Whether you are starting to think about getting in cheer shape for tryouts (they will be here before you know it), feeling the burn (OUT) from competition season, or you just want a fun way to stay motivated when working out, this week’s workout challenge #3 will give ya that oh so good burn feeling!
Let’s face it, some things are just better together – like working out!
We all know that working out is important (that’s a no brainer). Working out helps us advance our cheer skills, reduces stress, prevents injury ..and hey gets us in top shape too! We all set good intentions for the week – ready to commit to working out 3-5 times and are excited to start the week off strong.
But then…
Life happens. Between school, work, practice, competitions, events and the list goes on…. we somehow missed all those workouts we meant to do. And this happens week after week. The key to sticking with your workout is to….
workout with your SWEATHEART! Your sweatheart could be your boyfriend, girlfriend, teammate, coach…anyone that will help you commit to get that booty moving!
Fun Fact: We are far more likely to actually workout when canceling means inconveniencing a friend. There are endless benefits to working out with a workout buddy. From accountability to upping the fun factor – working out together gets results.
So grab your SWEATheart and let’s workout with this weeks bonus #cheerfitchallenge. (more…)
“One more time!” it is the dreaded phrase every team hears their coach say over and over again, even when they don’t really mean one more time at all! But what happens when you are at the point in your season when you have made all your routine adjustments, you have performed it several times for a crowd, and all that’s left to do is run it repeatedly to make sure skills are consistently hitting for your competition season. Many teams seem to hit a mental and physical wall at this point in the year and need ways to keep working their routine without it becoming too boring. When a cheerleading team feels they are just “going through the motions” due to repetitions of a routine they need a way to keep things fun and exciting.
Here are a few ways I like to keep my team focused and having fun mid competition season!
Make a game out of it! Have each stunt group run through the routine separately.
Go 10 for 10
Pick a skill or whatever may need some focused work- Partner stunts, dance, pyramid, tumbling, jumps, etc. and have the team work together to get every group or individual to hit the skill 10 out of 10 tries. This gives the group something to focus their energy on directly rather than running the routine repeatedly. It also will amaze you to see how the team pulls together to push one another to nail their skills while becoming very consistent!
Play Some Games:
One of our favorite things to do mid competition season is playing games between full outs. It breaks up the routine of practice and gives everyone something fun to look forward to outside of their normal work. We even like to replace conditioning some days with games like ‘Ships and Sailors’ because they have a crazy amount of fun yet get a good warm up in!
Take a Day Off for Some Team Bonding
What’s better than surprising your hard working team with a fun day off instead of practicing. Take the team bowling, to see a movie, or plan a fun wing night! When a team is having fun together it shows through their performances on the mat!
Stuck in a rut trying to make practices and the rest of this season just a little more exciting? We’ve got you covered. Check out the team training programs and get ready to receive new workouts, fit tips and motivation each week! Finish out the season strong, we’re here to help.
Hope you find these tips and tricks helpful and have a happy, healthy, and fun competition season!
XoXo.
Your Ambassador,
–Natalie
Meet Your Ambassador:
Natalie was a 7 season varsity cheerleader in high school as well as a competitive dancer since the age of 3. She then went on to become an NFL Cheerleader for the Buffalo Bills where she was awarded Rookie of the Year honors and was named a Co Captain in her second season. After retiring from the Jill’s, she moved back to her home town to become the head cheerleading coach for Maine Endwell High School and fitness enthusiast. In three years as coach of her team, they have won back to back STAC Championships as well as winning the Co-Ed State title this winter.
Motivation is the driving force behind everything we do. When we are motivated, we accomplish our goals. When we are motivated we stop making excuses. When we are motivated, we achieve success.
And the key to staying motivated is..
Stretching is such a critical aspect of life.
Stretching will not only improve your athletic abilities it will also help prevent injuries.
When you stretch it allows your joints to move in their full range of motion.This is also a great technique to get blood to flow to your muscles.
I want to get in cheer shape – should I just do cardio? I want to get toned, should I just do strength training? I want to advance my stunting – should I do…?? As the fitness expert for cheerleaders, I get this question ALL THE TIME. So here we go, I’m going to drop a little cheer fitness knowledge on ya to help you out. Sound good?
Well hello there!
I want to start off this blog post by taking a deep breath to focus, refocus and refresh. Between all the competition hype this weekend (Majors 2016, UCA College Nationals, local competitions, etc…), chances are we could all use a little rest and relaxation action.
Well my friends, here we are – middle of January and right smack in the heart of competition season! Yes, this is the season, the weekend, the moment you have been preparing for, practicing for and waiting for! Hundreds of hours spent at practice boil down to just 2 ½ minutes. So, how are you going to be remembered?
Ah, yes the new year! The new year brings a great sense of relief as we get a ‘fresh slate’ to start over, refresh, and revamp. This is the time where we set lofty goals and are ready to conquer 2016 like a champ. But hold on slugger – take a second to really think about those goals.
Ok, now that you’re thinking about your goals (those real, true, attainable goals) and you’re super clear about what you want, how the heck do you make it happen?? Let me let you in on a little secret to getting everything you want!
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Let’s face it, mental blocks are very real and something you may have to deal with at some point in your cheering career. Personally, I hope you never get them and tumble fearlessly forever : ) But if you are like most of us and have had that dreaded mental block – this #workoutwednesday is for you!
Mental blocks are known as that big unknown in cheerleading (and life)! There is no other thing that drains a cheerleader’s motivation faster, drives a coach to insanity, or confuses a parent more, than experiencing a mental block.
So how can you bust out of a mental block once and for all?
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