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| Date : Aug 02, 2009 at |
By : CheerProject Team |
| Running an effective competition practice |
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Using every bit of your practice time effectively is crucial for all cheer teams, especially when it comes close to competition. We at CheerProject have designed a basic outline to help you get the most out of your practices!
First and foremost you should have a plan! Go into practice knowing what you are going to do this will make the structure of the practice evident and easy for everyone to follow. While creating your plan, always put safety first; plan on doing your skills through the proper progression. By using the right progression, you are able to ensure that the athletes fully grasp the skill and can safely move onto the next step.
Next we suggest you start with a warm-up. Having the athletes jog to warm up their bodies is always a good go-to warm up; however, it can get boring so try to spice things up by having them do jumping jacks, push-ups, body-weight squats or even a quick game of sharks and minnows (where two people are standing in the middle of the gym and then rest of the team has to try to get to the other end of the gym without getting tagged). After their bodies are warm have the team leaders stretch them out. This warm up and stretch session should take about 15 minutes.
Have the girls window out across the mat and ripple standing tumbling. The order could go something like this, backhandsprings, toe-touch backhandspring, stand tuck, toe-touch tuck, backhandspring tuck. After they have each gone (this should be a sight ripple so it should move pretty quickly) you could have them perform each of these skills together as a team for timing. (Depending on the skill level of your team you may have more advanced skills such as two backhandsprings to a full, that need to be warmed up as well). After the standing tumbling is warmed move on the running tumbling. Have the athletes go into corners and allow them three passes each to get to their last trick (make sure this moves pretty quickly, no standing around, as soon as a girl hits the middle of the mat another girl should be coming out of the opposite corner). After they are warm, you can move to your tumbling sequence of the routine and have the team execute their tumbling to the music. This tumbling session should take about 15 minutes.
Following tumbling and jumps, move into stunting. You can start with your first stunt sequence or work backwards and start with your last stunt sequence. Let each group warm up their stunts a few times, you should have them pair up (especially in the beginning of learning the stunt) to help spot each other. Once they have all warmed up have them perform the stunts together, either by counts or with the music. Follow this same protocol for the second stunt sequence. It is always good to have someone like a coach or a team helper down on the floor while they are warming up to see what improvements can be made. This stunt session should take about 25 minutes.
Next, move onto your pyramid section. Depending on how many sections there are to your pyramid, allow each section to warm up their individual parts, then have each side (including the middle if there is one) go together either with counts or music while the other side spots, then do the same for the side that has not gone. After each side has gone do the entire pyramid together with counts or music. Follow this same structure if you have another pyramid as well. This pyramid session should take about 15 minutes.
After your pyramid, move on to basket tosses. Have each group warm up with a straight ride (you may need more than one) to get timing together. You can allow each group to warm up their entire trick or you can have them warm up straight rides all the way through to their trick together as a team. This basket toss session should take around 10 minutes.
Dance and motions should be your next session. Play the dance portion of the music several the athletes can practice the dance and help each other. After they have warmed up go over it together as a team. This dance session should take around 10 minutes.
Now that all the elements of your routine are warmed up, you should throw the routine full out. Allow the athletes to grab water and mentally prepare themselves. The first time through have them throw everything, even their tumbling. After they are through go over any mistakes that were made and give them the proper corrections. Now you can choose to have them run it again only performing the elements they missed in the previous routine or you can choose to say “only stunts and pyramids” or “only tumbling and baskets”. Then, of course, the final time your throw it have them perform the elements they did not perform in the previous performance. This session should take around 15 minutes.
After they have performed the routine, give them a 10 minute session to work on anything they want to work on; or, use this 10 minute time to revisit anything you want to revisit. Then have them stretch it out and give them any announcements or reminders. This cool-down session and 10 min free session should take around 15 minutes.
So let's break it down for you:*
Warm Up 15 minutes
Jumps and Tumbling 15 minutes
Stunts 25 minutes
Pyramids 15 minutes
Basket Tosses 10 minutes
Dance/Motions 10 minutes
Free Time 10 minutes
Cool Down 5 minutes
Feel free to derive from this schedule to meet the needs of your team. But don't forget to go in with a plan! It's that simple. We hope this is helpful to to your next competition practice.
*This blog is base on a 2 hour practice
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