All My Questions About Cheer?

[tonfinityandbeyond]

Hi everyone i'm 15 and i am hoping to join a new squad in August (i'm waiting to be on a senior team). My problems are 1) I am too heavy to be a flier but too weak to be a base so does anyone know and exercises to strengthen my arms and loose weight so i can fly (also my core bc you obviously need that to fly).

2) Most important muscles to get toned for flying?

3) Having next to no tumbling skills would i be able to get to level 4 standard by then if i did tumble classes every week?

Thank you in advance.
Lily

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

You want to be Level 4 by August but have no tumbling now?

Everyone progresses differently, but I can tell you that getting from ZERO tumbling to Level 4 in 7 months is not typical at all.

I don't know that I have ever seen anyone go from a walkover to a layout from February to August.

Heck, I've seen kids get stuck on throwing BHSs and take a year or more just to make it to level 2.

My advice is to set some realistic goals so that you do not get burned out/discouraged.

Ex: Maybe not level 4 but "I would like to be working on my BHS this fall."

 

[retiredl5cheer]

Thanks for responding for me @oncecoolcoachnowmom. I got tired reading this.

 

[queenie]

My daughter does tumbling classes every week and she moves up a level every two years. So...first year she had nothing. She was Level 1 for two years, then Level 2 for two years, and now we are gently starting to learn the basics of level 3 skills. I think it would be pretty much impossible for you to get to level 4 that quickly unless you have some kind of gymnastics/tumbling background.

As for strengthening - push ups, pull ups, etc. You need those muscles for basing, flying, and tumbling. Handstands are great for building core muscles. And the key to flying is to have a strong core. But don't just focus on flying, like a previous poster said only 1 in 4 kids flies and you don't know where you'll fit in yet.

Maybe watch some cheer videos to get a sense of what Level 4 athletes can do. And then watch some S1 videos to see what a Level 1 team looks like and compare the two and where you think you'll get by August.

 

[CheerLAW]

First question - why did you wait until 15 just to be on a senior team? Senior division starts at age 10. My CP has been on a senior team since she started at 10. Unless of course your gym requires you to cheer your age division.

Next, I agree with the previous comments. You need to be realistic about your goals.
My CP had a BHS and started on senior level 2. She did level 2 again the next season. Last season she did level 2 and level 3. She had her layout but they placed her on 3 because it wasn't a solid layout. This season she is again level 2 and level 3 due to a back injury. But it has taken her three years to go from level 2 tumbling to level 4 tumbling and that's with have a strong core. Many people will say that the BHS is the toughest skill to master. The tuck (level 3) is a little easier but the layout (level 4) can often take forever. I would also think that try outs would be before August. Our gym has tryouts in April and May. By August, teams are set and choreography is done. Our athletes are placed on teams based on the skills they throw in May. There are exceptions to every rule but that's generally the rule.
Also, every member of a team is important, not just the fliers. Does my daughter fly, yes. But the year she did a youth team and a senior team, she based on youth. The flier was bigger than her but she did and she was very proud of herself. She is prepared that at the age of almost 14, being only 100 pounds and 5 foot 1, flying might be coming to an end very soon. She doesn't have the most arm strength but she'll work like h*** to be the best no matter what position she's in. Think about why you want to cheer - is it because you only want to be the certain of attention (flying) or because you love the sport (position shouldn't matter).
Remember flying is also about being very flexible and being able to pull body positions while in the air. If you've never flown, it's also not realistic to think that you will go from never flying to level 4 flying. We've had it happen at our gym but flying is like tumbling - progressive. My CP spent many hours in private flyer lessons to teach her to be tight in the air. She would go up and the base would literally shake her.
Exercises to do whether you're doing them in hopes of flying but are also incredibly important for tumbling, basing and backing - crunches, push up, pull ups, planks, v ups. Remember you need a lot of endurance as well, a level 4 routine is usually much faster than a level 1 routine, at least at our gym.

 

[Official OWECheer]

Hi everyone i'm 15 and i am hoping to join a new squad in August (i'm waiting to be on a senior team). My problems are 1) I am too heavy to be a flier but too weak to be a base so does anyone know and exercises to strengthen my arms and loose weight so i can fly (also my core bc you obviously need that to fly).

2) Most important muscles to get toned for flying?

3) Having next to no tumbling skills would i be able to get to level 4 standard by then if i did tumble classes every week?

Thank you in advance.
Lily

If you want hard tumbling, you have to be strong enough for it. CONDITION. Start with 10-15 minutes a day, then build up over time.

 

[ChristyCheers]

My two cents...

Seniors... As far as waiting until 16 to go on seniors, a lot of teams (mine included) will not let you on senior under 15 unless you are tumbling and stunting to the level of the team. The lack of tumbling may have kept her out before.

Tumbling 0-4 by August... Sorry, not likely. I have worked cheer and gym with all age groups and all abilities. Everyone does progress at their own rate, but only superheros could go that fast. Remember, you want clean, permanent skills at each level. Rushing through them will lead to disaster-- injury and/or bad habits which will be caught by judges. Find a good coach and only worry about your next skill-- don't think about your destination, concentrate on the road that will get you there.

Getting fit to fly... There are a number of ways to get in shape, but concentrate on just that-- getting in shape. Don't think about loosing weight to fly, think about toning up all over. Besides, flying isn't about weight, it's about conditioning, body control, body awareness, alignment, flexibility... The list goes on and on. So just worry about getting in shape, if you eventually get to fly, okay, if not, you may end up a killer base. I have a lot of articles about fitness, flexibility, and nutrition over on cheerleading.about.com, you might want to check them out.

And finally... Good Luck with your new team!

 

[Cheer Dad]

Out of curiosity, it looks like you have posted this same question twice, why?




**I have a gofundme account. I call it my JOB**

 

[Cheer Dad]

Sorry for the double post.

I will assume you have a local gym you are interested in joining. Do you have the opportunity to workout there for conditioning and such?


**I have a gofundme account. I call it my JOB**

 

[tumbleyoda]

^^^@Cheer Dad - that is the best signature ever! I am using that one (and giving you credit!)

 

[Cheer Dad]

^^^@Cheer Dad - that is the best signature ever! I am using that one (and giving you credit!)

Bahahaha.


**I have a gofundme account. I call it my JOB**

 

[disneydance]

I don't see that as realistic. Maybe a 4.2 if you work your butt off. Try taking as many classes as possible and work hard.

 

[Ian Perez]

Hi everyone i'm 15 and i am hoping to join a new squad in August (i'm waiting to be on a senior team). My problems are 1) I am too heavy to be a flier but too weak to be a base so does anyone know and exercises to strengthen my arms and loose weight so i can fly (also my core bc you obviously need that to fly).

2) Most important muscles to get toned for flying?

3) Having next to no tumbling skills would i be able to get to level 4 standard by then if i did tumble classes every week?

Thank you in advance.
Lily

Hey it is completely possible to get to the point you want to be cause im technically at level 3 right now and i just started tumbling a little over 2 months ago. I bet if you goto more then one practice a week and really stress out your skill then u can do it but dont be scared or it will hold you back

 

[AliciaM]

Hey it is completely possible to get to the point you want to be cause im technically at level 3 right now and i just started tumbling a little over 2 months ago. I bet if you goto more then one practice a week and really stress out your skill then u can do it but dont be scared or it will hold you back

Different situation though. You're a guy and guys tend to pick up tumbling faster than girls. It's not always the case but almost all the guy cheerleaders I know got their tumbling quite quick.


Lily- tumbling it really depends. I struggled with a handspring for 2 years and then when I switched gyms I went from barely a standing handspring to working a running layout in 9 months. That being said I took many tumbling classes and privates and conditioned like crazy to get those skills.

As for flying that is not easy. I had to stretch every single day to get a straight leg scorp (needle) and learning things like fulls and such wasn't easy. But when I was learning to be a flyer we didn't need to have all these skills you need now. Cheer has progressed a LOT since I started. Being a flyer you are constantly learning new skills because stunting changes a lot whether it be how you get to the top or new stunts. I've based as well and that's just as important. A flyer can't get in the air without a base or backspot

I would aim to try and make any team and then work on skills and to progress from there.

 

[CIACheerMom]

Tumbling is really personal. My daughter is a naturally strong tumbler, but has struggled with two different mental blocks that have set her back roughly two years. But I have seen kids progress really quickly at her current cheer gym. In a few months, I have seen girls with only back bend kickovers get tucks, but that is definitely not the norm. To gain strength for tumbling, I would do snap downs everyday. My older daughter did 100 a day when she was trying to get her bhs and my younger one does 25. They help a lot with gaining the back handspring. Flexibility is really important, as well as ab strength too.