Exercises For Weight Room Workouts For Cheerleading

Cheerleaders require power, strength and flexibility to perform demanding stunts, including toe touches. A weight room workout to build total-body strength is necessary to build this power. Training to build muscle at least three days a week can tone the body and increase your cheerleading skills.

Plyometrics

Plyometric exercises use short bursts of intensity to increase your jumping abilities. One weight room plyometrics exercise is the push press. Grasp a light-to-medium dumbbell -- anywhere from three to eight lbs. -- and hold it at shoulder height with both hands. Bend your knees and jump up, spreading your legs to second position -- also known as a sumo squat. As you jump to this position, raise the dumbbell over your head. Bend your knees again to return your dumbbell to the starting position. Repeat 10 times. Rest, and then repeat for two additional sets.

Arms

The bench press is a weight room staple that strengthens your shoulders and chest muscles. Recruit a spotter to assist you should the weight become too heavy. Lie on your back on the bench press bench and place your hands on the bench press bar, shoulder-width apart. Lift the bar off its rails and bend the elbows to lower the bar toward your chest. Push the bar away from you to return to your starting position. Repeat eight to 10 times. Biceps curls using dumbbells or a curl bar can build biceps strength, needed for lifting.

Legs

Strong legs are required to provide power for your jumps, kicks and stunts. Malone University recommends performing wall sits to strengthen your legs. Put your back to a wall in the weight room while holding medium hand weights -- five to eight lbs. Slowly bend your legs to lower your torso to a seated position as if you are sitting in a chair. Hold for one minute, then release. Repeat two times. Other weight-assisted exercises include using the leg extension machine or using a Smith machine -- a weighted bar supported on tracks -- to perform lunges.

Abs

Cheerleaders need to train their abs for endurance -- not strength, according to "The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Cheerleaders." This means your weight room exercises should focus on light weights and more repetitions. A captain's chair exercise equipment can help. Place your arms on the equipment's padding, with your legs hanging toward the floor. Contract your abdominal muscles to bring your legs in toward your chest. Pull the knees to the middle, right side, then left side to work all aspects of your abdominals. Repeat this exercise until you can no longer complete any additional repetitions.