All-Star Weight Lifting

[mytriplek]

My CP is now on a senior team and would like to start weight training for better stunting and tumbling. As of right now she does 45 minutes on the elliptical, 3 sets of 10 on the leg press, 3 sets of 10 on the arm press and the assisted pull up machine but she's not sure what would help.

Can anyone share their workout regimen?

 

[OnceUponACheerleader]

Our university team focuses on 4 main lifts and then supplementary workouts on lift days. And we lift fairly heavy (3 sets x 5 reps, and I can hardly move by my 5th rep). Keeping in mind that this is the bare minimum we have to do. Many people on the team have customized work outs incorporating these lifts :). Hope this helps a little.

-squat
-dead lift
-military press
-bench press


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[mytriplek]

Our university team focuses on 4 main lifts and then supplementary workouts on lift days. And we lift fairly heavy (3 sets x 5 reps, and I can hardly move by my 5th rep). Keeping in mind that this is the bare minimum we have to do. Many people on the team have customized work outs incorporating these lifts :). Hope this helps a little.

-squat
-dead lift
-military press
-bench press


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How much weight do you normally use?

 

[njallday]

How much weight do you normally use?

this very much varies on an athlete by athlete basis. i was always taught to do reps with 70% of my one rep max. like if i can do one rep of 100 lbs (and physically cannot do any reps at a higher weight) than i should use 70 lbs to do my reps. at the very least, it's a good starting place. see if the gym she is going to offers any personal training sessions. it may be wise to have even just one session to get her started, so at the very least she'll have proper form and not hurt herself!

 

[mytriplek]

this very much varies on an athlete by athlete basis. i was always taught to do reps with 70% of my one rep max. like if i can do one rep of 100 lbs (and physically cannot do any reps at a higher weight) than i should use 70 lbs to do my reps. at the very least, it's a good starting place. see if the gym she is going to offers any personal training sessions. it may be wise to have even just one session to get her started, so at the very least she'll have proper form and not hurt herself!

Thanks!

She's had a few personal training sessions but they basically told her they're not equipped to help her with cheer. They told her they could help her get in all around better shape and she lost interest

 

[njallday]

Thanks!

She's had a few personal training sessions but they basically told her they're not equipped to help her with cheer. They told her they could help her get in all around better shape and she lost interest

well than you're a step ahead! the personal trainer is definitely not required.. i just see SO MANY injuries of athletes with poor form (looking at you cross fitters) that sometimes it's worth the money just to be taught the right way to lift.

as far as cheer specific wight lifting, i wish i could be more helpful! good luck to CP!

 

[XtremeWpg]

What is her position in cheer?

I would suggest core exercises (snaps, v sit, crunches, plank) for all positions.
Shoulders are important for bases and thirds (lateral raises, front raises, shoulder press, reverse flys)
Legs! I wouldn't suggest dead lifts without someone training her on technique. You can cause gnarly injury if you do a dead left wrong.
But squats, leg press, calf raises, quad extension, hamstring extension. Box jumps for explosive muscle in tumbling and basing.

I'd recommend doing things with free weights as opposed to machines. Stabilizer muscles are key in cheerleading.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

If she's going to be lifting weights, I would definitely get her in with a personal trainer to make sure she's taught correct form. The best way to get hurt is to start lifting free weights blind and do something incorrectly. That's how many Crossfitters get hurt--jump into an exercise without an understanding or regard for doing it correctly. I lift heavy weights 4 days a week, and it was absolutely beneficial that I had a trainer show me the proper way to lift and also the variety of exercises to work each muscle group.

Once you get an understanding of what exercises work different muscle groups, you start to feel more comfortable doing variations of exercises and creating your own routine. That took me a few years. Until then, see if a trainer can give her a full body circuit type workout, supersetting different exercises to maximize time and get a cardio workout as well.

ETA: I agree with the above poster. Free weights, when used properly, have shown to increase my personal strength much more steadily and rapidly.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

Oh, one more thought. There's a mom on here with a kid at UA who I think competes NPC. With her combined knowledge of working out and cheerleading, she may have some tips. Can someone tag her?

 

[Adam]

I just wanna double up on what @XtremeWpg and @retiredl5cheer said about free weights. As long as they're used properly you benefit so much more from free weights than you do from using machines. The constant use of core and stabilizer muscles helps create all-around fitness rather that simply working a single muscle group. And besides, when she's out there stunting she won't have a machine bracing her and making sure she moves in the right way.

Also, when working with the personal trainers, it may help to try and specify certain muscle groups she wants to work or to describe the stunting process so the personal trainer can figure out what she needs. Like someone said earlier, you want a lot of core exercises, shoulder strength/endurance and explosive leg strength. (That's assuming she's a base)

 

[Official OWECheer]

How young is too young for weight lifting?

 

[KikiD22]

That is me. :)
I lift at least 5 days a week myself. I'll post a longer response later when I get to a computer and am not on my phone.


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[XtremeWpg]

I'm training for CBFF competitions (like NCP in Canada) and do 5x a week heavy lifting, like muscle failure. But I'm also 30 and done developing.

I'd also like to say, if your CP is still young, lifting heavy weights isn't a good idea. For teens and kids, light weight is best. Even using just resistance bands can be sufficient. Lifting too heavy can put too much strain on young muscles, tendons and cartilage that haven't turned into bone (growth plates).

Elementary age kids can do strength training like pushups and other body weight exercises (think cheer conditioning). As they grow, you can add more of a resistance element (therabands) and progress up to free weights etc.

 

[mytriplek]

Thanks everyone. She's 15 and a base. Her normal gym routine is 45 mins on the elliptical with the resistance on 90. 3 sets of 10 on the leg press machine pressing 100 lbs and 3 sets of 10 on the assisted pull up machine (she's pulling probably about 80-100 lbs).

She said going from level 2 to 3 was a beast for her and she wants an all around great workout she can do 3 days a week to work her core and all aspects so she can be a stronger tumbler/stunter when it comes time to move to levels 4 and 5

 

[mytriplek]

That is me. :)
I lift at least 5 days a week myself. I'll post a longer response later when I get to a computer and am not on my phone.


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I think she said she wants to lift 2-3 days a week. Should she do more?