Team Warm Up Sets
Cheerleading is a physical sport that requires the body and mind to be ready for the intense training that comes with skills development. The best way to prepare is through a dynamic warm up. By moving each joint, squeezing each muscle and placing just as much focus on warming up as you do for your bigger skills, athletes are better prepared to endure the physical demands of the sport and will be able to train at a higher level longer.
Another reason to incorporate a dynamic warm up into your practice is to gauge the athletes’ current strength and fitness levels. By adding weight to a dynamic exercise, you can see how much force an athlete can produce and make necessary adjustments for the rest of your workout. For example, if an athlete’s form deviates during push-ups with weight, you can reduce the number of reps by increasing the weight or having the athlete perform a different variation of the exercise such as plyometrics.
One of the most important aspects of preparing an athlete for the rigors of competitive cheer is nutrition. The proper diet will allow athletes to properly recover and help prevent injuries. By following a routine of healthy eating, supplementing with appropriate vitamins and minerals and reducing the amount of sugar in the diet, competitive cheer athletes will be able to train harder for longer.