Gymnastics for a Novice

I have always said that I am not a tumbler. Recently I realised that this is the wrong attitude to have. I will be a tumbler!

As you may have read in ‘Cheerleading is for Oldies’ I refer to a friend, Julie*, who learnt to tumble in her twenties. She inspires me. Julie is fearless; she throws herself at everything and is a fantastic athlete. This year it is time for me to improve my tumbling skills, I want to improve and contribute to my team's tumbling score. My goal is to have a both walkovers and front handspring by the end of the year.

 At the beginning of January, I started going to a Beginners’ gymnastics class. The first session was terrifying and exhausting (I was still in post-Christmas mode!) It began with a 40 minute warm up/conditioning/stretching session. Followed by demonstrating basic tumbling skills. I really need to work on my upper body strength as I struggled to bunny hop into a handstand (I can only go from standing when I swing my leg up). After this we picked a coach to work with on certain skills. I went to the tumbling coach who was working with a group on front somersaults and back handsprings. I feel a long way from either skill, but you have got to start somewhere….. Right?

The next day I could not walk.

Session two…. I was feeling really tired that day and although I brought my gymnastics kit all the way to work, I was strongly considering not going. I do not know why, I just did not feel like it. But this was only week number two, if I didn’t go then would I go again? Somehow I found some energy. I am glad I went. I was pleased to see that the Coaches remembered me, and were happy to see me return. This week I was feeling braver and asked the coaches for help. I also spent the second half of the session focusing on my handstands (this is where everything starts, right?). By the end of the session I felt like I had made small improvements.

I have now done four training sessions. In week four I started to see improvements. I have been working on back handsprings and have been getting better at throwing my body up and over the equipment. This is still the beginning of my tumble journey. Hopefully, one day I will be flinging myself across the mat like a pro. But everyone has to start somewhere. I have not told any of my team that I have been going to gymnastics.... I would love to surprise them one day with my improved skills as they all know I am not much of a tumbler.  

Thanks for reading.

X

 

*Not her real name.

Cheerleading is for Oldies

I say Cheerleading is for Oldies (and anyone else for that matter) but in the Cheer World 16 seems to mean old! So I guess that means if you are 30+ then you are Ancient & require a Zimmer frame (sorry!).

I read the forums, the Twitter, Youtube and Facebook posts. People worrying that they are ‘past it’. I say…. You are never too old to have fun. I started Cheerleading at 18, later than many, but lots of my friends have been much older.  

University Cheer has grown massively in recent years (Future Cheer University Nationals outgrew the original venue) and many of these Cheerleaders are new to the sport. Almost every University now has a team. Outside of this I have seen multiple Adult competitive and recreational teams cropping up. Including parent’s teams for certain clubs (I have been trying to encourage my Mum but it she has not agreed yet!) Cheerleading does not have to be about winning and World Championships it can be about personal achievements & goals as well as fitness, fun and friendship. However, for the more competitive Oldies out there I believe that hard work (inside and outside the Cheer gym) can create results…. But be prepared to work & sweat.  

The biggest block I hear is ‘I’m too old to tumble’. I agree it is hard, I went to some tumble camps last year and the athletes around me were significantly younger. We were working level 1 & 2 skills and they were throwing themselves around the mat, pushing their bodies to improve. Maybe I will get hate for this but I often find children are fearless, they don’t know what pain is and go for it! I am a coward; going into a handstand I am scared of flicking my legs up too fast and landing on my head. But it is time to face my fears. A friend of mine (with no previous experience) picked up tumbling in her mid-twenties. I am ridiculously jealous of her beautiful handsprings, walkovers and back tucks. That girl is my inspiration. If she can do it why can’t I… or you? This year I have made a New Years’ Resolution to learn some tumbling skills (my cartwheel, dive roll and dodgy roundoff are not going to help my team’s tumbling score!). Three gymnastics classes down, some improvements already, updates to follow!

If you are looking for a new sport to try that works out your whole body, challenges you and promotes team work then give Cheerleading a try.

Thanks for reading!

X

P.S Squatting is good preparation for try outs ;)

Cheerleaders Squat

I am an All Star Cheerleader. My 2.5 minutes on the mat is made up of a combination of stunts, jumps, dance and tumbles. Not a Pom Pom in sight (I respect that this is a different discipline/division of Cheerleading in its own right). However, when I tell people about my (slightly unusual, but growing in popularity) hobby 99% of the time they ask me about my Pom Poms! I went to my boyfriend’s hockey game recently (as a spectator) the Captain asked me where my Pom Poms were, I had a black eye at (my face had a disagreement with a knee) my colleague asked me who had been hitting me with Pom Poms, and when I told a friend about Cheerleading he asked me to ‘Give me an A!’ Every time, I feel the need to explain what I really do, perhaps I should not care and just let people think what they want to think. But I want people to see there is more to cheer than the sexy scantily clad ladies seen on TV! I want them to understand that we are serious, hardworking athletes. Real Cheerleaders Squat.

My Coach recently reminded our team of the importance of a good squat (I guess this is what inspired the name of my Blog). When we returned from our Christmas Break, feeling a few pounds heavier from all the food, she put us through an intensive leg workout. As we caught each stunt we had to pause in a strong squat. Coach would force us to get lower if she felt we were not squatting enough. After that session my legs were in agony, my friends and I waddled back to the train station. It took me three days to recover (please don’t judge me I had a lazy Christmas!) However, despite the aches and pains for an older cheerleader all of my stunts were stronger (my baskets & tosses higher than normal!). Since that session I have really been thinking about using my legs and I am so chuffed with my stunt group's improvements!

 I have always said that legs are stronger than arms but that session really reminded me how important it is to build up leg strength. I dabbled in coaching at University and always reminded newbies to use their legs more. However, I think sometimes you can get lazy and forget your own advice. (I have always used my legs a bit but I needed to use them more!) When you watch the top teams at the World Championships you really see the power coming from their legs. I have decided to start working out my legs several times a week so that I can improve my skills, and my booty ;). I have asked around a few friends to see what they have been doing. One girl does her squats whilst brushing her teeth… excellent. Oral hygiene and thighs of steel!

 My choice of workout is the ‘Sally Up Challenge’. More commonly known for being a push up challenge. Every time the lyrics say ‘Bring Sally Up’ you stand up, on ‘Bring Sally Down’ you squat. Pretty straight forward! Use of a hand weight is optional to add to the workout but I believe it is more important to focus on form first! I find this work easy to fit into my day (usually whilst cooking dinner!) My boyfriend sometimes joins me but he claims that he does not feel the burn (thigh burn that is, not my cooking). So perhaps this workout is not for everyone. I would love to see how other people choose so feel free to post suggestions in the comments section below.

(I have tried the push up version but it is much harder! One day I might make it through the whole song).

 
Thanks for reading,

Keeeeeeeeeeep squatting.

X

P.S Remember to warm up first

 

Music is Moby's 'Flowers'.

Welcome!

Welcome.... to my fabulous new blog. 

This morning on the train to work I decided I wanted to start sharing my experiences of Cheerleading. Today.... Cheerleaders Squat was formed.

Who is behind the blog ?

I am a 20 something year old All Star Cheerleader in England. I did not start Cheerleading until I was at University, looking for a new activity to take up.  That is when my love affair started! This is now my fifth competitive season! I compete on an All Girl Team and I love it.

My cheer journey...

I had no previous experience in gymnastics or cheerleading. Just a little dance & stage experience. Like most people I had watched 'Bring It On' and seen the stereotypical American High School Cheerleaders. But other than that I didn't really know what Cheer was.

In my first week at University I visited the Sports Fair (a chance for every team to advertise themselves). I had never been a sporty person and if I'm being completely honest I wanted to join a sports team for the social side. I picked up dozens of leaflets for sports but Cheerleading caught my eye. I wanted to be a flyer!

I am not a flyer, heights terrify me. My preferred position is Main Basing (and I am fortunate that this is my current position).

At my final University Cheerleading competition there were tears. I thought that it would be the end of my Cheer Career. A few months later I had moved away and started a new job. I decided that I needed to go back to Cheerleading and found a team to join.

Why do I love Cheer ?

There is no one reason. I love that feeling when you run onto the mat, your heart is pounding and you can hear your supporters wooping  from the audience. I love learning a new stunt and nailing it. The full body work out you get from the combination of stunts, jumps,  dance and tumbles. When your whole body is screaming no more and your coach tells you 'one last time' and you summon that last bit if energy. The stunning uniform I get to wear, stlying my hair and make up with the girls before competition. The huge bow I get to wear over the age of 10! And finally the friends I make. Cheerleading is an intimate sport which relies on trust & team to be successful. The relationships I've built are strong and the parties we have are fantastic ;).


Thanks for reading my blog :)

X