Cheerleading Info Center

How to Improve Your Cheerleading Jumps - the Front Hurdler

The Front Hurdler is a very popular cheerleading jump so mastering this one should be on your Cheer Goals list. As shown here, it can be done to the front or the side. Here are a few things to remember

Arms: Hit a high touchdown motion in the air.

Legs: Kick one leg toward your nose and in between your arms with your knee facing up; the front leg is always straight. Your back leg should be lifted, and bent, like a track runner jumping over a hurdle; the knee can be pointed down or to the crowd.

Feet: Point Your Toes!

Landing: Make sure to land properly with your feet together, toe to heel and with bent knees.

Tips to improve your front hurdler jumps:

1. Keep your chest up! It’s important not to cut off the height of your jump by tilting your chest forward.
2. Get air time. You’ll need a lot of power and lift to have enough time in the air to execute the skill. Be sure to jump hard off the ground, using your chest and arms to help lift you higher.
3. Work on flexibility for your “kicking” leg. If you can’t do a high kick toward your nose on the ground, you won’t be able to do it in the air. Be sure to warm up properly and make stretching for jumps part of your regular cheer practice routine.
4. Don’t forget about the back leg! The tendency is to concentrate so hard on kicking your front leg, that you don’t realize that the back leg is still dangling around down there. Be sure to bend that knee and lift your back leg, with as much power as your front leg!

** This jump is usually performed with the cheerleader positioned on an angle so you can see the jump.

For TONS of Jump Tips and Exercises to improve your cheerleading jumps TODAY, check out our Cheerleading Jumps Mastery Ebook Below on CheerAndDanceonDemand.com:

 

How to Coach Cheerleading - How to Get Your Team to Take Practice Seriously

Here is a question that we receive A LOT from cheerleading coaches: 

Q:  Help!  I am a new coach and I need some help in motivating my cheerleaders during practice and to get them to take it seriously. 

A:  This is a concern for EVERY Coach as you are not alone if you find yourself looking at your team half way through practice and asking them to pay attention, stop talking or to get back in formation – lol!  Here are some ideas to help get your girls motivated and interested in your practice:

1. Set Season and Daily Goals for your season and have your team set them with you. At the beginning of practice, remind your team of the season goals that THEY set and then set goals for that practice to help them stay focused on your outcome.  Athletes generally perform better if they know what they are working toward.
2. Give REWARDS!!!! At the beginning of practice, give your team a reward if they accomplish __________________ during your practice.  Here are reward examples:

• Everyone will receive a piece of candy if you get through your new chant with stunts.
• Your next practice will have a fun theme.
• Play a game or do a fun team building activity.
• Give out a “Spirit Stick” or team Mascot Stuffed Animal to take home to the most outstanding cheerleader that day.

For more tips, check out the rest of this article on CheerleadingCoachingCenter.com

How to Coach Cheerleading: FREE DOWNLOAD! Top Discipline and Motivation Tool to Use with Your Cheerleading Team TODAY!

Would you LOVE an Easy and FUN tool that you can use with your cheerleaders to motivate them?  Here is our #1 cheerleading tool that we have been using since 1994 and I PROMISE it works and your cheerleaders will LOVE it!

Check out all of the details in the above video and get your FREE Download so you can start using it TODAY at the Cheerleading Coaching Center HERE!

Let us know how it goes :-)

To begin, YES!!!! you can achieve anything ( yep, I said ANYTHING!!! ).  The question is not whether it is possible, but WILL YOU make it happen.  Let me say that again, WILL YOU make it happen?

If you look around, there are so many women doing AMAZING things – women of all ages!  So why not you?

Referencing the cheerleading industry, what is the difference between a team that is in the top 10 national rankings every year ( even with new members ) and those who are not?  Is it skills, facility or training – yes and no.  What these team members have, including the new ones, is an EXPECTATION that they will be in the top 10 again.  With this expectation, they have already DECIDED to be there again and will work with this belief to make it happen until it is realized.

Accordingly, the primary difference between people who are living their dreams and those who are not, is that they first have DECIDED to make it happen.  Then, they followed their decision up with an unwavering    commitment, massive action, clarity of focus and expectation, and did not stop until it was realized!

So how can you do it too?  Just follow the CIC Success Formula:

CIC Success Formula

1. DECIDE and COMMIT to what your Really Want!
2. Define WHY your want your goal.
3. Get clear on your outcome and put together Action Steps to take.
4. Daily Focus and EXPECT your success!
5. Don’t Stop until it is realized.
6. Enjoy your success!

My goal is to help you not only achieve your current goals, but to realize ones you thought were impossible.  With the above simple formula, everything is possible!

“It’s not a question of IF it can happen – it is a whether YOU will make it happen!”

Are you ready to live your dreams?  NOW is it the time to get started as your future self will thank you for starting today!

CLICK HERE to Download Your Worksheet NOW on the Cheerleading Coaching Center!

Enjoy Your Success!

Valerie

How to Be a Great Cheerleading Flyer! Part 2 - Climbing Techniques You Must Know

Every Cheerleading Flyer should master proper climbing techniques for several reasons: 

1.  To prevent injuries to themselves and their teammates.

2.  To be able to master stunts more quickly.

3.  And to make your stunts look AMAZING!

Here are some of the basics that every Flyer should know:

Flyer Climbing Techniques:

Pinch-a-Penny:  This is the most important one to remember - basically stay "Tight".  Pretend that you have a penny in your butt cheeks.  Pinch or squeeze your cheeks together so the penny does not fall.  When you do this, you will feel all of you muscles tighten up.  When your body is tight, you feel much lighter for your bases.  If you just stand there in your Flyer position, you will feel much heavier!

Step, Lock, Tighten:  This climbing technique is used for Double Thigh Stands and the like.  When you climb follow this pattern:

• "Step" with your foot on to you base (usually you climbe with your right
  foot first)
• "Lock" means to bring your other foot up and lock both legs.  This does
  not mean to squat on your bases.
• "Tighten" means to finish your stunt and Pinch-a-Penny.

For more details, just click on CHEERLEADING FLYER TIPS on CIC!

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Cheerleading Flyer Tips - How to Be a Great Cheerleading Flyer Today

If you are a flyer or would like to be one, than this post is for you!   We have an entire section on CIC that has a variety of tips and techniques for you to be the best Flyer you can be.  For TONS of tips, click in CIC FLYER TIPS.

Flyer Positions:  There are a variety of positions for a Flyer.  Please CLICK HERE for a list of them.

Tips:

• Be Confident:  Confidence shows and lack of it can get you hurt.
• Smile
• Look Up at the crowd - do not look down.
• Always be "tight"
• Sell the stunt with your facial expressions and sharp motions.
• Always use proper climbing techniques (some listed below).
• PRACTICE in a mirror at home on the ground to make sure your posture is correct.
• NO LAUGHING while in your stunt.
• Use the word "DOWN" if you are falling
• NEVER try any stunt that you are not ready for.  For example, if you just mastered the Double Thigh Stand, you next stunt should not be the Ground Up Full.