Every new and experienced cheerleader or team has room for improvement. While mastering stunts and jumps is important for wowing a crowd, many cheerleaders lack fundamental skills, such as motions, which can cause them to fumble during a performance.
For a team to engage and excite a crowd, they need the right skills, equipment, fitness level, and mindset. If you want to take your individual or team skills to the next level, read these five ways to improve cheerleading skills.
- Never Forget the Fundamentals
Many experienced cheerleaders are often so laser-focused when perfecting jumps and performing stunts that they can forget about the fundamentals. Yet, it’s the basics that will determine the impact of the motions.
Sharp and snappy is essential for perfecting motions, as it requires a cheerleader to stiffen their arms and keep their muscles tight. Whenever performing a jump or stunt, they must remember to keep it quick, smooth, and snappy. Also, never bend the wrists, keep elbows locked, and ensure arms are level and positioned in front of the body.
- Fuel the Body
Good nutrition is essential for new and experienced cheerleaders alike, as it provides the energy they will need to support their performance and increase stamina.
Cheerleaders can reach their full potential in a cheer team by ensuring 50%-60% of their daily food intake includes nutritious carbohydrates, such as whole grains and fruits. Also, another 20%-25% should feature proteins, such as fish, eggs, and grass-fed meats.
- Wear the Right Clothing
The clothing cheerleaders wear can support or hinder their performance. If their clothing and footwear are uncomfortable, they will feel distracted when executing motions, jumps, handstands, and more.
Cheer teams can excel by wearing quality clothing and sneakers. For example, cheerleaders should practice and workout in the highest-quality cheer shorts, which are available as a relaxed waist or inseam for comfort. Also, you can buy the shorts in multiple colors to match your team. A few changes to an outfit could transform a cheerleader’s skills, confidence, and performance.
- Build on Strength
Improved strength will increase a cheerleader’s power and support good body composition, which will help them flawlessly execute a move while boosting their stamina. Building strength will make stunts much easier and can add height to jumps and refine tumbling skills.
The following strength training exercises are an ideal way to feel stronger and fitter than ever:
- Push-ups
- Tricep dips
- Pull-ups
- Weighted squats
Also, cheerleaders should enjoy cardio three to five times a week to increase their endurance, which could include a mix of:
- Mountain climbers
- Sprinting
- Squat jumps
- Climbing stairs
- Strengthen Core
A strong core will improve a cheerleader’s stability during a lift, tumble, jump, and stunt and prevent a painful back injury. What’s more, they will have more power to execute the moves and perfect their performance.
Cheerleaders can strengthen their core by completing the following exercises:
- V-ups
- Crunches
- Plank holds
- Oblique twists
- Leg lifts
Start by completing three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions of each exercise, and try to engage the front, back, and side abdominal muscles.
