I've recently begun practices for the 2014-2015 season, and so far, the majority of practice has been focused on conditioning. My coaches love conditioning, and are very...
creative with the workouts that we do. I'm not complaining, I'm all for getting in shape and further proving that cheerleaders are athletes, but I think we all need a few tips to make our conditioning experience, as a whole, a lot better.
Tip #1: It's easiest if you just keep going. I know that it may be tempting to stop and take a breather for a minute, but you really should only do this if you feel like you're about to throw up, have a medical condition, or are stopping for a quick water break. A body in motion tends to stay in motion. The way I think about it, the faster you do your conditioning, the faster it's over with.
Tip #2: If you're conditioning outside, wear sunscreen. If you're going to be running or exercising outside, apply some sport sunscreen to your face and any part of your body that's going to be exposed. You're reducing the risk of skin cancer and pre-mature aging, as well as protecting yourself from getting sunburned.
Tip #3: If you feel like you have to throw up, do it. Find a trash can and quietly puke if you feel like you're going to throw up. It's completely normal and, in my experience, no one will be like: "Ew, that's so gross" or "That's disgusting." I threw up and then a few seconds later started running laps as part of our conditioning and my coach cheered me on. You will feel a lot better if you do!
Tip #4: Eat before, but don't eat too much. You need fuel to keep you going, but you also need to make sure you're not puking your guts out. I recommend eating 1-2 hours before practice begins. I like to have the Clif Peanut Toffee Buzz protein bars and a few slices of fruit.
Tip #5: Hydrate yourself! If you get water breaks, take advantage of it. If you don't already have one, it may be a good idea to invest in a re-usable water bottle. Don't drink too much, or else you'll feel sick. But, you need to stay hydrated, especially if you'll be outside.
Tip #6: Conditioning is 95% mental and 5% physical. If you tell yourself that you can do it, and don't focus on the amount of exercise you'll actually be doing, it will be much easier. Your body is capable of doing it, the only thing that can stop you is your mind.
Tip #7: Don't complain or talk while doing exercises. Complaining is a turn off to the coaches, puts you in a negative mood, and isn't fun for the rest of your teammates to hear. Also, it's okay to talk a little, but you want to conserve as much energy as possible, so keep talking to a minimum.
Tip #8: Make sure your hair is tightly pulled up, whether it's in a ponytail or a bun. If you're running or exercising outside in the hot sun, I recommend putting your hair in a bun. Not a lot of hair (besides fly-a-ways) will be sticking to your neck and making you feel all nasty. It's a pain to have to fix your hair a bunch during conditioning.
Tip #9: Don't worry about looking cute. To be honest, no one really looks cute at practice. Especially conditioning. 99.99999% of the time, you are no exception. I am no exception. We are all not exceptions.
