National Cheerleaders Association's State Director, former University of Arkansas-Little Rock Cheer Coach
Every sport requires athletes to train and condition in ways specific to the physical demands of their sport. Although many athletic departments have had strength and conditioning programs in place for decades for their athletes, it is much more difficult to find ANYTHING designed for cheerleading. Cheerleaders can certainly run, crunch, and push-up just like many other athletes, but to maximize the results of the workout, to really see higher jumps, stunts sticking, and sharp motions, it's crucial to focus on targeted workouts just for cheerleaders.
Stan Tabor satisfies this growing need for cheer programs all over the country in his DVD: 65 Conditioning Exercises for Cheerleading. He demonstrates clear examples of how typical exercises (squats, running drills, lunges, etc) can be altered to meet the needs of cheerleaders or even be used to fix specific skill problems your squad might be having.
Tabor's skill-building mantra is "S.P.A.M" - Stopwatch, Partners, Alternating Body Parts, & Music. He describes these four simple improvements you can implement into your work-out plan, that will ensure every cheerleader on your squad is making the most of their conditioning time and getting the workout you intended.
Tabor targets five main areas:
- Cardio and Legs - 25 exercises and variations
- Upper Body Exercises - 18 exercises
- Core Exercises - 15 exercises that train both the lower and upper core
- Low Back - Three specific exercises
- Stretching - Seven exercises
This DVD can be used by both new and experienced coaches and is sure to provide fresh ideas that incorporate your cheer squad's needs with safe and effective training!
53 minutes. 2010.