I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again- One of the hardest things about cheerleading is that you have to make it look easy. When you consider what is going on, it’s easy to see why that can be such a challenge. Between jumping, tumbling, stunting, cheering and dancing, it’s work to also smile. That’s the gig though, and if you choose it, having a solid conditioning routine can make a big difference in your performance.

It’s not a bad idea to weight train, but a gym is not necessary. A great workout can happen with no equipment at all. When it comes to cheerleading you need two different types of energy. Quick bursts for performance routines (most are between 1-2.5 minutes) and stretches of endurance for cheering at games.

My favorite way to train for quick bursts, is to use a circuit. Basically, you set up four to five stations with different tasks such as; crunches, push-ups, jumps, lunges, standing back hand-springs, or anything you want to work on. Use a stopwatch or have someone time you and spend thirty seconds at each station. After completing a station, sprint to the next. Depending on your level of fitness, you may need to build in 10-20 seconds of rest time after each sprint.

Much to my dislike, the best way to build endurance is quite simply, distance running. If you’re not a strong runner, and I’m not, start slow and build up to long distances. For me it’s not very much fun, but when you’re used to distance running, the fourth quarter of a football game is a lot easier.

Alternating these conditioning methods through out the week, will give you a consistent work out routine that will yield the results you want. 

*When you’re training hard, be sure to intake enough calories to sustain your extra effort and drink plenty of water.