Cheerleading Fitness – Stretching for Flexibility

With the cold weather upon us, it is too easy to stay indoors where it is warm and put off exercising. It is important to keep working out every day, not just at practice, in order to keep up one’s health and fitness level. When it comes to working out, there are three main areas of focus: Stretching, Cardio Training, and Strength Training. Our focus here is on Stretching. Stretching is extremely important for maintaining flexibility and agility, which is very important for cheerleaders. Maintaining flexibility eases the body’s ability to execute stunts by requiring less energy to move the joint as well as improving coordination. It also improves the condition of the joint and provides a wider range of motion. Flexibility also increases the body’s ability to perform with a much lower chance of injury. Here we have put together some basic stretches that can be performed at home or school and take only minutes each day.

Calf Stretch
Place your right heel upon a step, knee slightly bent. Lean forward, grasp your right toe with your right hand. Bend your left knee slightly and keep your back straight. Keeping your weight on the left leg and your left hand on the left thigh, pull your right toes toward the knee. Keep the knee slightly bent and hold for 30 seconds.

Standing Hamstring Stretch
Place your right heel upon a step, knee slightly bent. Lean forward, placing your hands on the left leg. Keep the left knee slightly bent and lean forward, curving your lower back slightly inward. Press buttocks and back up, pushing the hips away from the front knee, and hold for 30 seconds.

Bent Knee Hamstring Stretch
Stand with one foot raised onto a table and lean your chest into your bent knee.

Toe Touch Stretch
Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you, ankles together. Lean forward and touch your toes. Your goal for flexibility is to be able to touch your nose to your knees and wrap your hands around the arch of your feet.

Herkie Stretch
Sit on the floor with one leg bent behind you and the other leg stretched out in front of you. Raise your arms over your head, lean down and touch your toe. Repeat the stretch with the other leg.

Knee Roll-Over Stretch
Laying on your back, bend your knees and let them fall to one side. While keeping your arms out to the side, let your back and hips rotate with your knees.

Lying Quadricep Stretch
Lie on your left side, extend your left arm and rest your head on it. Contract the abdominals, holding the pelvis in a neutral position. Bring the right ankle back towards the glutes, reach back with the right hand and gently hold the ankle with the knee parallel to the floor. Press the front hip bone forward, slightly extending the hip, and hold for 30 seconds.

Lunges and Splits
Do 10 deep lunges on each leg, each proceeded by a bent over straight leg stretch. Hold each stretch for 8 seconds. Then follow up with each of the right, left and middle splits, holding each for 1 minute.

Rotator Stretch
Stand with your hand behind the middle of your back, elbow pointing out. With your other hand, gently pull your elbow forward.


Flexibility will not happen overnight, however after a few weeks you will notice a difference. A few additional things to remember regarding stretching:

• Stretch every day, 1-2 times each day.
• While doing stretches, hold each stretch for 10-30 seconds, relax, and repeat.
• Never stretch cold muscles; always warm up first
• Push your stretches a bit further each time but stop if there is pain. Pain indicates that something is wrong so don’t overdo it.
• Do not bounce while stretching. This can lead to injury.
• Breathe properly while stretching. Do not hold your breathe. Breathe normally.

Go to cheerzone.com and check out out fitness supplies, music and videos!