Improving Your Cheerleading Skills through Flexibility Training



Posted: Friday, June 15, 2007

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We’ve all seen the amazing jumps and flips that cheerleaders perform. Just thinking about some of them makes my head spin. We are often left wondering how those girls are able to do all of those crazy flips then land on the ground in a split without the bat of an eye.

They do this because of these three things: conditioning, practices and stretching exercises to improve their flexibility. As a matter of fact, their flexibility is the secret to their success.

Flexibility is the capacity of a joint to move in a full range of motion. It is the ability to stretch your arms, legs, and other joints of your body. Without having that ability to move their muscles the way they do, cheerleaders would never be capable of doing any of those tricks.

When it comes to cheerleading, the best cheerleaders are a combination of strength and flexibility. Many of them will openly admit that being flexible may be even more important than being strong. Here are some of the benefits they list about being flexible:

  1. Your flexibility improves your performance. When your joints are more flexible, it uses less energy to move it in a greater range of motion.
  2. By being flexible, you are more likely to avoid serious injury and soreness. Stretching improves muscular balance and relaxation. It also decreases the resistance of your tissues making them less likely to be injured or sore the following day.
  3. Flexibility through stretching increases the blood supply and nutrients to your joints and surrounding tissue. It promotes greater elasticity with enhanced performance.
  4. Flexibility will also improve your muscle coordination. It develops the nerve impulse time it takes to travel to your brain and back. It aids muscle groups to work together by improving coordination.
Your muscles, tendons and ligaments need a constant reminder of their ability to stretch. That is why it is important to stretch all from your neck to your toes everyday. Here are some other tips to keep in mind while stretching:

  1. Stretch every day. It can be in the morning before school or in the afternoon when you’re finished with school.
  2. Never stretch a cold muscle. Perform a few warm-up exercises before you stretch.
  3. Only stretch to the point that you feel a tug. If you try to stretch any further, you are risking injury. You should not feel any pain and never bounce during stretching.
  4. During stretching, hold each one 10 to 30 seconds then relax and repeat. As your flexibility improves, take the stretch a little further.
  5. Always stretch both sides of your body and all of the same muscles with the same routine. If you stretch out the muscles in your right leg, be sure to do the same with the left one.
  6. Breathe. Exhale with the start of each stretch. Then relax and breathe normally. Never hold your breath while stretching. Relax and concentrate.
Improving your flexibility comes with time and doesn’t happen overnight. Take your time and work at it every chance you get. Do some stretching exercises while you're sitting in front of the TV, talking with a friend on the phone, or sitting at your computer reading up on some cheerleading tips!

The Just for Kix motto, "doing your best is more important than being the best", puts the prime motivation on team work and self-esteem. Just for Kix provides quality programs, services and products with a "shining" quality that's second to none. Find out why everyone raves about our dancewear and cheerleading shoes. Visit Just for Kix at www.justforkix.com.

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