conditioning is assessed based on the number of points scored in each category.
The ultimate achievement on the APFT is to score 300 points. A soldier receiving at least 90 points in each event and 270 overall is awarded the Physical Fitness Excellence badge, which may be worn on the physical training uniform. In contrast, to achieve Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader power-squad status,
280 points are required! This is not an easy achievement for most, but with proper training it can be done.The events of the APFT are assigned points based upon repetitions performed in two minutes each and the elapsed time taken to run two miles. A female aged 17-21 must run two miles in 15 minutes, 36 seconds, perform 78 sit-ups in two minutes and 42 push-ups in two minutes to earn her 300 point
maximum score. For what is considered a passing score by Army standards (minimum of 60 points in all events) the same female must run two miles in 18:54, perform 53 sit-ups in two minutes and 19 push-ups in two minutes.“Maxing” the test requires not only strength and endurance, but like finally getting a stunt or nailing that tumble-pass, it can be very rewarding. For those with determination, there are some basic recommendations to increase overall conditioning. Diet is of utmost importance. To control portions, one should eat six small meals of lean protein and carbohydrates, avoiding carbs for the last two meals of the day. Watching what and how one eats will help reveal that “six pack,” most likely already there but hidden.
In regards to training, variety is very important, as the body responds and adapts to any workout done over a period of time. Weight training, cardio exercise, and anything that can assist in improving balance and stability such as yoga and Pilates, will help the cheerleader achieve excellence. For best results, both cheerleaders and soldiers need a partner for accountability; it also makes the two minutes of oomph possible with someone to provide motivation. Achieving excellence is possible, and the APFT can be used by anyone to assess conditioning regularly.
When preparing for the APFT, it’s important to wear the proper training attire. One of the best places to start is to select an athletic shoe that will provide you the comfort and support you require throughout your training.
Campus TeamWear has an extensive selection of new
cheerleading shoes , making sure you get the perfect fit guaranteed. Currently, the
Nike Air Boom II Cheer has been a big hit amongst cheerleaders and is a great choice for your off-season training (or prepping for the APFT). The Air Boom II Cheer features a synthetic leather upper for support; a breathable mesh midfoot section, so you stay cool throughout your training; and a low-profile, soft sole, making this shoe an excellent choice for stunters. Regardless of what you’re looking for, Campus TeamWear has a great selection of cheerleading shoes,
cheer uniforms , camp wear, practice wear, cheerleader warm-ups, accessories and pom poms at the lowest prices guaranteed! For more information on the Nike Air Boom II and to see other great cheerleading products in-stock and ready-to-ship, check out
www.cheerleadingonline.com.The shoulder sit is a beginner stunt in cheerleading, but will give you a taste of stunting and teach you skills that you’ll need for more advanced stunts. Practicing the shoulder sit is also a great way for your stunt team to work out any kinks in your stunts, get familiar with the count series and build trust.
Though a basic move, the shoulder sit still requires strength, agility and skill. This move should only be performed under proper, trained supervision to ensure the safety of everyone.
Before any group attempts a stunt, they should discuss and decide on a standard count series. Each and every stunt a group performs should be done on counts, and it is typically the responsibility of the spotter to keep the beat and call it out. Timing is critical in stunting, and new teams need to practice their timing as much as they practice their actual stunts.
Many stunts begin with a two beat, “Ready, OK” count, where all positions bring their arms up and clap once on beat. This helps get everyone’s attention, lets them know to focus and assures the entire group that everyone is ready. From there the stunt group gets into formation, and the spotter begins the count series (typically based on an 8-beat count).
How To Perform A Shoulder Sit
Click above to view large imageSet-Up
Stunt Groups: 1
Spotter: At least 1
Bases: 1
Flyer: 1
Level: BeginnerBase
- The base should get into a deep lunge position. While their main body will only angle slightly to the side, the toes of their bent leg should turn completely sideways. The bent leg will act as a platform for the flyer’s foot.
- As the flyer rests their foot on the base’s leg, the base should wrap their inside arm around the flyer’s leg at the knee, and secure the flyer’s foot with their outside hand.
- The base should hold this position as the flyer pops up and begins to swing their other leg onto the base’s shoulder.
- As the flyer’s leg is settling on the base’s shoulder, the base should release the flyer’s other foot and bring that now free arm behind and around the flyer’s leg, at about the knee area. The base should pull down firmly to give the flyer extra stability.
- Once the flyer is secure, the base should shift their body to face forward. If the stunt group is still new, the base should keep their hands on the flyer’s thighs, but if the stunt group is a little advanced the base can place their hands on their hips.
Flyers
- The flyer will start this stunt by standing behind the base and placing their hands on the base’s shoulders.
- The flyer should bring their inside leg (the one that matches the base’s lunged leg) up and around the base’s waist, and rest it on the base’s thigh.
- Once the base has a firm grip on the flyer’s leg, the flyer should dip down then pop up, shifting their weight from their legs to their arms. During this move the flyer should keep her core tight and lock the leg that is resting on the base’s thigh.
- When the lift has reached a point where the flyer’s arms are almost straight, she should begin to swing her free leg up and around the base’s shoulder.
- Once the flyer is in a seated position on the base’s shoulders and the base’s arms are wrapped around the flyer’s legs, the flyer should wrap her feet around the base’s lower back, so that the top of her feet will be against the base’s back. This will give the flyer additional stability.
- Once the flyer is secure, she can hit a high V or T arm motion.
Spotter
- The spotter’s main responsibility is to support and guide the flyer, and of course keep her from hitting the floor if anything goes wrong.
- The spotter should stand directly behind the flyer with her hands on the flyer’s hips. The spotter’s grip should be firm, but not restricting.
- The spotter should follow the movements of the flyer as she dips and pops up, and help lift her onto the base’s shoulders.
- Once the flyer is secure, the spotter should shift their body to face forward with the base. If the stunt group is still new, the spotter should keep her hands on the flyer’s hips, but if the stunt group is a little advanced the spotter can let go of the flyer. Letting go doesn’t mean the spotter’s job is over, they still need to stay directly behind the base and keep alert. They will also need to count out the series for the dismount.
Dismount
Check out our
step-by-step instructions for performing a back shoulder sit dismount, and visit the blog on November 4th for step-by-step instructions for performing a front shoulder sit dismount.The holidays are a time to relax and enjoy yourself while spending time with family and friends, but the combination of holiday treats and a break from scheduled cheer practices can cause you to backtrack on the goals you’ve been working toward all year. The good news is you don’t have to abstain from those
holiday guilty pleasures you’ve been looking forward to. You absolutely can enjoy the foods you love, you just have to be smart about it. Here are five tips for enjoying the holidays without wrecking your fitness progress:- Indulge slowly.
Eat all the wonderful foods you want, but don’t scarf them down. Take the time to actually enjoy them, and you’ll feel satisfied long before you eat half the plate of cookies. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy
the seasonal tastes you’ve been looking forward to without the uncomfortable too-full feeling that often follows.- Don’t eat everything on the table.
A good rule of thumb to follow at holiday gatherings is to only eat things that were made with love. In other words, don’t fill up on store-bought goodies. Enjoy the ones your aunt made. She probably put time, thought, and spirit into hers. That’s much more enjoyable than something that was mass produced. Plus, homemade items are made with real ingredients, not weird chemicals you can’t pronounce that are supposed to prolong the item’s shelf life. Eating the homemade treats is better for your body and soul, and your relatives will get joy out of seeing you appreciate their baking efforts.
- Eat the healthy stuff, too.
In the midst of all the sugary food you’ll be eating, make sure you still eat the healthy ones. Eat holiday treats
in addition to the regular food you eat, not
instead of. Having a base of fruit and vegetables will help keep you from over indulging on desserts, and your body will still be getting the nutrients that those desserts lack.- Drink lots of water.
Water is about the closest thing we have to a cure-all. Drinking plenty of water will help you feel fuller and make you less likely to over eat, but it will also dilute the extra sugar you’ve been eating and make it less hard on your body. This doesn’t mean water will totally negate the effects of all that sugar, but it will help make it a little more manageable for your body. Water also helps your immune system. Drink plenty of it to stay healthy or to get over winter colds. Set a goal of drinking half your body weight in ounces (so if you weigh 140 pounds, you would drink 70 ounces of water) and just see how good you feel!
- Stay active.
The weather outside might be frightful and you may have a break from cheer practice, but this doesn’t mean you should sit around and watch TV all day. Get up and move! You can
do some exercises around your house or go to the gym to workout if one is available, but just being active helps. Instead of sitting around passively, help your dad put up yard decorations, make holiday crafts, walk around the mall with your friends, go ice skating or sledding, play Twister, dance around to holiday music, etc. There are so many things to do other than sit on the couch all day!
How do you stay fit over the holidays?
Summer has arrived, and it’s the perfect time to put that free time to use and improve your flexibility. Flexibility is used in nearly all aspects of cheerleading‚ kicks, jumps, and stunts! Flexibility is especially important if you’re a flyer. Those stretches are front and center for the judges (or your peers) to see! Not to mention, stretching can help prevent injuries‚ especially if you’re a base and are constantly lifting.
Stretching to Prevent Injury
Stretching doesn’t have to be complicated, depending on your goal. Remember those days in elementary school P.E. when you’d do alternating arm reaches? Yaaaawn. However, even something that simple can help your muscles get warmed up and before you go into harder exercises‚ wouldn’t want to shock your body!
Jumps
If you’re stretching to improve your jumps, holding a classic reach down to your toes, and alternating left leg and right leg in front is a great way to warm up. From there, continually practicing your kicks will grow your muscles, ultimately powering your jumps. Kick your legs in the motion for whichever jump you’re looking to improve‚ this will work your hip flexors as well as your your muscles, without getting burnt out on the jump itself. Do 3 sets of 15 kicks on each leg to feel the burn! Jumping isn’t all about flexibility‚ you’ve got a lot of muscle heightening your legs.
Pro Tip: Incorporate ankle weights into your kick-stretch routine for an extra challenge. When you take those weights off, your jumps will fly higher to make up for the weight that isn’t there anymore!
To improve your flexibility and overall cheer skills, check out these exercises from CheerFit founder Danielle below!
Danielle:
As a fitness expert for cheerleaders and founder of the Cheerfit Ambassador Movement, I get so many questions from cheerleaders wondering how to advance their flexibility, get that needle, and improve their stunting. Today, I am here to share my favorite tips to help you advance your flexibility and stretch into summer.
TIP #1: STRENGTHEN to Stretch
In order to improve flexibility you not only have to stretch, but you also have to STRENGTHEN! While stretching is important..((insider tip)) so is strengthening the muscles needed to improve range of motion: hamstrings, hip flexors, lower back and core!
Instead of sitting in a split forever, try these CheerFit exercises to advance your range of motion and improve flexibility!
Do each exercise for 10 reps x 3 rounds.
Single Leg Deadlift
Superman V-Up
TIP #2: SCHEDULE it in
Now that you have a little extra time and you’re not burnt out from 100s of competition practices, let’s make the most of that extra time!
The best way to remember to workout & stretch is to schedule it in! Just like any appointment, practice, or event‚Ķadd it to your calendar, schedule it in and make it happen! Even invite a friend to do it with ya’.
JOIN THE FREE ADVANCE YOUR FLEXIBILITY IN 5-DAYS CHALLENGE
Challenge starts June 25th – but you can reserve your spot and invite a friend today! cheerfittraining.com/challenge
Whether you’re trying to have a relaxing summer or constantly working to improve your skills, there is always room for a little bit of flexbility work. Happy Summer!
Every single one of you has probably heard someone say, “Cheerleaders aren’t athletes.” It’s unfortunate that so many people think that what cheerleaders do isn’t considered athletic.
The reasons people don’t think cheerleaders are athletes stem from the stereotype that cheerleaders just smile and
shout cheers at the audience.That is just one tiny element of cheer. Along with boosting spirits, cheerleaders dance, tumble, jump, toss, fly, throw, and flip.
In order to bust this myth, we must first ask,
what is an athlete?An athlete, according to the dictionary, is “a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.”
It’s safe to say then that to be an athlete you have to be physically fit and you have to train and practice specific skill sets required by the game, exercise, or sport in which you’re participating.
So, what do cheerleaders do?
1) Cheerleaders constantly practice, improving their own skills as well as team routines
2) Cheerleaders are trained by coaches and learn new skills, stunts, and routines regularly
3) Cheerleaders
workout consistently, building their strength and stamina
4) Cheerleaders learn
stunts that are dangerous and that require time and repetition in order to learn and perfect
5) Cheerleaders bruise, break bones, sweat, and fall in the process of learning or performing stunts and routinesIf that’s not an athlete, then what is?
In order to keep up with the squad, cheerleaders must eat healthy, workout daily, and practice, practice, practice. Without enough energy (from both eating right and exercising), there is a greater risk of getting hurt.
What cheerleaders do is no different than a football player, golfer, diver, or lacrosse player. Just replace “routine” with “play,” and “stunt” with “move” and you’ve got the same thing. The only difference is cheerleaders can fly in the air, catch people instead of balls, and wear
cuter uniforms.For those who think cheer is glamorous all the time, think again. During performances cheerleaders may wear
glitter makeup,
hair bows, and skirts, but that’s anything but the case during practice. Just like any other athlete, cheerleaders are sweating in practice wear.Cheer is one of the most dangerous school activities and doctors are urging schools and organizations to treat cheerleaders as athletes and agree that cheer is a sport.
Do you know someone who thinks cheerleaders aren’t athletes? How do you deal with the stereotypes? Sound off and leave us a comment!Breaks are important for the physical and mental health of athletes, and can mean the difference between first and second place.
With the amount of time cheerleaders put into practicing and
preparing for routines to perform at competitions, it is important to remember that taking a break is essential. Resting allows your body to recover from difficult workouts, ultimately benefiting you to power up and perform to the best of your ability! Breaks help you prepare both physically and mentally; here are some tips to keep in mind:Don’t Overdo It!
Take mini-breaks in between
stunting or tumbling, drink some water, maybe take a seat. Mini-breaks will help refuel so you can jump back into it!Breaks can also help prevent injuries. If you are going nonstop with strenuous activities like tumbling,
stunting, jumping and dancing, you can easily wear yourself out. Don’t put too much physical pressure on yourself!AVOID: Resting too much. When you or your team start taking too many breaks this can lead to laziness and be counterproductive. Make sure you stay on track to make your routine that much stronger and better.
Relax and Refuel
H2O. There are few things that the body needs as much as it needs water. The key is to consume the right amount. The more active you are, the more water you should drink. Don’t forget to pack plenty of water in your
cheer bag! Hydrate before, during and after practice because:- Every system in your body depends on water.
- 60% of your body weight is water.
- Water keeps you hydrated, it maintains normal bodily functions and keeps you energized.
- An absence of water can lead to dehydration and cause fatigue, headaches, muscle weakness, and dizziness.
Nutrition. During a break or after a long practice, consuming electrolytes and the right mix of carbohydrates and protein is important for recovering. Making
smart choices with nutrition will help boost your performance level. Here are some healthy snack choices to enjoy on your breaks to keep your body running:- Protein bars, filled with vitamins and plenty of protein and fiber to keep you energized and full
- Cottage cheese and fruit
- Nuts and seeds
- Grilled chicken breast
- Hard boiled eggs
- Veggies and hummus
- Apples and peanut butter
Reward
Taking a break eventually results in working towards your personal and
team goals. Once those are accomplished, reward yourself and your team! Play a team bonding game that involves using cheerleading skills. Simon Says (using cheer motions) or
Ships and Sailors are great for full team involvement.The latest Cheerleading Blog poll is now open for voting! Summer is here and we’ve got cheer camp on the brain. There are so many different types of cheer camp and no two cheer camps are the same. Some teams focus on team building, others on learning choreography. Some head off to exotic locations while others stay close to home. Some are overnight camps, while others are only during the daytime. Some…okay you get the point!
Since we can’t ask you all of these questions in a poll, we’re asking just one: how many days is your cheer camp? Vote now and check back in next month to see the results.
[yop_poll id=”7″]
