Without a doubt, exercise is good for your health. Regular exercise can help control your weight and prevent the onset of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Exercise can also help you to feel good about yourself. For cheerleaders, the sport can take on a larger role than just lifting the spirits of the fans and cheering your team to victory. Cheerleading can be beneficial to your health. The various components of cheerleading can serve as cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training. Cheerleading can promote heart and lung health along with strong bones and joints.
Step 1
Warm up prior to participation in any cheerleading activity. Take a five- to 10-minute walk, jump rope or use an elliptical machine.
Step 2
Stretch for 10 minutes. Perform lunges, calf raises, lower back stretches, hamstring stretches, arm circles, ankle circles, shoulder shrugs and neck stretches. Complete one set of 10 repetitions. Stretching can help prevent injuries and build or maintain your flexibility.
Step 3
Strength train, which can help make cheerleading stunts easier. The National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends you strength train for 30 minutes, two to three times per week. Do crunches, situps, squats and pushups. Complete one set of 20 repetitions of each exercise.
Step 4
Practice your jumps. Complete tuck jumps, pikes, herkies and toe touches. Jumps can help to improve your leg power. Practice jumps for five to 10 minutes per day.
Step 5
Perform your cheers and dances. Cheers and dances can provide you with an adequate cardiovascular workout. The National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per day, five days per week if you are over 18. Children should participate in 60 minutes per day. Practice cheers and dances as if you were performing them at half-time or at a competition. This can help elevate your heart rate and cause you to break a sweat.
Step 6
Practice cheerleading stunts. This can provide strength-training and cardiovascular exercise.
Tips and Warnings
- Drink plenty of water to help stay hydrated as you cheerlead.
- Always consult your doctor prior to beginning cheerleading or any other form of exercise. Stunts should always be supervised by a cheerleading coach.
References
- "National Academy of Sports Medicine: Essentials of Personal Fitness Training"; Scott Luccett; 2008
- Manassas Park High School: Cheer Workout
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