Cheerleaders' fitness equal to teams they support
Source: Agencies |
November 1, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CARTWHEELS, splits, handsprings and tumbles are all in a day's practice for today's cheerleaders, whose fierce athleticism belies the stereotype of popular girls waving pom-poms.
Experts say cheerleaders these days are likely to be every bit as fit as the teams they are cheering.
Stacey DelPreore, a New Jersey-based fitness instructor, said: "Cheerleaders are one of the most conditioned athletes I know. You need to be at a high level to do all those stunts and tumbling."
DelPreore, who has been a cheerleading coach on the staff of the US United Cheerleading Association for 10 years, said gymnastics rule modern cheer routines.
"A long time ago it was more dance-based, and rah-rah, let's cheer on the football team," she said. "But as a lot of tumbling and gymnastics entered cheerleading, it became more athletic, based more on gymnast-type movements."
More complicated stunts demand greater physical prowess, according to DelPreore, whose fitness DVD Train2Cheer has been developed specifically for cheerleaders and dancers.
DelPreore added: "The exercises simulate the motions of stunting, tumbling and dancing that pertains to competitive cheerleading, along with a lot of plyometric (jumping) moves, which help with back jumps and handsprings."
DelPreore said youngsters are hurt because they start doing backflips without knowing their bodies. "These kids are starting at eight and nine years old. If they are not conditioned properly, there are injuries," she said.
Jessica Matthews, of the American Council on Exercise, said as cheerleading has evolved into its own sport, it has become more important to build conditioning programs - such as strength, cardio and flexibility exercises - into the training.
Experts say cheerleaders these days are likely to be every bit as fit as the teams they are cheering.
Stacey DelPreore, a New Jersey-based fitness instructor, said: "Cheerleaders are one of the most conditioned athletes I know. You need to be at a high level to do all those stunts and tumbling."
DelPreore, who has been a cheerleading coach on the staff of the US United Cheerleading Association for 10 years, said gymnastics rule modern cheer routines.
"A long time ago it was more dance-based, and rah-rah, let's cheer on the football team," she said. "But as a lot of tumbling and gymnastics entered cheerleading, it became more athletic, based more on gymnast-type movements."
More complicated stunts demand greater physical prowess, according to DelPreore, whose fitness DVD Train2Cheer has been developed specifically for cheerleaders and dancers.
DelPreore added: "The exercises simulate the motions of stunting, tumbling and dancing that pertains to competitive cheerleading, along with a lot of plyometric (jumping) moves, which help with back jumps and handsprings."
DelPreore said youngsters are hurt because they start doing backflips without knowing their bodies. "These kids are starting at eight and nine years old. If they are not conditioned properly, there are injuries," she said.
Jessica Matthews, of the American Council on Exercise, said as cheerleading has evolved into its own sport, it has become more important to build conditioning programs - such as strength, cardio and flexibility exercises - into the training.
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