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Cheerleading Article: Assign Resistance Training & Compound Exercises
By Karen Goeller, CSCS
Copyright © Goeller This article is not for reprint without written permission from the author.

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 athlete’s 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 Goeller, CSCS

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You are responsible for your own personal safety. If you are a coach or trainer assigning these exercises you are responsible for the safety of your clients.
 

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