R-E-L-A-X, the importance of rest and recovery

     We all know how important it is to keep a consistent schedule of working out and pushing ourselves harder and harder, but what about resting?  Is resting really that important? Is it bad to not have a day off?
     The answer to both of the above questions is YES! Resting your body is just as important as working out.  When you take a day off from lifting you allow your body to recover without any strain.  You will optimize your recovery and it can even help you get stronger! Yes, resting can actually help you gain strength!
     Yoga is a great exercise to help optimize your recovery.  Whenever you stretch you're stretching your muscles out (which is why stretching after working out is so important!) allowing them to get closer to full strength quicker.
     On your days off from lifting try reading a book or doing an activity that forces you to use your brain.  Since we're letting our body recover we might as well work out our brain and keep it healthy to help us out when we do go back to working out!
 

"Don't judge my choices without understanding my reasons" - Anonymous 

Time Managment

How many people are excited for the new school year? I know I am! School means a set schedule, seeing your school friends everyday, and most importantly, autumn! I love autumn, it's by far my favorite season; you have football, Apple picking, pumpkin picking, pumpkin spiced everything, and so much more! But that's another topic lol. School also brings stress, more work, and more responsibilities. That's why time management is so important! We as athletes need to make sure we are staying on top of our school work, our practices, and living a healthy lifestyle.

Here's a few tips:

- Make a schedule: schedules are great because you literally get to plan out your entire day by the hour. I like to do this so I don't forget what I have to get done.

- Use a planner/agenda: writing down homework and plans help you remember the important things you have to do.

-Don't over book yourself: trying to do too much in a small amount of time will lead you to not give 100% effort and focus on the tasks you are doing.

- Have fun: life is suppose to be enjoyed, so don't forget to give yourself time to relax and unwind.

School can be stressful, but if you are using you time correctly, it can be fun. Remember that life is not all work, so you are allowed to have fun and make time to hangout with friends! 

Are you Inspired?

What's a better way to start of your week than a little motivation?  The link below is a motivational video that touches on more than just working out and becoming stronger. This video is about bettering yourself and makes the most out of every second of every day,  enjoy and dominate your Monday!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh0a9ip5RkE



"Don't wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect" - Zoey Sayward

Do everything with a smile! Why smiling can help your performance

     What are the odds that something as little as a smile can help out an athlete?  Well, it turns out that it can help alot! Smiling has been proven to have both health and performance benefits such as:

      Lowering heart rate: By smiling your body naturally will tend to slow down and lower your heart rate (and blood pressure for the time being).  If you ever catch yourself becoming nervous and it feels like your heart is pounding, take a deep breathe and show off those pearly whites!

      Reduce stress/ Better your mood: When you smile your body releases endorphins that counteract and diminish the stress hormones known as cortisol.  Cracking a smile can help you reduce your stress levels that aren't allowing you to perform as well as you want to be!

      Encourage Trust:  This is huge especially when it comes to building good team chemistry.  Naturally people are going to want to trust someone who smiles more because it is seen as a sign of comfort and openness.  Cracking a few smiles at new teammates can make them feel less nervous and help out your team in the long run!

      Strengthens Immune System:  This may be one of those benefits that are overlooked but a healthy immune system means a healthier you.  If your body is at full strength it'll have a better chance of killing any germs that may threaten your health and overall performance!

These are just a few of the things that a smile can do for you.  Try smiling next time you are about to workout and see if you perform better!! 3


"The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection." - Thomas Paine


   

Prepare, prepare, and prepare some more

        As summer starts to wind down that means that tryouts are right around the corner! What we're going to discuss today is a simple way for you to take care of some of those tryout day nerves; becoming familiar with your surroundings.
        When athletes enter new surroundings it can throw them off sometimes simply because of the minor differences.  If you have access to the gym that you will be trying out at try to get there a few times before the tryouts.  When you get there act as if it is the day of tryouts and do a walk through of what you might be doing that day from beginning to end.  If you can do this 2 or 3 times before your tryout you'll be the most prepared person to tryout!
        If you only have access to where your tryouts are the day of try to get there early.  When you get there early try to visualize yourself doing the routines your going to do.  Although you wont be able to get a lot of practice in you will still be able to get used to your surroundings. making it so that you can  focus more on dominating your tryout!
        Above all always be confident in what you're doing and do it with a smile! Good luck everyone!


"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." - Benjamin Franklin

Try-out Tips!

Try-outs are going to be here before we know it! They are quickly approaching and I want everyone to be as prepared as possible. This is a very stressful time for some kids so I am going to give you a few tips to try and ease the nerves.




1. Attend prep clinic if possible          Make sure that any open gym or clinics that your school has you are at! This shows that you are dedicated and that you really want to be part of the program. This also allows you to meet other people within the program. You will have a feel for how the program is run before you try out. It is also great because the coach will know you before the try out process begins!


2. Throw skills you have mastered
A coach never wants a try out athlete on their team. These are athletes that only throw skills at try outs. When trying out make sure you are only doing skills that you have mastered and can maintain through out the season. You also don’t want to get hurt before even making a team. When throwing a skill that you haven’t mastered yet you increase your chance of injury. If you have never tried a standing tuck before, try outs is not the best time to just go for it.


3. Look the part
No coach wants you to show up to try outs looking like you just rolled out of bed or you are coming back from the beach. You don’t need to look like you are going to prom though either. What you picture an All-American cheerleader to look like is probably how you should appear at try outs. A very clean look with natural make up, hair pulled back with a bow and an appropriate outfit. Putting on some red lipstick won’t hurt either :)


4. Have fun 
When you have fun doing something it shows on your face and makes it much more enjoyable for you and a coach to watch. Most teams that win national championships say that the performance that they won with was the most fun they every had. When ever a team has their best performance it tends to be when they have the most fun. The same will occur when trying out. If you have fun and do your best then there is nothing else you can do and it is up to the coaches if you want the team.


5. Be confident
It is a lot easier said then done I know, but the most important thing is to not be nervous and to be confident. You will be throwing skills that you have mastered so you shouldn’t be nervous about that. Right after learning the dance and cheer, make sure you practice it a lot! Memorize it and then practice, it will become muscle memory. Confidence shows in every step you take. Be so confident that you rub off onto others.




Remember you do cheerleading because it’s fun and you love it. Show the coach why you belong on the team and have fun! Smile big! I wish everyone the best of luck! If you have any questions or want more tips just ask! 

Undivided attention is key to success

Hello everyone!

            Have you ever had trouble getting focused when you’re about to do something like workout?  Sometimes the hardest part for athletes is to get their mind 100% into something.  Usually their thoughts are still racing from events earlier in the day and they aren’t giving all of their effort into the task at hand.

            This can be frustrating for the athlete because you can’t put in the work that you want to. Luckily we’re going to go over some basic techniques that you can do on your own to help you gain an undivided attention to the task at hand!

            Sometimes regaining your focus is as easy as getting away from everyone and anything around you for 15 minutes and just relaxing.  Before you’re next workout or practice try going somewhere you are comfortable, close your eyes and think and vision what your about to do and pair that with slow, steady breathing.  By doing so you’re priming yourself to think only of the task you will be facing. 

            Another technique is to use something to symbolize all the distractions you have.  For instance when you are changing out of the clothes you wore all day treat them as a symbol of your distractions.  Once your change out of them allow all of the day’s activities to leave your mind for a while and become consumed by your task at hand.  You can also do this with a single piece of clothing (headband, wristband, etc.) that, once you put it on, you are in game mode ready to give your undivided attention and dominate.

            Also try using music to get you focused or develop a routine that is easy enough to follow that will clear your mind.

Don’t be afraid to try all these techniques or even make up your own!

“Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance” – Samuel Johnson

Introducing Intern Sabrina Gouldsbury!

THIS IS ME! 

Hey Y’all! I am Sabrina, and I’m super excited to see what this summer has in store for me. I am arising junior at High Point University in North Carolina. I am majoring in exercise science with a concentration in health and wellness. This past April I completed my 15 year cheerleading career with living out my dream of competing with Cheer Extreme. I am very eager to learn everything that cheer360 is going to offer me this summer!

I babysat a younger athlete not long ago and they wanted to know me better so we played a fact game. I will give you guys these facts so you can get to know me too.

1. My favorite sport other then cheerleading is lacrosse.
2. I am very outgoing.
3. I am not good with social media.
4. I got diagnosed with Arthritis at 13 years old.
5. I cheered at four different all-star gyms.
6. I don’t have a favorite competition, but UCA, Cheersport, and Worlds is at the top of my list.
7. My favorite color is pink.
8. I really don’t like Halloween at all!
9. My favorite dessert is frozen yogurt.
10. I am a southern at heart.
11. I love the sun.
12. My natural hair color is light brown, but I would rather be blonde.
13. I am the biggest Disney fan ever!
14. My dream vacation would be to the Greek islands. 
15. I don’t have a favorite movie.
16. My favorite food is Chinese food.
17. I can’t imagine my life without cheerleading. 
18. My favorite t.v. show is either Gossip Girl or Once Upon A Time.
19. I am and always have been a backspot. 
20. I have two brothers. 
21. My favorite part of a routine is the pyramid.  

My flyer from the past two seasons and I being worlds ready!

Injury Prevention Tips!

How many of you have had an injury of any kind? How many of those injuries came at bad times? Well I use to be that athlete that claimed I never got hurt. I have never broken a bone, sprained a joint, or strained a tendon or muscle. But I have been hurt before. I was (and still am) the girl that is afraid to say that I'm hurt, so I never really go to the doctor, I just work through the pain. This is not a good thing. A couple months ago I got hurt and I never stopped practicing and working out. I did not change my life style in anyway, and that caused me to continue to have issues throughout the last couple of months. Injuries are unexpected and never come at a "good" time. But if we don't take care of ourselves those injuries will linger. Injuries happen, but there are ways to treat them and ways to prevent them. 

1. Be proactive: 

Make sure you are conditioning and pushing yourself, but do not over work. Prepare yourself prior to the start of the sports season by working out, stretching and eating right. Everyone needs a day or two completely off to let their body rest, so take a rest day. Stretch before and after exercising. Make sure you do a proper warm up prior to exercising. Fuel your body with nutritionally valuable food. And finally, STAY hydrated!

2. Be aware: 

As soon as you feel like something is not right, tell someone; a coach, a parent, or a doctor. The longer you wait to get the injury looked at, the worse it can get. Do not be afraid to admit that you are hurt. Know your body, if something feels wrong, chances are there something is not right. Know your body, know your limits.

3. Be smart with treatment:

Listen to your doctor or athletic trainer. If they say not to do something, do not do it. Do exactly what they say. Ice is your best friend immediately after certain injuries to control swelling. Swelling can be a cause of pain so if you limit the swelling, you might limit the pain as well. Rest. Just rest. Continue to eat well and stay hydrated.

4. Other tips:

Don't go half on anything. If you aren't going 100% and completely committing, you are putting yourself at risk for injury. Don't do anything you are not ready for. Use technique when you are tired; you do not want to put more stress on your body in a wrong way. If you do get hurt, stay POSITIVE! You will get better.

Injuries stink, but they happen to everyone. These are just a few ways to prevent injuries from getting worse, or happening all together. 

Mental Strength: An Introduction!

Hello to everyone reading this!

First off I’d like to say thank you for taking time out of your day to read these blog posts.  My name is Chris Cannizzaro and I’ll be interning at Cheer360 this summer.  My internship focuses on mental strength. 

For those of you who aren’t familiar with what mental strength is let me give you a quick synopsis.  Mental strength is being able to maintain your focus towards a goal set in front of you.  It allows you to block out distractions, regain your focus if you lost it momentarily, and to overall perform better at any task you do. 

           Throughout my blog posts I’m going to identify and discuss some specific techniques used by professional athletes such as the use of imagery and goal setting to mention a few.

Before we go into any of those the one thing you must have for any of those techniques to work is a positive attitude.  Without a positive attitude you can be handed the world on a silver platter and you still won’t be successful.

            Each of my blogposts are going to have a quote at the bottom, I want everyone to think about the quote and how you can apply it to your everyday life!

“Always do your best.  What you plant now, you will harvest later.” – Og Mandino

Introducing Me! 16 interesting facts about Cheer360 intern Sierra Wilde

Hi everyone! My name is Sierra, and I'm really excited for this summer! I am currently a junior at Hofstra University where I study Athletic Training. I am also a member of the Hofstra cheerleading team. Being able to combine two of the biggest aspects of my life is a dream come true. I'm super excited to be able to explore new aspects of the health and fitness field this summer with Cheer360! 

I figured instead of writing a huge paragraph about me, I'd just list some of the random facts that make me, me! 

1. My favorite color is blue

2. I love iced coffee!

3. I love to learn about various injuries

4. I have been cheering for 8 years

5. I love food but do not have a favorite food

6. I was originally recruited to play field hockey in college

7. I love playing most sports just for fun

8. I play field hockey to clear my mind

9. I tend to be very competitive 

10. I like roller blading... a lot 

11. I don't like having free time, I like to fill it up doing something to keep me busy

12. I have a slight obsession with Nike products

13. I love to play lacrosse with my brothers

14. Running is my favorite stress reliever

15. I would rather wear running clothes than a nice outfit any day

16. 16 and 8 are my lucky numbers

So now that you know a little bit about me, I can't wait share some of my stories, thoughts, and adventures! 

My roommate and I at nationals!

#CheerFaceFriday

Nervous about what face is the "right" face to make while performing on the mat?

Well here are some pictures of me and Lil Jess warming up our cheer faces before competing on the  UCA Nationals mat just a few weeks back! There is no doubt that these cheer faces are what got us through to Finals! 

Just remember  you should always warm up your cheer faces before you perform, you do not want to pull a muscle! And most importantly,  DO NOT be afraid of making a fool out of yourself! 

*DO NOT FORGET TO UPLOAD  PICTURES OF YOU AND YOUR TEAM  MEMBERS MAKING  FUNNY CHEER FACES AND BE SURE TO USE THE HASHTAG CHEERFACEFRIDAY! 

Thanks,

Dani

Senior CLB, Cheer Humor

My Story

I have had personal experience with a Mental Block. It is not an easy thing to live with because you get very upset and stressed out about it. I developed my Mental Block after getting hurt at a practice and little by little I stopped doing tumbling skills until I stopped completely tumbling. What compacted it even more was I had a coach who did not understand what was going on in my head and she would yell at me for it. Almost everyday I would go to a tumble class to help myself get “over it”, to get better. I just ended up getting more frustrated because when I would go my coach would be there and she would make me run around the whole gym every time I did not pull my tumbling. As time went on my parents became concerned for me because I was so upset. My mom and I did a lot of research online and called many experts to see who could help me. I ended up seeing several people to help me with my block, including Kristen Perri who was my mental coach from Cheer360. I have also had sessions with a Sports Hypnotist. Thankfully at this time today I have over come my fear of tumbling and I have become me again. I have gotten my tumbling back and I have also gained more skills with the confidence I have now. It was a hard, frustrating and scary journey and it has made me appreciate my strength as an athlete more than ever. If you or a family member has dealt with an issue like this, we would love to hear from you and maybe share your story in how you have over come your fear!

What’s On Your Team's iPod?

We all know the importance of music considering it is the component that puts together the routine! The type of music and the lyrics you listen to can have a direct effect on how you perform. 

So what’s your tradition? Do you listen to a certain song while getting ready the morning of competition or with your team before you begin practice? Is there one song in your routine that really pumps you up and helps you finish you compete? 

Feel free to share and think about finding your song for next season! Having that team song can really form a bond between you and your teammates and create contagious positive energy!! 

Here’s a link to SWVC’s team song this past season, "It’s My Time"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqlbqIw-v90

Musical Fun Facts: 

*Some studies suggest listening to classical music while studying and doing homework can increase brain activity and intelligence for a short period of time

*Termites work quicker and more efficiently when listening to Heavy Metal/Rock Music

Jessica, CLB

Think Smart, Cheer Smart

With the high school season just ending and Allstar Competition season just starting up again, teams are starting to train even harder, you should really think about ways to keep yourself in check with ways to keep safe while training. Sports injuries are very serious, they can come in many variations, for example broken bones, sprains, and mental blocks. Mental blocks are a big problem when it comes to cheer, it can make people end up getting scared to do things. It could also be with one or more things. Mental blocks are almost always in tumbling. Most of the time the cheerleader gets hurt doing a skill and the next time they go to perform that skill they get scared and stop. They are not something you can joke about. It can take different amounts of time for each person to get over this injury, it could take from days, months to about a year to completely get over this injury. The athlete needs support from family, friends, and teammates to help them through it. It is also good to have some strategies, which will be named in future posts. If you or someone you know has been through this let us know in the comment section!

#CheerFaceFriday

Need some help on those cheer faces?

Well check out this picture of Delia and I working on our cheer faces!

You will be surprised what type of cheer faces you and your teammates make while performing!

Share some pictures of you and your teammates making awesome cheer faces and be sure to get #cheerfacefriday trending! 

Thanks,

Dani

Senior CLB, Cheer Humor

Team Mottos

This past season, my team practiced and competed by a motto we liked to call “212 Degrees”. It helped to keep us focused and motivated. What will your motto be for this off-season?

The Extra Degree 

At 211 Degrees Water is Hot

At 212 Degrees Water Boils

And With Boiling Waters Comes Steam

And Steam Can Power a Locomotive

One Extra Degree Makes All the Difference

And The One Extra Degree of Effort

Separates the Good from the Great

This is Your Time, Turn up the Heat!

Jessica, CLB

#TheCheerMom Motivational Monday

                        Staying positive is key...                            Every Monday I will be posting motivational quotes to get us through the week on a positive note.... 

Tara

#TheCheerMom, CheerLEADER Advocate

February's Bow of The Month

Welcome to our first ever Bow of The Month!!! This week's theme: pink cheetah! 

First, here's Angie's pink sequined cheetah bow 🎀

This bow looks super cute with any practice outfit or even your fierce uniform! 

Next is Dana's pink sequined cheetah keychain bow!

Perfect for your pink glitter nfinity backpack 😍

Do you like the pink cheetah look or are you into a rhinestone bow?

Tell us what you think!! 

Dana and Angie, CLB

2014 Varsity Spirit Fashion Show Recap!

     The 2014 Varsity Spirit Fashion Show took place in Nashville, Tennessee, and featured many different styles, fits, and athletic wear for all different types of cheerleaders. The fashion show displays styles for camp wear and uniforms for both the collegiate and high school levels.

     This year’s trends in campwear include bright neon and pops of color. Have you noticed the increasing bursts of color, not only in cheerleading, but in all athletic wear and on athletes everywhere? Most of the tee shirts feature many graphics and fun text fonts pleasing to the i (get it?)

     This season in cheerleading uniforms, grey is the new black! As a fashion enthusiast, black will never be out of style, so I don’t know what Varsity is trying to do here.

     Uniforms have evolved over the many existing years of cheerleading. In 2014, it appears that uniforms are all about geometrical lines while still maintaining cleanliness. (So my thing) However, there is also the opposite side of the spectrum, where uniforms are metallic or have a one shoulder detailing.

     Some uniform materials incorporate special motion flex, body hugging, and performance-driven technologies, so that cheerleaders are stylish without compromising comfort. Personally, I love these features because I can actually breathe when I have my uniform on instead of thinking about how great it will feel when I take it off!

     What's YOUR favorite style?! What do you think about these trends for the year of 2014? Watch the video or look at the catalog if you’re interested in finding out more of this years’ cheerleading trends! Comment below and let us know!

Xoxo,

Ally, Senior CLB Fashion and Beauty

http://varsity.com/event/1682/art/1753/varsity-spirit-fashion-show

http://www.varsity.com/event/1686/2014-varsity-spirit-fashion-catalog