Gear up for tryouts with our four-week fitness program.

By Lauren Peetz, MS, CSCS

American Cheerleader April 2007

With school and all-star tryouts right around the corner, you’ll want to be as prepared as possible. Although you won’t learn the exact material until you attend the clinics, there are plenty of things you can do to train for the skills you’ll need to show the coaches and judges you’re ready to make the team. The following four-week plan of attack incorporates moves that will build strength, power and flexibility to get you ready for anything they might throw your way.

Each workout is designed to last no more than one hour. You’ll get the best results if you do each one four to five times per week, with rest days in between the most intense workouts. Try to be consistent with your workouts, as each week will build on the previous one. And remember, it’s never too early to prepare for tryouts. If you have at least two months until tryouts, just stick with each workout for two weeks before moving on to the next one.

Designate the two days prior to tryouts as rest days. You’ll want to give your muscles some time to rest and recover. Also remember to drink plenty of water before workouts and tryouts, as hydrated muscles will work better.

Tips, Tips, Tips

• Do 3 sets of 10 reps of each exercise listed, and hold each flexibility exercise for 30 seconds.

• Use dumbbells or common household objects such as water bottles or soup cans. Choose a weight between 5 and 10 pounds—it should be a challenge while still allowing you to complete all 3 sets.

• Alternate 2 exercises until 3 sets of each exercise are completed or do 1 set of each exercise down the line and perform the whole circuit 3 times.

WEEK #1

Overview: Flexibility is one thing you’ll want to start working on right off the bat. The great news is that with consistent stretching, your body can adapt fairly quickly, resulting in noticeable gains in flexibility. Contrary to what you may think, flexibility is not just for top girls. It’s just as important for bases and tumblers to help prevent injury and to allow for a full range of motion at each joint. Flexibility is also important for strong jumps. Be sure to breathe through all of your stretches. Remember never to bounce, but rather to hold your stretches still.

You’ll also need strength to perform the skills that are expected of you. You can build strength by adopting a conditioning routine such as this one. Your movements should be controlled and you should focus on your breathing: inhaling on the easy part of the exercise and exhaling on the hard part (i.e., when you’re lifting or pushing). Building a good strength base will help to prepare your body for the ever-increasing demands of cheerleading.

A strong core will help you become a better tumbler, jumper, base and/or top girl. It will also help protect your body from possible injury. Performing these core exercises will help you develop awareness of your core muscles and the ability to know how to use them.

Workout Plan:

1. Warm-up and stretch (10 minutes)

2. Body weight squats

3. Bench push-ups (advanced: floor push-ups)

4. Bent-over row (Bend over with back flat, abs tight, knees bent; lift and lower weights.)

5. Overhead shoulder press

6. Bicep curl

7. Tricep dips (use stairs, bleachers or a chair)

8. Abdominal crunches

9. Plank pose (30-second hold per set)

10. Twist and touch (Start: hold ball or weight overhead with abs tight and knees soft. Then, twist body to one side, bend at the waist and drop weight down to foot. Reverse back to the top and repeat to other side. Note: keep arms by your temples.)

11. Straddle stretch (advanced: center split with weight on forearms)

12. Split stretch (both sides)

13. Shoulder and chest stretch (Clasp hands behind back and raise arms.)

14. Quadriceps stretch (Bend knee and lift foot toward buttocks.)

15. Low back stretch on all fours (Round back up, then arch it down.)

16. Flexibility stunt stretches for top girls (Hold Scorpion, Scale, Heel Stretch positions; Note: perform both sides.)

WEEK 2

Overview: In short, power is the ability to do something quickly and forcefully. During this week, you’ll begin to incorporate power exercises into your program. A power exercise is one in which your feet leave the floor (e.g., jumping, leaping), or where you push your upper body forcefully off of a surface (power push-up). Just about everything you do as a cheerleader requires power: jumps, standing and running tumbling, stunting and throwing baskets. Every one of these will improve as you train to develop power. The following are some basic safety guidelines you should always follow when attempting the power exercises listed:

• Make sure you’ve adequately warmed up and stretched.

• Wear appropriate shoes with good ankle and arch support.

• Try to use grass, a mat or a spring floor for shock absorption.

• When jumping, always land bent, with shoulders over knees and knees not extended past the line of the toes.

• Land on the ball of your foot and roll down—never land flat-footed.

• If you have never done any strength training or are new to cheerleading, you should hold off on power exercises unless you have instruction or supervision from an experienced coach or trainer.

Workout Plan:

1. Warm-up and stretch (10 minutes)

2. Lunges (Step forward and back, alternating legs.)

3. Squat jumps (Start in a squat, jump straight up, reaching up and extending legs, and land in squat to repeat.)

4. Power push-ups on bench (Push hands off bench as arms straighten; advanced: perform flat power push-up on floor.)

5. Power press with jump (Squat with weights held at shoulder level, then jump off the floor as you straighten your arms overhead.)

6. Box jumps (Jump up onto a box, bleacher or stairs; be sure it’s sturdy.)

7. Medicine ball pass (Sit on floor, twist and place ball behind you, then twist to other side to pick it up; perform in both directions.)

8. Repetitive pencil jumps (Focus on pointing your toes.)

9. Repetitive tuck jumps (with arms reaching up in a touchdown motion)

10. Side plank pose

11. Abdominal crunches with knee lift

12. Stretches from WEEK #1

WEEK #3

Overview: No exercise can work your muscles in the exact same way as the skill itself does. Therefore, if you wait until tryouts to jump, tumble, etc., you can almost guarantee that you’ll experience soreness one to three days into the tryout. But, by incorporating key skills into your workout this week, you’ll avoid the soreness that could potentially hinder you on tryout day. Just be sure to give yourself adequate rest between sets and to only perform skills that you can complete with proper form.

Workout Plan:

1. Warm-up and stretch (10 minutes)

2. Walking lunges (3 sets of 10 per leg)

3. High/low V motion drill (High V, clasp, low V, 3 sets of 10; option: hold small dumbbells while performing motions.)

4. Toe touches to 8-counts (3 sets of 5 toe touches; advanced option: 5 continuous whip toe touches)

5. Standing handsprings (3 sets of 5 handspring rebounds; advanced: standing back tucks)

6. Pike jumps to 8-counts (3 sets of 5)

7. Squat jumps (3 sets of 10; advanced: add an overhead medicine ball throw at the top of the jump.)

8. Running tumbling (3 sets of 3 passes)

9. V-ups

10. Plank pose (3 sets of 45-second holds)

11. Side plank switch (Go from right to left side continuously for 30 seconds.)

12. Stretches

WEEK # 4

Overview: This week, you’ll pull it all together: strength, core, power, cheer skills and flexibility. This workout works best as a circuit, done three times in a row.

Workout Plan:

1. Warm-up and stretch (10 minutes)

2. Body weight squats (10)

3. Power push-ups (10)

4. Standing handsprings or tucks (5)

5. Power press with jump (10)

6. High/low V motion drill (10)

7. Toe touches to 8-counts (5)

8. Oblique (twisting) crunches (15)

9. Medicine ball pass (10 per side)

10. V-ups (10 per leg)

11. Box jump (10)

12. Plank pose (45 seconds)

13. Stretches

EXTRA! Partner up!

Your workouts will always be better when you have a partner. Not only can you motivate each other to stick to this one-month plan, but you’ll most likely challenge yourself more when you have a friend by your side.

Lauren Peetz is the former head coach of the Georgia Tech cheerleaders and a current co-owner of Victory! Cheerleading and Victory! Fitness in Concord, NC. She’s also a certified strength and conditioning specialist with a master’s degree in exercise physiology.