The Importance of Balance

Whether you’re on a cheerleading mat, balance beam, or walking down the street, maintaining balance is important to all functional movements. Balance is part of everything we do, regardless of whether strength, speed, or endurance is dominating the movement.

Balance training should always challenge an athlete’s limits of stability, or balance threshold. This threshold must be constantly stressed in multisensory environments such as grass, matted floor, or sand. By using different environments, athletes will improve dynamic balance and neuromuscular efficiency.

Individuals with altered neuromuscular (mind and muscle) control likely have specific kinetic chain imbalances. These imbalances affect the quality of movement, leading to altered movement patterns or injury. This is why balance training is a vital component of any cheerleading training program. It ensures optimum neuromuscular efficiency of the entire kinetic chain.




Kent Tarburton is Cheer360’s Co-Founder and Director of Fitness. He holds Personal Training certifications through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), the American Aerobic Association International (AAAI), the International Sports Medicine Association (ISMA), and is a certified Mental Game Coach.