| EXERCISES |
| Any cheerleader knows that exercising is an absoute must in cheerleading. You need strengh and endurance to be able to jump, tumble, cheer, and stunt. Here are some exercisesthat can help you in cheerleading. |
| IMPROVE YOUR JUMPS 1. STAND IN PLACE AND JUMP UP AND DOWN TEN TIMES, THEN DO THE SAME ON YOUR RIGHT LEG, THEN TEN WITH YOUR LEFT. FLEX YOUR KNEES AND REBOUND AS YOU LAND. HOLDING ON TO THE BACK OF A CHAIR, BEND YOUR KNEES, PRESS DOWN AND JUMP OFF THE FLOOR SPREADING YOUR LEG AS WIDE AS POSSIBLE. THIS CAN ALSO BE DONE AS A PARTNER EXERCISE TAKING THE PLACE THE CHAIR. WALKING LUNGE- FROM A STANDING POSITITION TAKE A LARGE STEP FORWARD WITH THE KNEE DIRECTLY OVER THE TOES. KEEP BODY POSTURE UPRIGHT, GETTING THE FORWARD KNEE AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE. FINISH IN A DEEP FRONT LUNGE, WITH FRONT KNEE ALMOST OVER THE ANKLE AND AND REAR LEG OUT STRAIT. MOVEMENT SHOULD BE FAST UP AND SLOW DOWN, AIMING FOR HEIGHT AND DISTANCE. ARMS THRUST UPWARD TO ASSIST THE LIFT, FINISHING IN A "T" MOTION FOR THE LUNG. RETURN TO STANDING POSITION. SWITCH LUNGE- START IN A DEEP FORWARD LUNG WITH ARMS BY YOUR SIDES. KEEPING POSTURE UPRIGHT AND EYES TO FRONT, EXPLODE WITH BOTH LEGS JUMPING AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE. SWITCH LEGS IN MID AID SO AS TO LAND IN A DEEP LUNGE WITH THE OTHER LEG FORWARD. DOUBLE SWITCH- LIKE THE SWITCH LUNGE BUT SWITCHING LEGS TWICE IN THE AIR, LANDING WITH THE SAME LEG FORWARDS. DOUBLE LEG BOUND- START IN A HALF SQUAT WITH ARMS DOWN TO THE SIDES AND POSTURE UPRIGHT. JUMP UPWARD AND OUTWARD, WITH ARMS THRUSTING FORWARD AIM FOR MAXIMUM HEIGHT AND DISTANCE. LAND IN THE START POSITION. ALTERNATE LEG BOUND- BEGIN IN UPRIGHT POSTURE WITH ONE FOOT SLIGHTLY FORWARD AND ARMS BT THE SIDES. PUSH OFF WITH THE BACK LEG AS IN THE SWITCH LUNGE PUSHING FORWARD KNEE AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE AS IN THE SWITCH LUNGE. QUICKLY EXTEND OUTWARDS WITH THE FORWARD FOOT, SWINGING ARMS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION. REPEAT SEQUENCE WITH ALTERNATE FEET. SINGLE LEG BOUND- AS THE ALTERNATE LEG BOUND EXCEPT THAT THE REAR LEG IS HELD EXTENDED THROUGHOUT THE EXERCISE. RESUME A STANDING POSITION THEN BOUND USING THE OTHER LEG. DOUBLE LEG SPEED TUCK- FROM AN UPRIGHT POSTURE RAPIDLY DIP DOWN TO A QUARTER SQUAT THEN IMMEDIATLY EXPLODE UPWARDS USING ARMS TO AID MOTION. DRIVE KNEES UPWARD TOWARDS CHEST. BEND KNEES DEEPLY ON A LANDING AND RESUME AS A SEQUENCE. SINGLE LEG SPEED TUCK- THE SAME AS ABOVE EXCEPT USING ONE LEG, WITH THE OTHER REMAINING FLEXED AT WAIST LEVEL. STRADDLE LEG LIFT- SIT IN A COMPFORTABLE STRADDLE ON THE FLOOR. (IF YOUR SRADDLE IS REALLY WIDE, BRING IT IN A LITTLE FOR THIS EXERCISE) lIFT ONE LEG UP ABOUT SIX INCHES, OR AS HIGH AS YOU CAN LIFT IT. BOUNCE IT UP AND DOWN, BUT DON'T LET YOUR FOOT TOUCH THE FLOOR. REPEAT ON OTHER SIDE, THEN DO BOTH LEGS AT THE SAME TIME. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE TIRED OF THE NORM, INSTEAD OF LIFTING YOUR LEG UP AND DOWN, LIFT ONE LEG UP AND DO LITTLE CIRCLES WITH YOUR FOOT. STRONG LEGS CALF RAISES- STAND ON THE EDGE OF A STEP AND RAISE ONTO YOUR TOES AND THEN BACK DOWN. TRY TO COMPLETE 25 CALF RAISES. INCREASE, AS YOU BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE. SQUATS- WITH YOUR FEET A LITTLE MORE THAN SHOULDER WIDTH APART, BEND YOUR LEGS TO A 90-DEGREE ANGLE. KEEP YOUR BACK STRAIGHT AND YOUR CHEST UP. LUNGES- STEP FORWARD, KEEPING YOUR BACK STRAIGHT, AND BEND YOUR KNEES AT A RIGHT ANGLE. GO DOWN UNTIL YOUR BACK KNEE IS ALMOST TOUCHING THE GROUND. RETURN YOUR FEET TOGETHER AND STEP OUT WITH THE OPPOSITE LEG REPEATING THE PROCESS. TO INCREASE DIFFICULTY, USE FREE WEIGHTS WHILE DOING THE EXERCISE. |