Cheerleaders build excitement and energy among both the fans and teams in a sporting event through the use of various stunts and acrobatic exercises. To excel at these stunts, and also to prevent various injuries — some of the most common cheerleading injuries include strains and fractures, warns The Stretching Institute — cheerleaders must maintain an excellent level of fitness through exercising and dieting strategies.
Work the Hips
The hip muscles and tendons get a lot of use in numerous cheerleading stunts and moves, including the traditional jump. For cheerleading-worthy strength in this area, the Provena Covenant Medical Center recommends boosting the strength of your hip abductors. Lie on your side with your legs straight and your head resting on your arm. Lift your top leg as high as possible, pause and then lower it back down to the resting position. Repeat 10 times, then flip over to your other side and repeat the movement with your opposite leg.
Eat Complex Carbohydrates
You burn a lot of energy during both your actual cheerleading performance and your practices. To provide your body with clean energy, stay away from junk foods and other meals that provide simple, refined carbohydrates, such as sugary foods and white bread. Instead, opt for complex carbohydrates derived from whole fruits, whole vegetables and whole grains.
Leg Explosions
Many cheerleading stunts require you to obtain sufficient height off of the ground to complete them. Boost the height of your jump by strengthening your legs with leg explosions, recommends the Varsity website. Stand straight with your legs together. Bend your knees to bring your upper body closer to the ground. Without moving your arms, straighten your legs suddenly to leap into the air. When you land, absorb the impact by bending your knees again. Repeat three sets of five jumps to complete a full regimen of leg explosions.
Warm Up
Warming up prepares your body for your cheerleading moves, gets your circulation pumping and readies your heart. One of the best ways to warm up for cheerleading, report the coaches and trainers of the AES Cougar cheerleading team, is by running in place for approximately 20 minutes until you break into a sweat.
Stretch
Stretching works as one of the optimal ways to reduce your risk of injury when doing your stunts. One of the top stretches for cheerleaders, according to The Stretching Institute, is the elbow-out rotator stretch. Stand straight with one hand pressed against the middle of your back. With your opposite hand, reach across the front of your body to grab the opposite elbow and pull the elbow forward. Hold for a few seconds, then switch arms to stretch the opposite side.
References
- Provena Covenant Medical Center: Cheerleading Core Strengthening Exercises
- Bodybuilding.com; Want to Be a Cheerleader? Dominate with Perfect Diet & Training; Christina Lianchic; August 2008
- Varsity: Skills and Drills — Jumps
- The Stretching Institute: Cheerleading Stretches and Flexibility Exercises
- AES Cougar Cheerleading: Cheerleading 101
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