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Q & A 1) As a base, what can be done to improve tosses and throws? When basing, it is critical to maintain solid overall strength to not only perform at an optimal level but also ensure the safety of the cheerleader overhead or in the air. Given the potential for injury during tosses, your flyers will appreciate bases that are highly trained and capable of executing strong and sound tosses. While the importance of a strong core (abdominal and back muscles) and lower extremity strength has been emphasized in prior articles, solid arm and upper body strength can sometimes be overlooked. To specifically train the muscles and joints that can improve tossing and throwing, an exercise method that is commonly used for the lower extremities can be utilized. This method is plyometrics. Plyometric training promotes speed and explosive movement, in addition to strength. In lower extremity plyometrics, various exercises may emphasize jumping and bounding. So, one may wonder how this type of training is achieved with the upper extremities. The answer is the use of medicine balls (weighted rubber balls). These balls can be incorporated to cheerleading-specific movements to effectively reproduce the stress placed on the muscles and joints during actual competitive activities. One example is holding the ball between the legs in a squatted position, then in a rapid explosive manner, jump upward while tossing the ball straight up overhead as high as possible. Be careful to get of the way as the ball returns to the ground! By increasing the weight of the ball, the strength and power of the movement will result in stronger tosses and more confident flyers! 2) When training for strength, which is better to utilize – free weights or machines? With all the information out there on exercise, it can be challenging to decide exactly what and how you should be training. Throw in the almost countless types of equipment, and the decision becomes even more confusing! The question regarding whether to use free weights or weight-stack machines is a common one that involves all types of athletes and people just looking to get in better shape. The simplest manner to assess this question is to evaluate the benefits of both types. In the case of free weights, the primary benefit is that one is forced to balance and control the weight through the full range of motion thus forcing the muscles to work in a more functional pattern. This is particularly significant when reproducing sport-specific movements. Typically, it is more challenging to use free weights and thus results in a more productive training session. The primary benefit of using weight machines is safety. Machines ensure balance and consistency is maintained in regard to range of motion and resistance for a particular exercise. In many cases, machines are designed to isolate specific muscles, thus allowing one to target certain areas. Another benefit is ease of use. Most pieces of equipment allow changes in levels of resistance by simply moving a pin. It is the author’s opinion, if you had to pick one or the other, pick free-weights. 3) What could cause pain in the back of the thigh while performing a toe-touch? There are few things worse for a cheerleader than to
have a great jump towards a perfect toe-touch, only to end in excruciating
pain in the back of the thigh. If this has happened to you or one of
your cheerleaders, you know what I mean. Unfortunately, you may not
know what the pain means! In nearly all instances, what has been described
is the dreaded hamstring strain (or “pull”). This muscle,
which spans from the buttock to behind the knee, has the important
function of flexing/bending the knee and extending the hip. When placed
in a situation where the muscle maximally contracts then is rapidly
stretched, as in the toe-touch, the potential for injury is evident.
In worst cases, the athlete may experience or even hear a “pop”.
This “pop” most likely indicates that the tissue has been
torn…obviously not a good thing. If this occurs, it is important
to immediately ice the painful area and seek professional assessment
and treatment by a licensed athletic trainer or physician.
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