my splits are about 8 or 9 inches from the groun (uhoh!!) the try outs for the dance team are in about 2 1/2 weeks!!! can you help!!??
130619
Stretch, do alot of stretching, run for a while or do something that gets your muscles warmed up, after that stretch them for about 30 seconds, do this everyday if you got only 2 weeks left.
436433
u have hops my friend.  u nee to get 6 inches above the rim to dunk though.  try doing lunges wit hdumbells or frog jumps.  these strengthen legs without adding extra bulk.  just hit the gym and stay in shape.
80475
don't listen to the girl who told you you need to take ballet lessons. cheerleaders aren't supposed to turn their leg out. she obviously doesn't know anything about cheerleading. if you turned your leg out in a stunt you'd fall.\n\njust keep stretching. every time pull a little bit higher. and have your mom or someone help you stretch. you pull your scorpion and then they sort of "hug" around your stomach and your leg and try to pull your leg up and closer to your body.\n\nit won't happen overnight. be patient. and it's not gonna be painless either. just the truth.
128628
You don't learn to do a split.  You are either that flexible or you aren't.  You can become more flexible, by stretching.  It took me a marking period to get my split.  I was on restriction for bad grades and confined to my room.  I didn't have anything to do but read and stretch.  Please don't rush it, that's how groin injuries happen, which is one of the most painful things you'll ever experience.  Keep stretching.  Sit on the floor, with your legs spread as wide as you can.  Bend over each leg, and over the middle, slowly.  Also, butterfly stretches are good.  Sit with your feet sole to sole and pull them back towards you as far as they will go.  DON'T BOUNCE, BOUNCING CAUSES INJURIES.  Good Luck
158437
Perhaps try stretching before excersizing. I hurt my foot about 2 weeks ago doing the same thing, but then my coach told me to stretch for about 20 minutes, and it started going away. As for your situation, I'd let it heal, maybe instead of working on your leg muscles, try your arms instead. Let it rest and try putting ice on it and stretch out before you excersize!
478322
maybe you should refer to a search engine such as yahoo to help you with cheerleading. don't be discouraged if you can't get the technique down the fast few times it takes time and dedication.
82174
Hey! I am in track as well. Sure, I am kinda fast...but not super fast. \nIf I were you I would stay after practice and do more running. Be sure to drink lots of aqua as well! Even if your sides hurt keep running. That way you will build endurance. \nI sure hope you improve.
536131
Ok here are a few things to try.. First off..try getting straight up fulls.. do this will lots of spotters to build confidence.. Tell your girls to suck it up..and if they get scared be scared stiff :).\n\nDo things in the competition..that will work with halfs or fulls..for example..having three halfs..have them go up on Go, fight, Win.. If they get the fulls ..change it to fulls. If they do not then keep them at halfs.. If they get one full put it in the center..with the other two on the sides.\n\nAlso you can make nice variations to the plain half.. Try having the girls lift one leg up, stagging the half..this is a simple move..and could be used as an easy transition.\n\nAnother Idea is having three half one infont of the other.. Have the front half go down to a thigh stand..and the back half go up to a full.. on a certain count. you could also have the two halfs to rotate on teh outside..or have the whole stunt rotate.\n\nVary your formations a lot..but keep them clean! The smallest change can keep the judges from getting bored with the routine. For example!\n\nIf you have a shape like this * * * * *\n* * * \nYou can start standing..then have the front kneel..then get back up..than move to a new formation like a diamond or triangle..but do not make girls move all the way across to the other side..make it the LEAST amount of movement possible! this is the hard part.\n\nAlso you said many of the girls were new.. Try to keep the more confident cheerleaders in the front..this will relieve some stress to the others..for they have someone to keep an eye on. Their goal should be though..not to look at anyone else. \n\nYou can make simple dance moves look great by adding ripples or levels! \n\n\nI hope that helps :)\nbyebye
257233
I am here to help! Dont listen to people saying its not that hard...u only have to do cheers! well this is the true story:\nYou will probaly have to work with this material: You should learn a cheer,a chant, a dance, two jumps & additional tumbling.\n\nThere are judges from out of town that will be there choosing who makes it. but dont worry. just keep eye contact & SMILE! gurlie...if you dont smile...then you mite as well not be there! Make sure to keep your motions straight & tight. dont yell...people dont want little girls on their team. cheer from the diagrahm,in your stomach,not from your throat. make sure your words are loud short & choppy,dont sing them. SMILE SMILE SMILE.... the worst mistake you can possibly make is to not smile! keep eye contact with the judges. while your doing your dance act like your having fun...put some attitude into it! make sure after your jumps,chants,cheers,& tumbling to show spirit!that means just throw your hands up & yell go team..get spirit,pump it up,things like that. make sure when it is your turn to tryout when you are walking in jump & show spirit as much as possible.what ever you do, do NOT do jumps when it is time to do tumbling skills,so that means no round off toe touches or toe touch handsprings or tucks.wear your hair up in a high pony tail with shorts that are black and not too short & show your butt!wear a short sleeved white tee shirt that is not too tight or not too loose...make sure that when you do jumps,tumbling,etc. that your tummy doesnt show...judges hate to see skin!SMILE,SMILE,SMILE,& SHOW TONS OF SPIRIT,& SMILE!this is my advice that if you follow,you have no reason to worry.make sure that you eat a good meal that day & for the week of tryouts drink lots of water,caffine messes up your voice!SMILE!!!you should do great!good luck!hope this helps!try to remind yourself that your trying out for fun & if you make it GREAT but if you dont,well there's always next year & i've learned from it!good luck!email me if you want any tips..i am a school sideline cheerleader for football & basket ball & am also a competitive all star cheerleader!email cheer1_06@yahoo.com* please if you need any more help!
308277
After warming up, especially your hips, find an open area of a wall.  Go lay next to the wall so your back is on the floor, your butt is in the corner of the wall and floor and your legs are straight up against the wall towards the ceiling.  You should be at a L shape or a 90 degree angle.  Now start to slowly open your legs.  This is going to put you in a center split stretch at first.  Once you get to where your legs won't open any more and you feel a good stretch, try and rotate your hips a bit.  Push one up at a time so you feel a harder stretch on that side.  You can also lean your body to one side at a time to get the underside of your leg to stretch.  This is usually a pretty good stretch for me.  Another great thing to do is to get yourself into a panche position next to a wall or in a doorway.  Have your supporting leg out about a foot from the wall and just lift up your other leg and put it on the wall.  Now, use your hands against the floor to try and push your hips to the wall.  After doing this for a while, I think your splits will be like nothing!
403304
how in heavens name do you expect to be ready for tryouts if you were out of shape?....you shouldve been working out and training leading up to the tryouts if you want a sporting chance of making the team...my feeling is anyone who shows up out of shape for tryouts doesn't deserve to be on the team...and since you did it doesn't seem you are seriously committed to work hard for the team...i suggest you skip this year and prepare yourself in earnest for next year
377351
As a current cheer coach, I am glad to see you preparing ahead of time for what may be one of the most important positions in the squad.  A flyer has to have poise and stamina.\n\nWork on standing in a liberty, arabesque and heal extension every chance you get.  The better you can do this on your own on the floor....with no bobbles, the better chance you will have to complete the stunt without a fall.\n\nYour bases are there to help you, but you are ultimately doing the work.  Tighten your body as you are being lifted and held...this will help with height and wobble factor.  \n\nI always tell my girls to focus on the center of their body.  The core of your body.  This will help you.  \n\nMost of all, listen to the count....and don't cradle before then.  I have seen serious accidents occur when girls do not listen to their team mates.\n\nat 5'2" at 115 pounds, it is likely that you might be a flyer, however, as a coach, I not only look for the smaller girls (which are easier to lift), but the girls that can control their body movements once in position.  If you think that you can nail that stance everytime you go up....you have what it takes to be flyer!\n\nGood Luck
451656
STRETCH!\n\nOdds are your coach will be putting you guys through the conditioning ringer over the next few weeks.\nYou will need to stretch for a few days prior as well as before your practices/try-outs.  Remember to stretch your neck...get on your toes and put your forehead on the ground (use your hands if you must take some of the weight off of your head).\nWhen in this "tripod" position, roll backwards, forwards, side to side, and all around.  I always remember my neck being the sorest after the first few practices...\n\nRemember...lifting weights is great and everything, but you can win a lot of matches with "slicks" that would mean using your brain...the best practice is getting out there and rollin' around with somebody for a while...preferably someone who is gonna whoop on you a bit and make you figure out what is and isn't working.\nGood luck!
577802
i love gymnastics...been doing it for 9 years...i just finished my 3rd year of 8 (mainly because of injuries i had to repeat it), with an exception of 1 level 9 meet...hopefully ill do a full season of 9...what level are you? i dont think i could do gymnastics forever, my body would kill me, haha. but i hope to compete all though high school and then see what happens....hopefully i can coach as a first job.
345157
Well, this could be many things.  I've been a dancer for 20 years (i'm almost 22) and a dance teacher since I was 15.  Although I don't see it too often, occasionally I will get an overly eager dancer who will over-do themselves on their splits (or over-splits).  Yes, it takes practice to get them, but if you DO NOT have them yet.. take your time.  You cannot just push yourself to the floor if your muscles are not ready to go there.\n\nBesides that, you could have hurt your hamstring.  Look up some anatomy figures online and you will see that your hamstring attach at your knee.  If you severely "pulled" your hamsting that can take weeks upon weeks of therapy to get back to a normal level.. especially a dancer who takes thier body into extreme ranges of motion.  Not to mention that there could be tiny tears in your muscles...\n\nLike someone else said, it could be numerous other things.  Your best bet is to have your family doctor refer you to a specialist.  They will do manual muscle testing and many other things to pinpoint what exactly has gone wrong.  \n\nMoral of the story, take a break (even though I know how hard that can be!), even if it is only one day to go to the doctor.  You must get this resolved before you cause yourself damage for life.
513912
stretch your legs one at a time for 30 sec holds\nthen position them differently and stretch for 30 sec\nthen put one leg in front of you bent and the other leg straight    \n    behind you, slowly move the front leg more straight and hold it\n    as long as you can tolerate it \nAslo do the split for as far down as you can go and hold it for a  \n    min, once you get it far enough, balance yourself and put your \n    arms on your front leg and push down and hold as long as you \n    can\nDo stretches before and after splits\nstretch as often as you can
226611
If you do not stretch, then you could get seriously injured, as for your coach, try asking for some stretch time.GOOD LUCK!!!