Exercises for Stronger flick:  A strong flick is great to have if you are COED stunting.  The higher the girl is tossed in the air, the easier it is to complete some of the most difficult COED cheer skills.  Here are some exercises for MEN and WOMEN:

MEN

   Cleans 3 x 10’s

   Upright rows 3 X 8’s

WOMEN

   Tricep Pushdowns 3 x 10’s

   Dips 3 x 10’s

Flyers Exerciese –(holding yourself up in baskets, walk-in stunts, pyramids)

   Dips 3 x 10’s

   Tricep Pushdowns 3 x (6-8)’s

Stunting Exercises:

COED stunting: have the base lay on the ground on his back with his hands up.  Then have a spotter lift a flier up on the bases hands.  Have the base practice his grips and strength while the flier can pull different stunts close to the ground.

Exercises for ALL-GIRL/COED stunting lifting stunts:

   Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x (6-8)’s

   Military press 3 x (6-8)’s

   Arnold press 3 x (6-8)’s

Better backhandspring:

Exercise 1.)Let's start with the snap down. Start in a handstand (it does not have to be perfect) and snap your feet to the ground by pushing off with your shoulders and using your abs. Your hands should leave the ground before your feet hit. Land with your feet together and lift your chest in order to bring your arms straight up. After you have snapped your feet down, finish by jumping up. Do this about 10 times in a row. It will make your shoulders and your abs stronger. It will also make it easier to finsh your backhandspring.

Exercise 2.)Get a GOOD spotter. Start with your feet together and hands to your side. Have your spotter place their hands in a spotting position (if on your left side - spotter place right hand on mid back and left hand on back of thigh). NOw throw a backhandspring and when you finish step forward and throw another. Do 5 in a row and the spotter will help you out if you get tired. This Exercise will not only make you feel more comfortable about the backhandspring, but will improve your strength in your legs. You will start throwing your backhandsprings a lot easier the next day or 2 after.

Better backtuck:
1.) Higher Jump - Work plyometrics to make your jump higher. Go here for instruction
2.) Work your technique - Make sure you are throwing it correctly. Have a certified instructor on hand to assist you with your tumbling and make sure you are taking your back tuck up and not straight back (which most people tend to do).
3.) Faster pull - Do ab exercises by doing quick motions and less of squeezing and holding. This will increase your power in pulling your tuck.
4.) Over rotate- Try to over rotate. Many times the cheerleader will open up too early and stop his/her rotation.
5.) Try this - get a panel mat and fold it up (make sure you have a spotter). Now throw your backtuck off of the panel mat. Once that is comfortable and you can throw it by yourself. Unfold the mat so that you are standing on less panels. Do this until you do not need that panel mat anymore!
6.) Backtuck game(s) - get a group of your friends and make sure they can each do a backtuck successfully Game 1: stand on a line. Then throw your backtuck. See who landing closest to the line. The key is to take the backtuck straight up and land back on the line.
Game 1: stand on a line. Then throw your backtuck. See who landing closest to the line. The key is to take the backtuck straight up and land back on the line.
Game 2: stand in a circle and throw you backtucks in a ripple, until some does not land it cleanly.
NOTE: Make sure you have spotters on hand for safety reasons.

Jump Higher:  In order to get a Higher jump for tumbling, stunting, pyramids, and basket, you have to work on Plyometrics.  Pylometrics is the guidance on the development of elastic strength.  Here are some exercises:

Pogo

Better Toe Touch:

There are 3 things to remember when practicing your toe touch - flexibility, height, and technique! All are important and I will give you some exercises and things to practice to improve your toe touch:

A.) flexibility - 1st start stretching in a straddle sit. Then have someone push on your back to assist with your stretching.
Exercise 1.) For some exercises, lay flat on your back with your hands underneath your buttocks. Keep your back on the ground and legs together, pull your legs up off the ground. Start separating your legs as you come up and eventually snap a toe touch. If you can touch your toes to the ground then you flexibility is excellent. Then on the way down bring your legs together and lay your heels back on the ground. Do this 10 times for 3 sets.
Exercise 2.) Lay flat on your back with your arms straight above your head and your legs together. Start by using your abs and pull your arms down through your legs. At the same time snap a straddle snap (toe touch). Do this 10 times for 3 sets.

B.) Height - Now start working on your jump and improve your height. It will give you enough time to snap your legs up and bring them back down without bending them and loosing your balance.
Exercise 1.) Find some bleachers and/or a chair. Stand in front with both feet together on the ground. Now jump straight up on the chair/bleachers, and then back off. Do this for 30 seconds non stop for 2-3sets. This will increase your jumping ability.
Exercise 2.) Have a spotter stand behind you and grab your waist. On count execute you jump. Have the spotter help lift you off the ground (just a little). This will give you the idea of what it's supposed to feel like to hit the correct height on the toe touch.

C.) Technique - Know how to throw the toe touch.
1.) Keep your chest up. Too many girls drop their chest and it actually makes the jump look lower than it should.
2.) Do not touch your toes...kick your legs behind your arms. If you touch you toes, then it reduces the height of your jump.
3.) Straight legs up and on the way down for the landing. Make sure you do not bend your legs on the way up or down. You will loose points for tryouts.
4.) Land with your feet together.
5.) Keep your toes pointed

Exercises for ABS:

   Leglifts 3 x (10-20)’s

   Side crunches 3 x (10-20)’s

   Regular crunches 3 x (10-20)’s

Other ABs exercises:

Bicycle Exercise

Better Endurance:

low weight, high reps (10-??? reps)

Go fast w/ many reps for tone and endurance

Lift More:

Strength: high weight, low reps (3-5 reps)

Go slow for size and strength

Make sure you lift at least 5 days a week to gain best size

More Explosive and Power:

Go fast from the bottom and slow from the top for power

Traning routines:

Example routine for MEN:

   Day 1 Chest/back

   Day 2 Biceps/triceps

   Day 3 shoulders/legs

   OPEN day  cardio OR OFF

Some examples of how to maintain this lifting schedule

(You should only workout 5 times a week for best gains)

Example exercises

Day 1  Chest/Back

Bench Press                        3 X (6-8)'s

Incline Press                       3 X (6-8)'s

Seated Row                         3 X (6-8)'s

Bent over Row                    3 X (6-8)'s

Decline Press                     3 X (6-8)'s

Lat pulldowns                     3 X (6-8)'s

Day 2  Biceps/Triceps

Preacher curl                      3 X 8's

DB alternate curl                3 X 8's

Skull crushers                     3 X 8's

Tricep kickback                  3 X 8's

DB alternate preacher        3 X 8's

Rope overhead extensions 3 X 8's

Day 3 Shoulders/Legs

Arnold Press                       3 X 8's

Military Press                     3 X 8's

Reverse Fly(palms back)   3 X 8's

Straight bar shrugs              3 X 10's

Upright rows                       3 X 10's

Calve raises                         3 X 8's

Include these exercises any day that works:

Cleans               3 x 10’s

Pylometrics  

Example routine for WOMEN:

   Day 1 Chest/back

   Day 2 Cardio

   Day 2 Biceps/triceps

   Day 4 Cardio

   Day 5 shoulders/legs

   OPEN day cardio OR OFF

Some examples of how to maintain this lifting schedule

Lose weight the healthy way!

Muscle building foods

Stretching Exercises: (more information coming!)

Toe Touch Stretches(more information coming!)

Scorpion Stretches :

1.) Do a front split to the foot your are going to stand on. Then lean your head backwards in the split to your pulling leg.

2.) Get a friend to help you out. Stand with a chair in front of you, then have your friend pull your leg up to you by placing their right hand on your front waist and their left hand on your thigh of the leg that you are pulling.

3.) Use a leash. Stand with a chair in front of your and tie a leash around the leg that you are going to pull. Grab the leash with your free hand and pull your leg up. When you feel comfortable, walk your hands up the leash until you eventually make it to your foot.

4.) Use a table. Stand with a chair in front and a table behind you. Grab the chair in front and place you pulling leg on the table (thigh down). Now try pulling the scorpion by using the table as your aid.

Go luck and practice safely!!!

Bow n Arrow Stretches

(assuming you are pulling your bow n arrow with your left leg)
1.) Start with a side stretch with your stretch leg (left) forward. Now lean down and forward towards this leg and stretch. Stretch down for 30 seconds and release, and do this 2-3 times.

Better Flexibility: (more information coming!)

Other information:

• Size: Medium weight, medium reps (6-8 reps)
• Do cardio on your off days
• Cardio on your days you lift can be counter productive
• You only need to workout 30min-45 min daily
• Remember to change your workout frequently to shock your muscles.
• Make sure you squeeze your muscle for 2 seconds for each rep.
• Remember that working out too much is counter productive and can actually hurt your body as well as see NO gains.