Cheerleading can be very beneficial for preteens. It is a great way to stay physically fit, and studies show that girls who participate in organized sports activities have more confidence, make better choices and even experience more success in life. Being a part of a cheerleading squad also can help you make friends and stay out of trouble. As a preteen you should start training with the basics in every area of cheerleading.
Cheers
Cheers involve executing motions while shouting words. They require coordination and practice. Memorize the words to a cheer first and remember that the words should be shouted clearly and loudly. If your crowd cannot understand what you are cheering, it cannot follow along. Next, incorporate the motions to the words and practice your motions in front of a mirror until they are perfect. You might feel like you are doing motions correctly, but a mirror can help you identify mistakes you are unknowingly making.
Jumps
The first task in this category of cheerleading is learning a jump preparation, which you'll use before every jump. It will give you the power you need to execute the jump. Practice your jump preparation with a simple straight jump. Start with your arms above your head in a high V motion, rise on the balls of your feet, then swing your arms down, crossing them in front of you as you bend your knees deeply. Jump, lifting your arms into a "T" position and keeping your legs straight and toes pointed. Perfect this beginning part of a jump before attempting any jump positions.
Stunts
All cheerleaders should stunt only under the supervision of a qualified cheer coach, but for preteens this is an especially important rule. Since you will be learning new things, you need a coach to guide you, correct your form and teach you how to be safe. There also are stunting safety regulations for preteens that your coach should enforce, such as not allowing any tosses until you are in high school. A qualified coach will have the knowledge and experience to keep you safe while you learn to stunt.
Tumbling
The final category of cheerleading is tumbling. While there are many things you could practice on your own to learn to tumble, the best idea is to seek out professional training. Preteens who are interested in starting to cheer or who have just joined a cheer team should consider signing up for a tumbling class at a local gym. Many gymnastics facilities have classes designed for cheerleaders called cheernastics, in which you can learn the type of tumbling used in cheerleading.
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