Cheerleading is a difficult activity that requires expertise in many different areas, such as jumps, tumbling and stunting. Cheerleading coaches can use drills to improve their cheerleaders' skills in all of these areas. Perform drills at practice, but also encourage cheerleaders to execute them outside of practice whenever possible to get the best results.
Plyometric Jump Drill
Plyometric training, strengthening muscles with dynamic motions such as jumps and bounds, will help your cheerleaders get more power for their cheerleading jumps. Start with a basic tuck jump in your plyometric jump drills. Eventually, drill all jumps with this same process. Cheerleaders should start with their arms in a high V motion above their head and rise up on the balls of their feet. They should swing their arms down crossing them in front of their body as they dip with their legs. Next they explode off the ground, lifting their arms into a high V motion and lifting their knees toward their chest in a tuck position. They should land with their knees slightly bent and immediately explode off the ground again into another tuck jump. A drill should include five repetitions before a break.
Hip Flexor Drills
The hip flexor muscles, which run along the front of the hip, are often overlooked in training; however, they do a great deal in jumps, lifting the legs up into the jump positions. Train them with this seated toe touch drill. Have your cheerleaders balance on their rear end with their knees pulled into their chest and their feet off the ground. Their arms should be just outside their legs with their fists near their shoulders and their elbows pointing to the ground. Keeping their balance, they thrust their arms out into a T motion as their legs shoot out into a straddle position, as if they were executing a toe touch jump while seated on the ground. Have them immediately pull their arms and legs back in. Perform three sets of five repetitions. They should not allow their feet to touch the ground throughout the entire drill.
Handstand Drills
Handstands are the key to the success of all tumbling skills. Drilling them at practice, and at home, can help your cheerleaders achieve better form in their cartwheels, round-offs and back handsprings. Find a spot along a wall. Have them lunge forward, kicking up into a handstand balanced against the wall. Check their form. Their hands should be just under their shoulders. Their neck should be neutral with their eyes looking at the wall opposite them. Have them pull their abdominal muscles in toward their spine to maintain proper posture. They should keep their legs together and straight and their toes pointed. Have them hold the handstand for 30 seconds, before stepping out of it one foot at a time. Repeat three to five times.
Elevator Drills
In order to help your squad improve their stunting, do elevator drills. This is a drill that can only be done under the supervision of a qualified cheer coach. Do not encourage drilling this skill outside of practice. Divide your squad into groups consisting of two main bases, a top person and a back base. Drill elevators to counts so that all of your squad takes off, hits the elevator, and dismounts on the same counts. It is a good idea to allow at least four counts for take off and four more counts for hitting the elevator. Allow a break of four counts before the dismount. Dismount, taking six to eight counts and perform a clean finish, with all in the stunt group popping to face the crowd with feet together and arms extended along their legs.
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