Wednesday, 14 January 2015

A Cheerleader’s Daily Stretching Guide

All cheerleaders need to be flexible: you know this, we know this! Unfortunately, a lot of cheerleaders don’t know which stretches are best to do, or what the proper technique is. Research is showing that a dynamic warm-up, like running or skipping, is actually better for your body than holding a sustained stretch (like the splits) in prepping your body and protecting the muscles from tearing. Below is a list of 5 stretches that are commonly tight in cheerleaders, along with a description of how to do the stretch properly. It’s important that the athlete ease into the stretch and hold it, without any bouncing or quick movements. Stretches are usually better tolerated if the body is warm, so after practice or after a hot shower is generally the best time!


1. Hip flexor stretch
Starting position: Get into a lunge position with your toes curled and your knee on the ground. Slowly lean forward, and tilt your pelvis upward to your belly button. For a more intense stretch, push the top part of your back foot down into the ground, or lean your upper body to the opposite site, reaching your arm over your head. Hold for a minimum of 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.





2. Calf stretch
Starting position: With your hands on a wall, get into a stride position with your tight leg forward. Your toes should be on the wall, and the heel should be on the floor, so the foot is positioned at an incline. Slowly lean forward, bringing your hips to the wall to intensify the stretch. Hold for a minimum of 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.








3. ITB stretch
Starting position: With your legs crossed, squeeze your belly button into your spine, then slowly push out your hips to the tight side while reaching overhead with your arm. Breathe deeply and hold for a minimum of 30 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side.







4. Pec Stretch

Starting position: Place your elbows on either side of a door-frame at a 90 degree angle, with your forearms flat against the doorframe. Taking a deep breath, slowly take a step with one foot so your lower body is in a lunge position. Then, slowly lean your chest forward and hold for a minimum of 30 seconds. This stretch can be done with the forearms/elbows at different angles to target the different fibres of your chest muscles.



5. Wrist Extensor stretch
This is a great stretch for all you bases out there!

Starting position: Extend one arm out straight in front of you. With the opposite arm, push the top of your hand down until you feel a stretch in your forearm. For a more intense stretch, curl arm that’s being stretched into a fist so you stretch your finger extensors too! Hold for a minimum of 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite arm.




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Happy New Year!

- The CheerMed Team