Q&A for How to Get Flexible for Cheerleading

Make sure you practice your stretches consistently and you'll see improvements to your flexibility over time.

It depends on how much you stretch, but it will probably be more like a month. Stay hydrated - it will make it easier to become flexible.

Check out wikiHow's article How to Do a Split for tips.

Yes, but if you are still in school, you might not be allowed to join the cheerleading squad until you reach a certain grade level. Regardless of your age, you must still do the stretches as shown.

Go to a gymnastics gym to do some tumbling. Also, stretch and practice small things daily.

Some people are more flexible than others, there may be certain things that your body just cannot do. That being said, you should keep trying. You should feel a slight burning sensation when you are doing your stretches.

You could wear a shirt and yoga pants or just a sports bra and yoga pants.

There is no fixed number of times for any kind of exercise, just work at it slowly. Don't push too hard that you hurt yourself, stop before it gets that far.

This depends on how competitive the team you are trying out for is. Talk to the coach about your concerns with your flexibility. At tryouts, you can show off your back flexibility by doing backbends, back kick overs, front walk overs, etc. However, keep stretching to improve other parts of your body.

Cheerleading doesn't revolve only around cartwheels, so you should be fine! In the meantime, keep practicing and your cartwheels will probably improve.

Yes. Larger cheerleaders are needed to be the bases who lift up the smaller cheerleaders. You will have to be able to do jumps, cartwheels, and all of the other things that cheerleaders do, but as long as you are capable, your size should not be an issue.

Don't worry about what others say about you. If you want to join the cheerleading team, try your hardest.

You must be flexible, there is really no other way around it. One of the basics for cheer is flexibility. You don't have to have your splits at first, but you do need to stretch every day until you are able to get them. (Don't forget about back flexibility too!)

To be a cheerleader means to be a member of a team that performs organized cheering, chanting, and dancing in support of a sports team. Therefore, you should try to get flexible as much as possible to accomplish this. Practice these stretches and maybe take classes and teach yourself how to tumble and do stunts. Try your best!

You don't have to, but it would be helpful.

Help around the house and do chores. Help mom make lunches, make dinner, or even look after siblings. Study and try to make better grades.

You can make your own class, first find people who is interested in the same class and is as young as you, then look for a teacher and a place to practice.

I suggest reading through wikiHow's article on doing a back handspring for some help.

You can start cheerleading at any age. Check with local teams and see what age options they have for different ages.

Probably 2-3 times a week but it depends on how physically fit you are. If you exercise a lot do it every day. If you are looking for flexibility then hold your splits for 30 seconds to a minute and bounce with your hips so you bend lower into them. It hurts but think how flexible you'll be.

It completely depends on your age, body type, height, etc. The most important thing is that you're healthy and strong. If so, then yes, you can still make the team.

Cheer requires years of practice to be successful. Unless you are already a dancer or a gymnast, attempting to become a cheerleader at that stage in your life would be very difficult, but not impossible.

Backbends are best for this, but you should take a look at this article about How to Get a More Flexible Back for more information.

Probably, yes, as long as you can do the required skills and you're flexible. You'd probably be a base, not on a flyer, though.

Keep your balance and lock your knees. Squeeze! Hold your weight, be confident, and smile. Remember, if the stunt falls, it's not your or the base's fault, it's teamwork. Be happy and enjoy flying.

Straddles are what helped me. You don’t have to be super flexible, just for jumps and tumbling. Normally, for stunts, it’s more about upper body strength.

WikiHow's article on how to be a cheerleader has some excellent tips.

It depends on how hard you train and where you are now, but it can usually be accomplished within three months.

Use the internet (YouTube) or get some cheer friends to help you.

Baby fat should not affect your flexibility. Just keep stretching and working at it every day and you'll get there.