Cheerleading Article
Assign Resistance Training & Combination Exercises
Cheerleading
has evolved into a sport that offers one challenge after another. Cheerleaders
must have sport specific strength and strength in motion. Without the necessary
strength, injuries and accidents can occur. So, with an increase in strength
typically comes a decrease of injury during routines, games, and competition.
Besides core strength, leg and shoulder strength are important, especially those
cheerleaders at the bottom of the pyramid. Cheer coaches must incorporate
exercises that will help all of their cheerleaders increase general leg and
shoulder strength for tumbling, jumps, and pyramid work.
Although the Wall Sit is a great exercise, cheerleading coaches must also assign
exercises where the cheerleader is in motion. And, adding weight during exercise
and movement will help increase their general strength. Combination exercises
are very valuable because the athlete is training more than one muscle group at
a time. Cheerleaders most often use more than one muscle group at a time for
skills, combinations, and routines.
In the Wall Sit the athletes legs are becoming
stronger in the sit (static) position because they are holding the sit for an
extended period of time. Cheerleaders must also become stronger during movement.
Strength in motion for the legs is as important as static strength. In the Wall
Sit the athlete moves from the stand to the sit one time and holds the low
position. In the Squat exercise the athlete must repeat the sit and stand (leg
push) motion several times. They will become stronger with the leg push motion
rather than the static position. It is a different strength and therefore a
different training approach must be added to the training. For many sports the
athlete must be strong in the leg push motion, rather than the static position,
but cheerleaders must be strong in the static positions and in motion to
successfully and safely perform pyramids, jumps, and tumbling.
During pyramids the cheerleaders at the bottom must support weight in addition
to their own weight. It only makes sense to train with weights in order to more
closely simulate the sport and increase strength.
Since cheerleaders often use more than one muscle
group at a time it may be best to include combination exercises. The following
exercises will help the cheerleader gain strength in her upper body as well as
her lower body.
Coaches must prepare their athletes with a great variety of conditioning
exercises each week for success and safety. Below are two exercises that will
help cheerleaders gain upper and lower body strength. Always start with the
lightest weight possible to ensure proper form during the exercise. Please keep
in mind that you are responsible for your own personal safety and the safety of
your athletes.
Chop (Squat with Front Raise)
Start with your feet at shoulder width.
Hold a medicine ball with your arms extended overhead.
In one continuous motion bring the ball down towards your feet and bend the
knees to perform a squat.
The arms remain nearly straight. The elbows should not be locked.
At the bottom of the exercise the medicine ball will be just below knee level
between the lower portions of your legs.
The motion is similar to a chopping wood motion.
After you have reached the bottom of the squat with the medicine ball, you
will return to the standing position, standing tall with the medicine ball above
your head .
As the medicine ball is raised to the overhead position and you return to a
tall standing position, the arms remain nearly straight. The arm motion will be
a front raise to end at the overhead position.
Make sure your knees do not move side to side. Each must remain in line with
the hip and ankle on the same side. Make sure the knees do not press forward
beyond the toe. Make sure the bend for the squat is at the hip and knee.
Return to starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Lunge with Medicine Ball (Lunge with Overhead Press)
Stand with feet hip width apart. Take one step back with your left foot,
approximately 2 feet. The right (front) foot will remain flat and the left
(back) will be on the ball of the foot.
Your feet should be positioned at a slightly staggered stance with your head
and back upright, in a straight and neutral position.
Hold a medicine ball in front of your chest with your arms bent and close to
your body.
Lower your back knee and body by bending at hip and knee on the right leg.
Continue to lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the floor.
The left knee should be lowered to approximately 2-3 inches from the floor. Do
not allow the left knee to touch the floor.
Your body should follow a straight line down towards the floor, but should
remain in an upright position throughout this exercise.
Once at the bottom of the exercise, begin to lift the left knee, straighten
the right knee, and raise the medicine ball to an overhead position.
The medicine ball will go from the chest to an overhead position with each
repetition.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Perform this exercise with the other leg in front for the same number of
repetitions.
By Karen M. Goeller
Karen Goeller has 30 years of experience
training athletes and an education that includes training in emergency medicine,
physical therapy, and nutrition. She has held certifications that include
Fitness Trainer, EMT-D, Nutritional Analysis, and many Gymnastics Certifications
among others. Goeller has tremendous experience with training in a variety of
settings. Karen Goeller is the author of the Swing Set Fitness books, the
Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning books, and many additional products. She has
written more gymnastics books than anyone in the USA. Her books are used by
fitness experts, sports coaches, teachers, and athletes worldwide. Karen Goeller
has worked for world's most famous gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, owned a
gymnastics club for ten years, and has been featured in several newspapers and
on television many times.
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