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What to Do if Your Cheerleader Gets Injured Mid Season

What to Do if Your Cheerleader Gets Injured Mid Season

by | Mar 28, 2018 | Fit tips, free, Parents Corner

Imagine this: it’s mid-season. The team is doing well. The kids have bonded, they are hitting fullouts. They may even have a few wins in competitions. That Summit or Worlds bid is in sight. Then, one day, it all comes to a screeching halt: INJURY!!!!

Oh no, the “I” word. The one word we try to keep out of our vocabulary when it comes to cheer. Injuries happen whether we like it or not. Some of the most common areas injured in cheer include knees, ankles, and backs. These injuries include traumatic injuries (such as tearing an ACL in tumbling, falling from a stunt / being fallen on, other tumble injuries) and overuse injuries (occur due to repetitive strain from too much time spent tumbling, stunting or just participating in cheer).  Regardless of how the injury occurs, the unfortunate consequences include not being able to practice and compete with the team.

THE “I” WORD

In addition to being a certified cheer mom, I am also a physical therapist.  Part of why my daughter is a CHEERFIT Ambassador is because I know that keeping her strong and conditioned is the best way to prevent injury. I know all the statistics, and exercises to do (if you’d like to read more about this click HERE). I have become that go-to person in the gym for athletes, parents, and coaches when injury occurs. I am typically the voice of reason. However, that all changed when my daughter broke her ankle a year ago. All of a sudden my personal and professional worlds collided and I didn’t know how to handle it.

So before you read any further, please understand that I can relate to each of you. I have been that mom with all the fears and worries.

What are some steps you can take to help your child recover properly from injury?

1. PREVENTION:

The best way to deal with injury is to prevent them. Programs such as CHEERFIT exist to give cheerleaders the strength, endurance, power and flexibility to handle the demands of their sport. Conditioning and proper technique are essential to preventing overuse injuries, in addition to using proper technique, getting appropriate rest and having good nutrition.

2. DOWN NOT OUT

Injury is not a time for a vacation from cheer. Athletes who are injured should still go to practice and participate in being a member of the team. Keeping their mental game in check and staying on top of changes in the routine will help them transition back quicker. Keeping up with exercises not involving the injured body part help maintain or even improve physical conditioning. Have an arm injury? Do exercises to improve jump height. Have a leg injury? Do upper body exercise to keep those arms strong. Maintain flexibility through stretching. Work on abdominal strength.

3. REAHB

The best way to ensure your child comes back quickly and safely is to participate in recommended exercises for rehabilitation. Find a physical therapist, and if you can, one that specializes in kids with orthopedic injuries. A common misconception is that children are simply “mini adults.” Children’s bodies have unique needs and having someone who understands this is crucial to their health and safety.

4. TAKE IT SLOW

This last piece of advice is probably the most difficult to swallow. No athlete wants to take time away from the sport he or she loves. However, this is probably the most important to follow. A healed bone, muscle or ligament does not mean that the body part is necessarily ready to withstand the stresses of cheerleading. Returning quickly, before the injury is truly healed, can lead to re-injury and more time away. Listen to the doctors and physical therapists about criteria for return to sport. Go slow. Gradually work back to those pre-injury skills. Feel strong and confident. Injury is a long road and the destination is worth the journey.

DR. BLAIR GREEN PT, DPT, OCS

is a physical therapist and owner of Catalyst Physical Therapy in Atlanta, GA.  She is also the mom of CHEERFIT Ambassador Leah, who cheers for the Stingray Allstars. When she’s not busy taking care of Leah and her older brother, she keeps herself fit through Pilates, running, and OrangeTheory Fitness. Secret: she has been caught a time or two sneaking in a CHEERFIT Challenge. 

Loving these exercises and that CHEERFIT STRONG feeling? Sign up for the newsletter and we’ll send you weekly workouts, motivation – woot woot! 

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Your Answer to Higher Jumps

Your Answer to Higher Jumps

by | Feb 22, 2018 | Fit tips, free, Parents Corner

Jumps… ahhh. You know that dreading feeling you get when it’s time to do the jump section over and over and over and over? Not anymore! Now is the time to embrace them! Having good jumps can definitely set your cheerleader apart from the rest of the pack. As the fitness expert for cheerleaders, I am here to give my tips and dispel some common rumors I hear about jumps.

 Here are my top 5 things to know about jumps (that you wish you knew before)! 

TIP 1: EMBRACE TECHNIQUE 

Never sacrifice height in your jump for your technique. Drilling technique constantly will not only make a big difference now, but also as your jumps get higher, you will be able to hyperextend by already having mastered the basics! Here is a great exercise to help you embrace technique and strengthen your legs so that you CAN jump higher!

TIP 2: FLEXIBILITY ISN’T ALWAYS THE ANSWER 

Many of us may be under the impression that flexibility is the only contributing factor to jump height. While flexibility can help your jumps and stretching should never be devalued, hip flexor strength is VITAL to how high you can bring your legs. Think about it like your hips having the ability to lift your legs all the way up into your jump. Here is one of my personal favorite exercises to strengthen your hip flexors! Do 10 reps each side x 3 rounds

TIP 3: YOUR SET IS IMPORTANT 

Don’t discount this part of your jump. Especially when you are going to be connecting your jumps, make sure you’re are squeezing and tight in your set. Also, don’t let your feet leave the ground in your set, that slows your momentum and lessens your jump height. Making purposeful set will make transitioning in your connecting jumps and breeze and blow your coaches away! 

TIP 4: YOUR LANDING IS JUST AS IMPORTANT

For the same reasons the set is important, connecting jump sequences depend on good landings. Landing on your heels is a sure way to give you premature back pain and no fluidity in your sequence. Land on the balls of your feet for good take off into the next jump or tumbling and soft landings!

 

TIP 5: STAY POSITIVE

Last but not least, stay positive! This goes for everything in life, but especially cheerleading! Cheerleading is a sport built on perfectionism, but here at CHEERFIT, we focus on building confidence every step of the way! Your cheerleader is never going to hit it perfect the first time, nor should they! Skills come AND last when you build the foundation first! When you have a solid foundation and strengthen the muscles you need to power up those jumps, your cheerleader’s jumps umps will continue to advance and their confidence will continue to soar! Who is with us on that one? I that’s a YES, check out what being a CHEERFIT Ambassador is all about (www.cheerfittraining.com/join).

A lot of what CHEERFIT promotes is positivity and being a role model to your teammates and beyond. If your child’s teammates see that they are loving jumps and having fun, it will encourage them to work hard as well!

Loving these exercises and feeling CHEERFIT STRONG??

And there you have it, my top 5 tips to help your cheerleader get HIGHER JUMPS in 3,2,1…GO! Let me know your favorite tip in the comments below!

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DANIELLE DONOVAN

is the go-to fitness expert for the cheerleading industry and founder of CHEERFIT (www.cheerfittraining.com). Danielle holds national fitness certifications through the American Council on Exercise and specializes in sports conditioning, youth fitness, and group fitness as it pertains specifically to cheerleaders. Danielle has been featured on NBC,Inside Cheerleading Magazine, FITNESS Magazine, Livestrong, Yahoo Beauty, NY Post, American Cheerleader Magazine and more. Through fitness, Danielle focuses on helping cheerleaders build the confidence, strength, and flexibility they need to reach their goals and prevent injury.

Wish You Weren’t Out of Breath After Going Full Out? This Exercise is for You

Wish You Weren’t Out of Breath After Going Full Out? This Exercise is for You

by | Feb 16, 2018 | Fit tips, free

So you know when that moment when your coach yells, FULL OUT and you think, do we haveeee to?? Well, let’s change that ‘do we have to’ to YES let’s do it! We want you to feel energized, excited, and #cheerfitstrong after every skill, stunt, practice, and performance! Today, founder Danielle is sharing her #1 endurance-boosting tips to help you change your mindset, improve your endurance, and not be out of breath after going FULL OUT!

Sounds good? Let’s get to it! 

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

WHY THIS EXERCISE IS AWESOME: This exercise is perfect for cheerleaders because it works your shoulders, strengthens your core, and boosts cardio, endurance and mindset. Working your total body PLUS giving you the confidence that you can climb any mountain and overcome any challenge is a #1 go-to for the CHEERFIT Team! Go for 45 seconds x 3 rounds,

SIDE TO SIDE BURPEE

WHY THIS EXERCISE IS AWESOME: This exercise revs up your entire bod’, including boosting endurance, which improves your stamina and gives you the energy to go FULL OUT. Do 10 reps x 3 rounds

Loving these exercises and feeling CHEERFIT STRONG?? We invite you to TUNE IN LIVE every Tuesday 6pm est on Instagram for our weekly WORKOUT PARTY! 

RSVP

Wondering What is the #1 Exercise to Improve Tumbling?

Wondering What is the #1 Exercise to Improve Tumbling?

by | Feb 9, 2018 | Fit tips, free

So you are ready to power up your tumbling but you’re not sure what to do or where to start? You practice your skills, drills, and tumbling over and over, but, that’s not the answer. The answer is….

TURBO LUNGES

WHY THIS EXERCISE IS AWESOME: This exercise works really gives you that that turbo POWER you need to hurdle, rebound, set, and improve! In order to master your tumbling you need a powerful start..from the beginning! With a powerful hurdle you can be sure to have the speed, strength, and confidence to rock any skill!

This exercises really focus on leg strength, cardio and endurance – a perfect recipe to master that tumbling. Do 15 reps x 3 rounds

WANT TO REALLY TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL: Now, that you’ve mastered the TURBO part, you also want to focus on upper body, core, and shoulder strength to give you that extra push. And this CHEERFIT exercise is your go to!

PLANK PUSH UP:

WHY THIS EXERCISE IS AWESOME: This exercise works your entire core and upper body, giving you that extra boost of #cheerfitstrong . Do 12 reps x 3 rounds

Loving these exercises and feeling CHEERFIT STRONG?? We invite you to TUNE IN LIVE every Tuesday 6pm est on Instagram for our weekly WORKOUT PARTY! 

RSVP

Why are BURPEES our Favorite Exercise???

Why are BURPEES our Favorite Exercise???

by | Feb 2, 2018 | Fit tips, free

Yes it is true, BURPEES are our FAVORITE exercise! We know, sometimes when you hear the word BURPEES you think ughhh do I have to….until now! Today we are dropping our top 3 reasons why we LOVE burpees and why you’ll love them too!!

 

REASON #1: BURPEES GIVE YOU ALL THE ENDURANCE YOU NEED TO GO FULL OUT

You know that feeling after you go full out and right after the music stops you want to collapse to the floor and out of breath? Don’ you just HATE that feeling? Don’t you just wish you could instead feel energized and excited after completing your routine? Well my friends, that is why BURPEES are awesome! They give you that endurance to go full out AND feel like a champ after!

 

REASON #2: BURPEES WORK YOUR ENTIRE BOD’ IN HALF THE TIME

It’s competition season, we know you don’t have a ton of extra time (if any lol), but that is where burpees come in! They give you that TOTAL BODY workout all in ONE! So do 15 reps x 3 times throughout the day and you will be rocking that #cheerfitstrong ALL SEASON LONG!

 

REASON #2: BURPEES WORK YOUR ENTIRE BOD’ IN HALF THE TIME

It’s competition season, we know you don’t have a ton of extra time (if any lol), but that is where burpees come in! They give you that TOTAL BODY workout all in ONE! So do 15 reps x 3 times throughout the day and you will be rocking that #cheerfitstrong ALL SEASON LONG!

 

REASON #3: YOU CAN DO THEM ANYWHERE, ANYTIME

No matter if you are traveling for a competition, have an extra minute at practice, or bored at home..you can do burpees anywhere, anytime. Spoiler alert…that means no excuses! *Sorry not sorry : ) (You’ll thank us after!)

So go ahead, get your #cheerfitstrong on with these exercise favs’ ! Do 15 reps x 3 rounds of each!

Loving these exercises and feeling CHEERFIT STRONG?? We invite you to TUNE IN LIVE every Tuesday 6pm est on Instagram for our weekly WORKOUT PARTY! 

RSVP

How to Prep for Cheer Camp

How to Prep for Cheer Camp

by | Jun 9, 2017 | Blog, Cheer tips, Fit tips

Cheer camp is an exciting time for an athlete whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a first-year on the squad. It’s about team bonding, learning, hard work, and most importantly having FUN!

Although, the fun can come to a screeching halt if you’re not prepared. These are some tips and tools you can use to make sure you’re that you stand out at camp this year!

 

As an athlete you know that you won’t be good at whatever sport it is you do if you don’t what? Practice, practice, practice! This is true when you’re preparing for camp. Just because tryouts are over doesn’t mean that your work is done…it’s only just begun! You should be working every day to make sure you’re in tip top shape for camp. By working every day this includes three main things: physical training, nutritional training, and emotional training. Let’s break these down…

 

Physical preparation:

Before camp you need to make sure you’re doing some sort of conditioning. That means adding running, tumbling, and stunting into your weekly schedule. Get a group of friends together and work on your stunting a couple days a week or practice your tumbling at your cheer gym every Tuesday and Thursday night. Be sure to work out in between so you build up stamina. Camp is a non-stop event for cheerleaders and you need to make sure you can keep up with everyone. And one of the biggest tips I can give is to practice your game day routines! Know ALL of your motions, practice your facial expressions and know every single dance move. You don’t want to be the one that missed the high-V in the fight song, how embarrassing! You’ll basically be stunting, tumbling, cheering, and moving 99% of the day so you need to be conditioning and building up your stamina every single day!

Nutritional preparation:

Like I said, camp is a 24-hour job so there’s no time to be tired or sluggish. To avoid an energy bust start eating a little bit better a few weeks before camp. Skip the McDonald’s runs (ugh, can’t believe I’m saying that I know) and choose something a little more nutritional like fish or some whole grain pasta. White meat chicken and vegetables is one of my favorite meals and is great for you! Getting the right kinds of sugars and nutrients in your body will help keep you energized and ready to take on each day of camp!

Mental Preparation:

You need to be mentally prepared for the week/weekend that’s ahead of you. You’re going to be critiqued by staff members, your coaches, and teammates which can take a toll on you. Remember, the pressure is on for your coaches as well so they’ll probably be cracking down on your motions and performance so they look like the best coach there. Clear your head, and be ready to work hard. Having a good, positive attitude going into camp will only make your experience that much better!

Loving these fit tips and motivation? Become a CHEERFIT Ambassador and get instant access to the CHEERFIT Ambassador Club, exclusive content, CHEERFIT updates and ambassador-only giveaways!

Sammie

Sammie Litten is University of Central Florida cheerleading alumni living and working in Orlando. She continues to spread her love and passion for cheer every day. She has been a cheerleader since the young age of 4 and enjoys many aspects of cheerleading such as co-ed partner stunting, game day cheers, working out, and doing her game day hair and makeup. Her favorite cheer memory is cheering on her Knights in Ireland against Penn State.

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