Help Me Please

[Dolores]

Hello, Im going to be a sophomore high school cheer leader this year. To understand my situation here is a little bit about myself: Im 5'7 , I lack arm muscles, I'm on the skinny side like asian skinny in a way, my leg muscles are not that bad, I have amazing facials, I'm pretty good at dancing, as well as cheering, I'm really spirited, Ive done cheerleading as a freshmen but experience coach problems, I've also done brief Allstar cheer but I was in a level with little kids, and my highest level of tumbling is a roundoff.

I really admire the aspects of cheer and I love how hardworking it is. My only problem is I'm bad at stunting and physically not meant for cheer in general. Today at practice I practically did nothing during cheer except clapping and spotting stunts that doesn't even need help. Being tall, I'm automatically placed as a backspot, and only ever been taught backspot. There are other jackpots as well who are more thicker then I am although I'm the tallest of the team. In stunts when I'm placed into a group by coach the bases and flyers would all talk about how they miss there old groups (and that last group just the back spot was diffrent) the other backspots are able to use their arm strengths more to help the bases with their loads. My stunts doesn't have a good flow and the highest level I ever went to was extension cradle. The problem isn't always on me for even the coaches points out the bases mistakes compared to my problem as a a backspot. Yet that doesn't stop them from telling me that I have to be more "Aggressive" or put strength into it, and always saying that it was so much easier with a pass stunt. Thus saying if there was a poll for backspots in my team I would possibly be ranked the last person they ever want in a stunt. As well as their faces dropping when they hear my name when I'm in their stunt group. They don't exactly like me because they have to do more work when I'm in there stunt group due to the lack of arm muscle I currently lack (compared to the other backspots).

I realize my strength is a problem so I specifically went to my coaches to make me a conditioning workout so they told me to follow skworkit app and I have other excersises. I love working out and I've always done it but sadly arm muscle is nowhere to be found despite my constant routine. My diet is mostly meat, I can't over eat because I get really sick and I never ever miss a meal because I honestly love food and its important.

The reason why I after countless google searching is asking for help on this website is because sitting out Ive notice that the girls are getting more closer, and I know stunting is about trusting others so they are more openly close. They don't trust me in stunts so they are not close to me. Despite my positive attitude I'm a bit sad that I can't contribute more into making our team positive with a encouring spirit due to this lack of bonding. Especially since stunting takes up more practice time and needs a team to complete it.

I really need this advice on what to do. I hope I get a reply. Thank you for your time.

 

[TNcheermom]

I'm on the skinny side like asian skinny in a way,

Huh? What is asian skinny?

I don't have any advice for you on actual exercises to strengthen yourself for back spotting, but I do want to encourage you to talk with your coaches about taking an extra bit of time to show you the exercises you need to be doing at home and have you then mirror them back to them to make sure you are doing them correctly. Does your team do any strength and conditioning?

Just eating meat isn't going to "beef" up your arms. A balanced diet with lots of greens will give you the nutrients you need to get strong.


Stay positive and don't give up!

 

[DonnaM]

My CP is built similarly, although she does sometimes base as well as backspot.

What helped her most in developing body strength was to cross train gymnastics, not just tumbling. Yes, that means being with much younger kids, but the different apparatus use different strengths and muscle groups. She eventually moved to doing just cheer and tumbling, but even a couple of recreational gymnastics classes a week for a year or so made a difference. Her program didn't do really any conditioning, so the extra classes helped that piece as as well, because even rec gymnastics conditioned.

 

[wescardinals]

I have some of the best arm strength on my team, and (this is gonna sound weird, I know) but its because I'm a bit short and so I have to climb on everything. Climbing (trees, rock walls, even ladders, and shelves) is a really good way to build arm strength, plus its really fun so you don't notice how hard you are working.

 

[dat.jpp]

Just try lifting up as much as possible, if it means throwing as hard as you can (if it means that the flyer leaves the bases arms) then do that. I can't help but I can tell you, I don't work out. Anyway, I hope this helps :P :)

 

[mamadekenyjax]

At times when your tall and lean, you will be placed with younger age groups. Sometimes you have to go where they need you. So did you not cheer last year because of the "coaching problems"? If that is the case and you cheered some and then left, there may be some underlying trust issues with team and then way they are treating you. They may be thinking you're gonna quit again?
But, I could have mis understood your comment.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[ZetaQueen]

Hey girl! So I've never seen you stunt, so I can't comment on your technique or "aggression" as a back spot but I can give you a little advice. I've mainly been a base since I began cheerleading way too many years ago. However, I've ran into one or two coaches now and again who have wanted me to be a back spot and truth be told. . . I never liked it. I did though learn a lot about back spotting and I learned to ALWAYS appreciate my backs. I think your issue from what you wrote isn't much about strength but instead confidence. (Now doing some normal and tricep push-ups, planks, handstand holds, squats, lunges, etc will help you) But you also need to remember when you stunt you are the heart of the stunt group, you hold the heaviest weight of any other person and you not only make sure you don't drop the flyer but you also help the bases. When you go to stunt you gotta say in your mind that you are gonna protect everyone in that stunt group regardless of how you feel that day, you are there to protect and support. If a girl kicks, punches, sits on you, etc. that is part of the sport and you have to be ready to just grab that flyer and make sure she doesn't touch the ground if something goes wrong. I don't care about your body, your diet (though seriously make sure its balanced not just meat. . . you won't get strength from just eating a steak), your Coach drama, etc, your teammates will trust you as long as you give them a reason to trust you. If you throw up a stunt and it falls but you catch your flyer then that is trusting, if you pull up your flyers ankles in a stunt so your bases wrists aren't killing them. . . they will love you forever, you just have to be confident about what you do regardless of your dramatic coaches because maybe you just gotta prove them wrong.