Why it is important to be flexible as a cheerleader?

Just take one look at any cheerleader and you have to realize they have to be flexible to do the skills that we do. Jumping, kicking your leg high in the air or pulling your leg over your head in a stunt requires great flexibility to be able to perform these specific skills. Many hours should be spent stretch and working on your flexibility to help reduce pain and discomfort during certain skills. What is the definition of Flexibility? “Flexibility is the ability of a joint to move in a full range of motion. It is the ability to stretch your arms, legs, and other joints of your body. It is also the elasticity of the muscles and ligaments surrounding the joint. Stretching improves flexibility.”
There are many benefits for being flexible and here is a list of just a few of the reasons why it’s important to be flexible.

• It improves your performance, when more flexible it takes much less energy to move in a different way then normal.
• It will help prevent soreness and injury. If flexible it decreases the resistance of tissue which can help reduce injury and soreness.
• Increases blood supply which promotes greater elasticity and improves performance.
• Improves muscle coordination.

It takes time to improve your flexibility it just doesn’t happen over night, so stretch over time and your muscles need to be reminded their ability to stretch. You can stretch while reading a book, laying around, watching TV, on the phone, sitting on your lap top and like a friend of mine did she laid in bed in her splits. Its good to stretch your muscles out after a hard workout so they don’t tighten up and get sore.
Few tips to think about when stretching:
1. Stretch every day, even a few times a day is good.
2. Warm your muscles up with a light jog or bike before you stretch your muscle never stretch a cold muscle.
3. Stretch till you feel a slight tug in the muscle.
4. Hold a stretch for 10-30 sec then relax and repeat again. Go farther down at your own rate.
5. Equally stretch your body, don’t stretch one side more then the other.

Stretching all the time will help cheerleaders in more ways then you can imagine and not just flyers need to stretch every one needs to stretch and keep muscles loose and flexible to be able to perform intense cheer skills.