Tips for Cheerleading Jumps

Best Tips for Cheerleading Jumps

You'll find tons of information on how to improve your jumps both online and in books, and it can be difficult to decipher which tips will work best for your personal style and body build. However, there are some tips that will help just about anyone improve his/her cheerleading jumps and impress the coaches, judges and other cheerleaders on the squad.

Stretching

Warming up and stretching are two of the most important things you can do before jumping. Not only will these activities help you achieve higher jumps, they will also help to prevent injury and soreness. However, you should also stretch whenever you get a chance because it will lengthen your muscles and make jumping easier. Many people will stretch while watching television first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Stretching can also help with other cheerleading skills such as splits cheer dances and kicks. Make sure to fully stretch all parts of your leg, including the ankles and calves.

Gaining Height Through Weight Lifting

If you want to gain strength in your legs, you'll need to build up the muscles. This can be achieved through weight lifting and daily practices. Running up and down stairs can strengthen your calf muscles, and doing crunches can strengthen your tummy muscles, helping you pull your legs into position.

To gain even more height, work on Pylometrics. This involves developing muscles and increasing their elasticity. You can do this through exercises such as squats, jumping on a pogo stick or performing a variety of simple jumps.

Perfecting Form

Perhaps your height is fine on your jumps, but the form leaves much to be desired. One of the best tips for cheerleading jumps and perfecting form is to practice the jump on the ground. Simply lie on your back and arrange your legs how they'll be positioned when you are in the air. Close your eyes and picture yourself performing the jump and landing in the correct position. Some cheerleaders like to move their legs into position as they imagine the jump.

Another idea is to have two or more people lift you into the air and hold you as you pull your legs into the proper form. The more you practice, the better your form will become. Trampolines can be a useful tool for practicing form for your jumps.

Listen to Your Coaches and Other Cheerleaders

This next tip might sound simple, but it makes a lot of sense. You can't see yourself as you perform a jump, but others can. Listen to others when they point out weaknesses in your jumping. Ask them to look for specific things, such as your approach and landing, the straightness of your back and other things that a judge or tryout committee might pay close attention to. If the person is an experienced cheerleader, ask for additional tips about how to correct any problem areas, and then ask them to watch again once you feel you have improved.

If you are just preparing to try out and do not have an experienced coach or cheerleader to help, have a friend or family member video tape you performing the jumps. Compare your jumps to a video-taped cheer competition, and see where your jumps differ. It may take a little more trial and error for you to figure out how to improve, but this technique can help as well.

Absolutely, the best thing you can do to improve your jumps is to practice the jumps every chance you get. It is true that "practice makes perfect". Not only will you grow more comfortable with each jump over time, but your jump height and form will improve with each practice session.