While some individuals are naturally born flexible, the majority of us are not. Flexibility is something that takes time, patience, and dedication, and although flexibility is a key component in cheerleading, everyone, cheerleader or not, can benefit from working to increase their own personal flexibility level. Keep in mind that a cheerleader, gymnast, or dancer is probably going to be held to a much higher flexibility standard than the average person.
Stretching consistently on a daily basis is the first step to increasing flexibility, which will in turn reduce joint stiffness, improve posture and improve balance. Stretching can be broken into two categories, static and dynamic. Static is the more traditional “stretch and hold” technique, while dynamic stretches involve movement and use your body’s leverage and gravity to stretch muscles. Since every individual’s body is unique, different stretches might be geared towards different people depending on their current flexibility and where they would like to be.
Static stretches like head tilts, shoulder rolls, and calf and quadriceps stretches are simple enough that almost anyone is capable of performing them. More intense stretches like splits, toe touches, backbends, and heel stretches are more likely beneficial for advanced individuals, particularly cheerleaders. Pilates and yoga are also great ways to workout and increase flexibility at the same time.
While static stretching, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. To achieve full effect of a stretch, holding a position for around 30 seconds is recommended. More importantly, breathing is crucial while stretching. Often times taking deep breaths can ease discomfort or tightness throughout the body. A fine line can be drawn between a painful stretch and a normal discomfort you might feel in certain positions. It is important to know the difference and stop if you are in pain to prevent injury.
Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, involves body movement, and can also be a great warmup prior to exercising. It’s important to be very careful when ballistic stretching, not to over extend a muscle beyond it’s stretched position. It’s recommended when dynamic stretching to use slow, controlled movements like arm circles, leg extensions, or toe touches.
It’s important to stay motivated and keep in mind small improvements usually occur over time. If you don’t notice a drastic change in your flexibility over night, do not become discouraged, improvements are slowly happening. Grabbing a partner and stretching together usually makes doing less than comfortable exercises more fun. Although working to increase your flexibility might not come easy, you’ll certainly reap the benefits later whether it be in practice or your next performance.
Cheerleading requires a great deal of strength and stamina, acquired only by exercising regularly and properly with the right routine. This strength building not only improves performance, but greatly reduces the risk of muscle and joint injuries that are all too common in cheerleading. A cheerleader should incorporate muscle-building to target the muscles that will be used in stunting and tumbling, as well as cardio to build endurance and stretching to improve flexibility. Athletes should create routines that are challenging, but realistic relative to their current abilities, keeping in mind that everyone has different abilities and strengths. A common starting point is to designate 3 days a week for strength training, and 2 days to endurance building, but there are numerous different routines to accomplish specific goals.
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