The Weekly Fitness Post: Build Strong Arms For Stunting

Week 5: Strength Training Arms

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If you're a base for a cheerleading team, you are well aware by now that arm strength is crucial to becoming a better base. Tossing, lifting, twisting and catching other girls in the air is not for the faint or weak. Many females, in general, tend to lack the arm strength their male counter parts have, so arm strengthening is the key ingredient to a cheerleading base's exercise routine. From your triceps to your wrists, I have a fitness plan that will make you a lean, mean, lifting machine. Please remember to stretch and warm up before performing any of these exercises to prevent injury.

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Aside from gym machines, here are some at home exercises you can do to strengthen your upper arms.
Pushups: Lie down on your stomach with your toes to the mat and your legs straight, together and parallel to each other. Your hands should be positioned at shoulder level, but slightly further out than shoulder width, palms flat and fingers spread apart to help with balance. Don't look at the floor while performing this exercise. You want to look straight ahead to keep your entire body in a straight line. Slowly straighten your arms and keep your back and legs straight while pushing your body off of the floor. Stop for a moment once your arms have reached the top and then slowly lower your body back to the floor by bending your elbows. You'll want to lower your body until your chest is touching the floor. Keep repeating this exercise in sets to see full results. If you want more of a challenge, place your hands together in a diamond shape using your thumbs and index fingers, at shoulder level and perform the pushup.
Upside Down Pushups: Get into position by doing a handstand against the wall (you'll be using the wall to help you keep your balance). When you do the handstand, make sure your not too far away from the wall by placing your finger tips as close to it as possible. Positioning yourself too far away will cause back and neck strain. Lower your body by bending your elbows and keeping your body straight against the wall. Then straighten your elbows to push back up. This exercise will have better results when done in multiple repetitions.
Chair Dips: Take a chair and get into a sitting position, back straight and feet flat on the floor. Grasp the front edge of the chair and rotate your palms so they are facing away from you. Walk your feet out in front of you until your buttocks is no longer over the chair, but in front of the chair. Keep your back as close to the chair as possible and dip your body down by bending your elbows and keeping your back straight. Dip until your elbows are at a 90 degree angle and then straighten your elbows to return to the starting position. This exercise will have better results when done in multiple repetitions. If you need more of a challenge, take a second chair and rest your heels on it. Repeat the dipping motion, but this time your body will be fully elevated off of the floor.

The weakest part of your arm is your wrist and you'll be amazed at how many other cheerleading bases share the same strife. Weak or injured wrists will bring pyramid building to a screeching halt. It's important to take precautions and prevent injury by building your muscle strength in your wrists. Here are some tried and true wrist exercises that other cheerleaders use to strengthen their wrists.
Wrist Lifts: You'll want to start with a weight that is fairly light to prevent straining a weak area. A can of soup weighs about ten ounces and is great for beginners. If you need more of a challenge, grab a free weight of about two pounds. Please remember that you will be doing high amounts of repetitions so make sure you grab a weight you'll be comfortable with. Hold the can in your hand and face your palm upward. Slowly lift the can up and down with your wrist. It's very important that you do this motion slowly to target your muscles in your wrist. Start with two sets of twenty five for each hand and slowly add more repetitions as your wrists become stronger.
Hand Squeezes: Grab a tennis ball or a stress ball and slowly squeeze and release in each hand. Do two sets of twenty five in each hand and slowly add more repetitions as your wrists, hands and forearms become stronger.

In addition, before you put your flyer in the air, make sure you and your fellow bases grab a shoe and work out timing, hand and finger positions and coordination. This gives you and your team mates a chance to work out any confusion before risking the safety of your flyer.

The Weekly Fitness Post: Build Strong Arms For Stunting

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The Weekly Fitness Post: Core Building for Flyers

Week 1: The Core

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The beauty of a cheerleading team is that everyone has a specific role on the team, and without each other, the team doesn't exist. Period. End of discussion. In these next series of articles, I will be sharing my expertise with you. From stretching to building muscles, you'll learn everything you need know to fly higher, throw harder, lift higher, and flip for perfection! So lets start from the top of the pyramid and work our way down!

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The Flyer

The flyer is the gravity defying individual you see being thrown into the air or contorting their bodies into ridiculous shapes such as a "bow and arrow" and "scorpion" while balancing on a bunch of hands. Now would be the time that I ask you to rub your belly and pat you head while jumping in circles...kidding! Either way you look at it, these girls need to be capable of making the audiences' head spin! So if you think your ready to be a flyer or want to improve your flying skills, read on!

Cheer flyers have a duel responsibility of being flexible and muscular. There are three important attributes a flyer must have and remember when planning a fitness routine: a strong legs and core, impeccable balance and extreme flexibility. Today, we will start with the most important but most overlooked part of the fitness routine for flyers: the core. I have gotten many, many questions from cheerleaders on why they are off balance and why they are extremely flexible but can't perform a toe touch. Here is the answer to every cheerleaders burning questions on performance: if you have a strong core, you can prevent injury, touch your toes and have impeccable balance. So here it is. A how-to-build-your-core list that will have you flying high in not time!

Crunches: Start by lying down on your back on an exercise mat or the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your palms behind your head, elbows parallel with the ground and face towards the ceiling. Tighten your ab muscles and raise your upper body through your shoulders towards your knees. Hold the position for a second and then get into the starting position once again. Perform in repetitions and increase the repetitions gradually as your body adapts to the exercise. Side crunches: Assume the starting position of a crunch (see above). Drop your knees to one side on the floor but keep them bent. Your body will now be slightly on its side. Place your palms behind your head and inhale before you perform the side crunch. You will be primarily using your oblique muscles to bring your body up into a side crunch. Your side will bend as your shoulder lifts off the mat into the crunch. As you are coming up, slowly exhale. Be sure that your head remains in line with your neck the whole time you are performing the crunch to prevent neck strain. Hold the position for a second and slowly lower your upper body back to the floor. Repeat on that one side and then switch sides to perform the side crunch using your other set of oblique muscles. Perform in repetitions and increase the repetitions gradually as your body adapts to the exercise. Alternate Toe Touches: Start by lying down on your back on an exercise mat or the floor with your knees bent and with toes touching the floor. Place your palms behind your head, elbows parallel with the ground and face towards the ceiling. Keeping your right knee bent, lift it while bringing your left arm up and out to touch the right toe. Alternate, bringing your right arm up to touch the left toe. Remember to keep the non-moving leg firmly on the floor. Perform in repetitions and increase the repetitions gradually as your body adapts to the exercise. If your neck hurts, modify the exercise by holding your head with your hands and lifting it up towards the ceiling for each repetition. Continue to alternate legs. Leg Lifts: Start by lying down on your back on an exercise mat or the floor with arms extended alongside the body, palms down. Keep your shoulders, head and lower back flat against the surface. Lift your legs up until they're at a right angle to your hips. Lower your legs slowly and stop within a few inches above the floor. Hold your legs there for a couple of seconds. Slowly raise your legs back to the starting position and hold for a couple of seconds again. Perform in repetitions and increase the repetitions gradually as your body adapts to the exercise. Also, start the exercise easier by lowering the legs to about a 30-degree angle. Increase the impact of your leg lifts by lowering your feet as close to the floor as possible. Super Mans: Lie facedown on an exercise mat or the floor. Keep your legs together and straight, with your arms straight and extended above your head. Keep your head and neck in a neutral position. Keeping your limbs straight (but not locked) and your torso stationary, lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling at the same time to form a gentle curve with your body. You should literally feel like Super Man flying through the air. Hold for a slow 30 counts. Remember: don't hold your breath! Try to keep breathing steady and even. If you need to make it easier, hold the Super Man position for fewer counts and don't raise legs and arms quite as high. Side Plank: Lie on your side with your right hand on an exercise mat or the floor. If your a beginner, it is recommended to begin this exercise on your elbow. Lift yourself up to form a "plank" with your right arm straight and your left arm on your side. Hold this position for a count of 8-12. If you want to take the Side Plank to the next level, take your left hand and extend it to the ceiling. You might find it easier to hold your balance by turning your head to gaze at your left hand. Repeat with the other side. Remember to keep your body in a straight line, tightening your abs and butt muscles. No hunching forward! That's cheating! It's a good idea to start in front of a mirror to learn the technique. Remember to breathe! Try to keep breathing steady and even throughout the entire exercise.

Keep up this fitness routine and you'll have a washboard in no time. Come back again this week to get the low-down on legs for cheerleading flyers!

The Weekly Fitness Post: Core Building for Flyers

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The Weekly Fitness Post: Stronger Legs for Flyers

This week we'll be covering specific leg targeting exercises that flyers will find necessary while stunting. From the top of your legs, down to your ankles, we've made a list of the basics you need to get the leg-up on conditioning. Keep in mind with all of the exercises on the list: as you progress or just need more of a challenge, choose two dumbbells that you would consider a challenging weight and hold them at your side during the entire execution of the work outs. Remember that you will be holding these weights during the entire exercise, so make sure you will be within comfortable limits for your body. This resistance will provide great results and revamp the work out.

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Lunges: Stand in an upright position with feet hip distance apart with your toes, knees and hips in a straight line. Pull your belly button towards your spine and contract your abdominal muscles. Place your right leg a step ahead and bend your right knee. Remember to keep your back straight while you lower your body until your left knee touches the ground. Finally bring your legs together and repeat the exercise by alternating legs.
Squats: Stand in an upright position with feet hip distance apart with your toes, knees and hips in a straight line. Pull your belly button towards your spine and contract your abdominal muscles. Slowly lower your body until your butt is in line with your knees (knees at 90 degree angles). If you can't go down that low, go as low as you can. You might also find it helpful to extend your arms straight out in front of your for balance. As you are lowing, make sure your knees are behind your toes. While keeping your weight in your heels, slowly push your body back to starting position. Make sure to not lock your knees when you reach the top of the starting position. Perform in repetitions and increase the repetitions gradually as your body adapts to the exercise.
Walking Lunges: Stand up straight with your shoulders back and down and place your feet together. Pull your belly button towards your spine and contract your abdominal muscles. You have the option of keeping your arms flat at your side, holding your hips or behind your head. Take a step forward with your right foot and bend both knees. Your front knee needs to be aligned over your ankle and the back knee should come close to the floor with back heel lifted off the floor. Before your back left knee touches the floor, push up with your left leg. Force your body weight through your right heel while bringing your left foot together with your right foot. Alternate legs without stopping and lunge forward with your left foot. Remember when bending knees, your left knee is aligned with your ankle and your right knee should come inches to the floor with the back heel lifted off the floor. Start with a shorter walking distance, then slowly progress further in distance as your body becomes more acclimated to the exercise.
Calf Raises: Stand in an upright position and keeping your body straight, rise up on your toes onto your heels. Then lower yourself back down until your feet are flat. The key to success in this exercise is to execute it slowly. Perform in repetitions and increase the repetitions gradually as your body adapts to the exercise.

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Remember to do an appropriate warm up and stretch before before executing any of these exercises a light stretch afterward to prevent soreness.

The Weekly Fitness Post: Stronger Legs for Flyers

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