CheerZone’s Favorite Cheer Fitness Videos from Cheerinfocenter

Looking for some new cheerleading fitness moves but don’t want to buy another cheer workout DVD? Try YouTube! Here are a few cheer workout videos from one of CheerZone’s favorite YouTube Channels, cheerinfocenter!

Check out cheerinfocenter’s other videos for more great cheerleading fitness workouts!

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Cheerleading Fitness and Strength Training

For any cheerleader strength training is an essential part of their workout routine. Whether a base or flyer, body strength is necessary to perform routines with such advanced tumbling and stunts. Strength in not only the body core but also legs and shoulders is necessary for every cheerleader and help them perform these maneuvers with ease.

The easiest way to add strength training to your current routine is to do strength exercises that target specific areas of the body. Another way is to add simple hand held weight while walking or jogging. For the best strength training, it is best to workout with regular weights. Always start out with the lightest weight and gradually increase the weight.

Here are some great additional strength training exercises to add to your current cheerleading fitness routine.

Squats
Target areas: Glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves

Stand with feet apart and toes facing straight ahead. Lower hips towards the floor by bending the knees. Keep abs pulled in, torso straight and knees behind your toes. Do not allow yourself to go any lower than 90 degrees. Do 12-16 repetitions.

Lunges.
Target areas: Quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves

Stand in split-stance with one leg forward and one leg back. Bend knees, lowering body into a lunge position while keeping the front knee and back knee both at 90 degree angles. Then slowly push back up to the original position. Do not lock your knees or let your knee bend past your toes. Do 12-16 repetitions. Variations include front, back, and side lunges.

Pull-ups and Chin-ups:
Target areas: Back muscles, the rear shoulders, and the biceps

For this you will need a pull-up bar that is at a height out of reach, requiring you to jump up to grab it. Stand below the bar, jump up and grip the bar with an overhand grip (use an underhand grip for chin-ups). Bend knees and cross your ankles for balance and slowly pull yourself until your chin is at the bar level. Then slowly lower yourself down until your elbows are straight. Do as many as possible without touching the floor.

Push Ups.
Target areas: Chest, shoulders, triceps, back and abs

Lay face down on the floor, balancing yourself on your toes or knees, and hands. Keep hands wider apart than shoulder width and keep body straight from head to toe. Slowly lower your body to the floor, stopping when elbows are at 90 degrees. Then push back up. Do 12- 16 repetitions. Variations include doing push-ups on an incline, on a decline, wall pushups and even one-armed pushups.

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Cheerleading DVD’s – CheerZone’s Top 10 Picks

Need some new motivation for your workouts? Just need a few new moves for your routine? Keep in shape and polish up your skills with cheerleading fitness DVD’s! Here are our choices for the best DVD’s.

Cheerdance Workout
This one of a kind instructional dance DVD has cross-over appeal fusing cheerleading and dance. Not only will your cheerleading skills improve, but also build strength and flexibility to learn new skills.

Cardio Cheer
Paula Abdul instructs you on taking your cheerleading skills to new heights and getting into the best shape of your life! This five-disc set will give you the flexibility, endurance, moves, and power to achieve all your cheerleading goals.

West Coast Cool: Dances & Pom Sidelines
Two “totally choreographed” on the court time-out dances followed by four additional sideline pom routines.

West Coast Cool: Game Action Chants & Performance Cheers
Learn cool new cheers and chants from UCLA cheerleaders. Includes 12 game action chants and three performance cheers.

Cheeracise Cheerleading – Cheer Like a Pro
DVD includes six routines, a bonus music cd, makeup and nutrition tips, and many different workouts for improving your cardio, leg strength and flexibility as well as six dance routines with step by step instruction.

Winning It All: Advanced Stunts 2
The ability level of your squad will naturally progress to higher and higher levels at a safe, yet fast, pace.

Winning It All: Basic Partner Stunts & Transitions
Learn the basic stunts and transitions and all the fundamentals you will need for proper execution, including information on muscle memory, team assessment and other critical coaching aides.

Pop Warner Presents 30 Partner Stunts for Youth Cheerleading
Easy to follow, step by step instruction for 30 stunts at various levels from beginner to advanced.

Dances And Quick Dances
Exciting new dance to inspire your squad! Features three original 8 – 8 count and four 4 – 8 count dances.

CHEER!
UCA (Universal Cheerleaders Association) instructor Lacey Taylor takes you step-by-step through the key moves and chants, essential cheers, and the big dance routines then shows you what it takes to become a successful leader.

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Cheerleading Fitness Cardio Training for Energy and Stamina

Cardiovascular training is any exercise that elevates the heart rate and is essential to all athletes, especially cheerleaders. Cardio training benefits the body by increasing the amount of oxygen in the body which improves body conditioning. For a cheerleader, this means an increase in stamina and stunt ability. There are many activities that provide a good cardio workout such as walking (either outdoors or on a treadmill), aerobics, running, an elliptical machine, and swimming. Nearly anything that requires continuous movement at a heart rate elevating pace will provide the training you need. Here are a few tips for adding cardio exercises to your cheerleading fitness routine.

Find an activity that you like
If you are doing an activity that you dislike you will only dread doing your workouts and will eventually stop doing them altogether. Find an activity that you enjoy and it will be fun.
There are many activities that are a good cardio workout so keep trying new ones until you find your perfect fit.

Make it fun
Need another way to stay motivated? Try adding some music to your workout or train with a friend. This not only makes your training more fun but it is a distraction from any discomfort and seems to make the time pass by more quickly. You will both benefit from a good workout and catch up on all the latest cheer news!

Maintain a comfortable pace and gradually increase
When beginning a new cardio exercise, you should start out slow and maintain a moderate pace that is comfortable for the specified time period. As you your body adjusts you will want to gradually progress to a more challenging or faster pace. Keep doing so until you achieve the optimal rate, which can be calculated as follows: approximately 220 – (Your Age) x (.75). Do not push yourself as this can lead to injury. Be sure to start each workout with a 5-10 minute warm up and end with a cool down of light cardio. Stretching before and after is also very important.

Timing is everything
What you do for cardio training is as important as when and for how long you do it. The optimal time for cardio workouts is 2.5 hours after a meal, or when the stomach is empty. At this time, your blood glucose is at a moderate level and ensures you will be burning carbs during the activity. Be sure to stay hydrated throughout your workout. In addition, keep your cardio training between 20-45 minutes in length. Going beyond the allotted time will have a negative effect on your catabolic hormone levels and will defeat your efforts.

Mix it up
Doing the same exercises every day will leave you bored and may even halt your body’s progress as it adapts to your current routine. Choose several cardiovascular activities and alternate them. You may also want to alternate with one day’s workout at a moderate level for a set amount of time and the next day at a more challenging level but for a shorter amount of time. This will keep your workouts fresh and keep you motivated!

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Cheerleaders – Should You Try Out For Cheerleading?

Cheerleading tryouts are coming up soon and you are thinking about trying out.  Even if you have already selected the team you will be trying out for, you may want do some research before you attend any tryouts.  In order to increase your chances at making the team, you will want to be sure that you will be a good fit for the team and that the team is a good fit for you!  To do this you will need to know what the team is all about.  You know you want to join a new team but what kind of team?  What things should you be looking considering when choosing a team to tryout for?  Here are some things that you may want to find out.

What is the team’s style?
Look at the team’s previous members.  Are they bouncy and enthusiastic?  Athletic?  Fun and eccentric?  Be sure your style meshes with the team style and you will fit in well.

Does the team cheer for sports teams?  If so, what sports?
Be sure to have a basic knowledge and enthusiasm of the sports for which the team cheers.  However, if the team cheers for a football team and you hate football, consider another squad.

Is the team competitive?
If the team is competitive there will probably be a lot of focus on mastering skills and acquiring new, advanced ones too.  You will likely experience demanding practices and expectations will be higher than teams who do not compete.  Is this what you are looking for?

Am I expected to be capable of certain dance, tumbling or stunting skills at tryouts?
If so, be sure to practice them well in advance so that you can perform them to the best of your ability.

Does the team participate in many spirit activities, fundraising, community events or volunteering?
These activities can require a lot of time and commitment.  Is this something you are willing to commit to?  Are you outgoing enough to be comfortable with these activities?

What are the time and financial requirements for the team?
Be aware of the team’s schedule and commitments as well as the financial expectations of the team.  Be sure that you are able to meet these requirements ahead of time.

Do some research and talk to the coach before tryouts.  Express your interest in the squad and find out if there is anything specific that they are looking for. Not only will you get the information you need but you will have caught the attention of the coach.

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Create Cheerleading Uniforms and Cheer Routines, Competitions and More – Cheerleading Games for Fun!

Looking for something fun to do in your downtime between cheerleading practices and workouts? Check out one of these great cheerleading games. Whether it simulates tryouts, practices or competitions, each game will help you polish your cheerleading skills and knowledge while having fun. They also make great gifts for any cheerleader!

Video Games

All Star Cheer Squad (Wii)

Wii All Star Cheer Squad

In All Star Cheer Squad, players will follow a year in the life of a cheerleader as you learn new moves and cheers, participate in practices and create your own cheerleading routines in the hopes of making the cheerleading squad and eventually becoming its captain. High-energy game includes cheerleading squad competitions and cheer-offs using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to perform real-world cheer and dance moves and full body cheer experience using the Wii Balance Board (optional). Customize the look of your team including facial features, hair, style & color, make-up and cheerleading uniforms.

We Cheer (Wii)

Wii Cheer 2

Putting players in the middle of a nationwide cheerleading competition, We Cheer uses Wii Remotes as virtual pom-poms to create a realistic cheerleading experience. Players mimic moves as directed on screen to learn cheerleading routines, using a full range of arm and body movements. Game includes 30 hit songs, character customization, and real, active game play.

Imagine Cheerleader (Nintendo DS)

Imagine Cheerleader DS

Become the new girl who wants to be a cheerleader. Learn different cheers, jumps, lifts, and cheer routines that will excite the crowds and enable your teams victory!

Online Games

High School Cheerleader – www.addictinggames.com

Want to make the cheer squad? Show us what you’ve got with this virtual cheerleading tryout!

Spirit Fever – www.spirit-fever.com

Your goal is to start a new cheerleading program and lead it to win a cheerleading competition. You can hold tryouts to gain cheerleaders for your team, create cheer routines, compete in cheer competition, and design your own cheerleading uniforms. You can train your team and individual cheerleaders to tumble, jump and stunt too. Achieve all this by playing mini-games that are fun and educational, teaching you about safe cheerleading. Spirit Fever is a good way to learn cheerleading basics and have fun.

Board Games

Cheer Monopoly

Just like the regular Monopoly® game, this cheerleading version will give you and your friends hours of play. Game references many cheerleading companies on the game board, money and playing pieces.

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Cheerleading Fitness – Stretching for Flexibility

With the cold weather upon us, it is too easy to stay indoors where it is warm and put off exercising.  It is important to keep working out every day, not just at practice, in order to keep up one’s health and fitness level.  When it comes to working out, there are three main areas of focus: Stretching, Cardio Training, and Strength Training.  Our focus here is on Stretching.  Stretching is extremely important for maintaining flexibility and agility, which is very important for cheerleaders.   Maintaining flexibility eases the body’s ability to execute stunts by requiring less energy to move the joint as well as improving coordination.  It also improves the condition of the joint and provides a wider range of motion.  Flexibility also increases the body’s ability to perform with a much lower chance of injury.  Here we have put together some basic stretches that can be performed at home or school and take only minutes each day.

Calf Stretch

Place your right heel upon a step, knee slightly bent.  Lean forward, grasp your right toe with your right hand.  Bend your left knee slightly and keep your back straight.  Keeping your weight on the left leg and your left hand on the left thigh, pull your right toes toward the knee.  Keep the knee slightly bent and hold for 30 seconds.

Standing Hamstring Stretch

Place your right heel upon a step, knee slightly bent.  Lean forward, placing your hands on the left leg.  Keep the left knee slightly bent and lean forward, curving your lower back slightly inward.  Press buttocks and back up, pushing the hips away from the front knee, and hold for 30 seconds.

Bent Knee Hamstring Stretch

Stand with one foot raised onto a table and lean your chest into your bent knee.

Toe Touch Stretch

Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you, ankles together.  Lean forward and touch your toes.  Your goal for flexibility is to be able to touch your nose to your knees and wrap your hands around the arch of your feet.

Herkie Stretch

Sit on the floor with one leg bent behind you and the other leg stretched out in front of you.  Raise your arms over your head, lean down and touch your toe.  Repeat the stretch with the other leg.

Knee Roll-over Stretch

Laying on your back, bend your knees and let them fall to one side.  While keeping your arms out to the side, let your back and hips rotate with your knees.

Lying Quadricep Stretch

Lie on your left side, extend your left arm and rest your head on it.  Contract the abdominals, holding the pelvis in a neutral position.  Bring the right ankle back towards the glutes, reach back with the right hand and gently hold the ankle with the knee parallel to the floor.  Press the front hip bone forward, slightly extending the hip, and hold for 30 seconds.

Lunges and Splits

Do 10 deep lunges on each leg, each proceeded by a bent over straight leg stretch.  Hold each stretch for 8 seconds.  Then follow up with each of the right, left and middle splits, holding each for 1 minute.

Rotator Stretch

Stand with your hand behind the middle of your back, elbow pointing out.  With your other hand, gently pull your elbow forward.

Flexibility will not happen overnight, however after a few weeks you will notice a difference.  A few additional things to remember regarding stretching:

• Stretch every day, 1-2 times each day.
• While doing stretches, hold each stretch for 10-30 seconds, relax, and repeat.
• Never stretch cold muscles; always warm up first
• Push your stretches a bit further each time but stop if there is pain.   Pain indicates that something is wrong so don’t overdo it.
• Do not bounce while stretching.  This can lead to injury.
• Breathe properly while stretching.  Do not hold your breathe.  Breathe normally.

Go to cheerzone.com and check out our selection of fitness supplies, music and videos!

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Increasing Your Energy and Stamina

It is a new year and you already have a start on your new year’s resolutions.  How about adding one more?  Resolve to take care of yourself by improving your energy and stamina.  Your cheerleading practices are important when it comes to keeping you in shape for all the stunts and routines that you do.  However, taking care of your self outside of practice is just as important.  We have come up with some ways that you can easily increase your energy and stamina for optimal health and performance.

Strength Training – The strength of your body’s core (the torso or middle of the body) and legs is integral to your body’s ability to perform repeated routines.  Take care of your body and your overall stamina greatly improve, improving your balance and making routines and stunts smooth and easier.  Consider abdominal crunches, push ups, squats, lunges, and also weight training.  Try the Mae Flyer too which helps to strengthen legs and ankles!

Cardio Training – Optimizing blood flow to the heart is extremely important to an athlete’s health.  Aerobic workouts that increase heart rate are great for the cardiovascular system leading to easier and deeper breathing and increased stamina.  Great exercises for this are running, jump rope, biking and walking.

Stretching – Maintaining flexibility will ensure your body’s ability to perform stunts smoothly and with ease.  The best way to do this is through stretching.  Stretch every day.  Never stretch cold muscles; always warm up first.  Hold each stretch for 10-30 seconds but don’t overdo it.  If you have pain you should stop.  The Sunt Strap is a great aid for your scorpion or heel stretch!

Diet – Eating a healthy, balanced diet is important to staying healthy and maintaining energy levels.  Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit, proteins like lean meat, eggs and low-fat milk as well as healthy carbohydrates such as whole grain pasta and bread.  Pass on sugary and high fat foods.  Always drink plenty of fluids, especially water.

Improving your energy and stamina will not just improve your cheerleading performance but will also improve the way you feel every day.  Talk to your coach about additional ways to improve your energy and stamina.  Your coach will be able to suggest many ideas for you and your teammates.

Go to cheerzone.com and check out our selection of fitness supplies, music and videos!

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Work Those Abs!

So we know that cheerleading is getting harder and harder by the day.  Our fans are expecting us to perform the best stunts with the highest tosses, all while maintaining the perfect toe touch.  Keeping in tip top shape is more important than ever.  Here are my suggestions on keeping your core strong!

Tires: Along with all traditional crunches you must do core workouts using your legs. Try taking some ideas straight from the football field. Excellent for abs, even if you don’t not have tires get those legs up in the air. Check out the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders abs. They must be doing something right!

Leg Lifts: Lay on the ground with your legs straight out in front of you. Try to lie in front of something you can grab onto, for instance, a bedpost. Lift your legs to a 90-degree angle and then lower them down until they almost touch the ground, and then repeat. Begin with 20 per session and work your way up.

Partner Leg Lifts: Have one person lay straight on the ground with their legs out in front of them. The other person will stand just above the head of their partner. The person on the ground will grab onto the ankles of their partner and lift his/her legs to a 90-degree angle. The partner standing up will push their partners legs down as hard as they can. You want to try to push their legs all the way to the ground. The person on the ground will resist and try to stop their legs before they hit the ground. They will then bring their legs back up and the process will happen again. This exercise works your lower abdominal muscles.Whether your working your abs alone or with the entire squad you’ll see amazing results in just two weeks.  Your stunts will be stronger, your jumps will be higher and you’ll be rockin’ in your cheerleading uniform!

Sit-ups: Strong stomachs are very important in cheerleading. A strong stomach allows for better jumps, it helps in better stunting and pyramids, as well as in gymnastics.

Regular Crunches: These are great sit-ups to get you going. Your legs should be bent, your chin should be facing the ceiling, and you should sit-up so your shoulder blades are slightly off the ground, keeping your stomach tight. Begin with about 25 sit ups per session and work your way up to 100.

Side Crunches: All the same rules apply with the regular crunches, only your legs are bent and leaning over to one side. Do your crunches normally, keeping your shoulders slightly off the ground. Again, begin with about 25 per session on each side and work your way up.

-A great exercise is to do the crunches in a combination of regular crunches and side crunches. Begin with regular crunches, move your legs to the side and do some side crunches, move your legs back to the middle for some more regular crunches, and then move them to the other side for some more side crunches.

- A fun way to do sit-ups as a squad is to do it to music. One eight count of crunches to the middle, the next eight count to the side, back to the middle for another eight count and so on!

Toe Touch/Pike Sit-ups: This is a great exercise to help with your toe touches! Begin by lying down with your legs straight and your arms above your head. In one quick and sharp motion bring your legs and body up into a toe touch position. Quickly snap your legs back together and return to the lying position on the floor. You may also want to increase the difficulty level by doing the same exercise only in a piked position. For a great ab workout so about three sets of 10.

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