Bases That Used To Be Flyers

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MomMomMamaMom

Cheer Parent
Mar 30, 2012
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1,116
We have had quite a few kids transition from Flyer to Base this year. Some have never based at all, some are happy with it, some are not, they run from youth age to senior age. Almost all have them have had some sort of upper body injury already ( wrist, lower arm, neck, back.) Does any of one have any tips on strengthening exercises that these kids could use to supplement their normal conditioning?
 
We have had quite a few kids transition from Flyer to Base this year. Some have never based at all, some are happy with it, some are not, they run from youth age to senior age. Almost all have them have had some sort of upper body injury already ( wrist, lower arm, neck, back.) Does any of one have any tips on strengthening exercises that these kids could use to supplement their normal conditioning?

Oh gawd. How do they get their injuries? (my kid has just been made a base) Just from not being strong enough kind of thing?
 
Oh gawd. How do they get their injuries? (my kid has just been made a base) Just from not being strong enough kind of thing?
You know, it is always kind of hard to say if they get them from tumbling or basing. That being said, my guess is that they are using muscles and joints that they haven't been accustomed to using, and they just haven't gained the appropriate strength yet.
 
My cp had always been a flyer (6 years) and last year at age 12 based on a J4 and flew on a S4.2. This year we are at a new gym & she bases on J4 again (no crossing at this gym, lol!) She hasn't had any sort of basing issues other than what I call the "external" kind...kicks to the mouth, arm & leg bruising, etc. Even though she is built like a flyer, and most people outside of cheer are shocked when she tells them she is "one of the people that hold up the stunt," lol...I think that she wasn't a natural flyer because she never had that innate flexibility. She has always had an incredible amount of lean muscle mass for a girl...at toddler swim birthday parties all of the other little girls had those adorable baby bellies and she looked like one of the little boys with abs and no fanny to hold up her suit! A coach once told me that it is difficult to be very strong and very flexible at the same time...and it really seems to be the case. So, that may be why my cp hasn't had muscular issues starting basing, but I think it also means that any strengthening exercises would help new bases.
 
Squats are your friend. Lots of squats. Honestly, proper technique and being willing to learn. If bases learn early how to lift with their legs, and are willing to listen to technique instruction and try to get better, the strength usually handles itself, at least at the lower levels. The ones I see getting injured are typically the ones that don't learn and practice proper lifting technique, either because they are progressed too quickly or they are sullen about being forced to base and don't really want to learn. A girl was pulled out of a stunt on CP's team this week because of her unwillingness to do anything but fly. Now she nuggets because she was never really willing to try to learn how to base, she is under skilled in tumbling, and too tall to fly on this team.
 
Thank you. I don't see practices so I know nothing about what they are being taught as far as grips and lifting. Squats are a fantastic idea. Any tips for strengthening for catching?
 
In my option, most flyer to base injuries are called "Ego injuries" (if you have a strong conditioning program and have a relatively diverse skill set... You ex flyers should have exceptional core strength (as that's #1 for flyers) ... Upper body should be not bad too if you incorporate top heavy transitions and a strong tumbling program. Outside of being "new" to the position... I have found many "flyers" complain and "get injured"... "hurt" out of plain ol Down right not being on the top anymore and having to do the "lifting" and not committing to the stunt. It's like after you've spent years sitting on a chair you naturally lax to the idea of carrying it.
 
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In my option, most flyer to base injuries are called "Ego injuries" (if you have a strong conditioning program and have a relatively diverse skill set... You ex flyers should have exceptional core strength (as that's #1 for flyers) ... Upper body should be not bad too if you incorporate top heavy transitions and a strong tumbling program. Outside of being "new" to the position... I have found many "flyers" complain and "get injured"... "hurt" out of plain ol Down right not being on the top anymore and having to do the "lifting" and not committing to the stunt stunt. It's like after you've spent years sitting on a chair you naturally lax to the idea of carrying it.
Funny and so true!
 
While I can't rule out ego, or tumbling in every instance, I think reducing it to that is simplistic. I see a pattern of kids who haven't lifted getting lifting injuries. In a perfect world conditioning and technique would be highly emphasized, but sometimes it does just boil down to do what works. ( especially since so many of them are new to basing) I do think that their bodies aren't accustomed to using their upper bodies to execute their skills, and they have all come from a relatively weak tumbling program until now. I just would like to know what other people do to condition to be strong and to prevent injuring themselves. Legs and core and shoulders and push-ups all make a lot of sense. Thank you!
 
Focus on the basics is a good way to make sure their stunting safely, like making sure they're warming up everything properly and progressing to the harder stuff. My best friend on my college team was made a base last year during our senior year and she experienced the pain she gave me for three and a half years but she sucked it up for the sake of the team. I currently as a coach have the issue of having to move girls around as well, but I tend to find if the stunt group is successful they're really happy so making sure groups are a right fit dor everyone could help to.
 
Focus on the basics is a good way to make sure their stunting safely, like making sure they're warming up everything properly and progressing to the harder stuff. My best friend on my college team was made a base last year during our senior year and she experienced the pain she gave me for three and a half years but she sucked it up for the sake of the team. I currently as a coach have the issue of having to move girls around as well, but I tend to find if the stunt group is successful they're really happy so making sure groups are a right fit dor everyone could help to.

Both of my kids have transitioned to base (one exclusively, one still flies on one team) and they love it. I'm pretty sure they love it because their stunts are hitting. Both have been crossovers for a number of years, so both have based on their lower level teams for quite some time, so they didn't shock their systems so much. Basing isn't new, but basing bigger flyers is, at least for the oldest...and she is experiencing elbow, wrist, and tendon pain...though I couldn't say if it's from catching or throwing. On our other teams, all the old flyers have back pain and wrist pain... But to be fair, they are also tumbling at a higher level than before. I don't think that either of the coaches do a whole lot in the way of warm ups though.
 
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