© National Strength and Conditioning Association
Volume 26, Number 6, pages 16–21
Keywords: cheerleading; sports-specific training; periodization
A Strength and Conditioning Model
for a Female Collegiate Cheerleader
Erika P. Goodwin, MS, Kent J. Adams, PhD, CSCS, and Jennifer Shelburne
University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
Mark DeBeliso, PhD
Boise State University, Boise, Idaho
summary
Cheerleading is a sport which is
highly competitive, physically and
psychologically demanding, and
rewarding. Comprehensive condi-
tioning and recovery is a must for
optimal performance and injury
prevention. This article proposes a
model to help guide the individu-
alized strength and conditioning
program of an elite female colle-
giate cheerleader preparing for na-
tional competition.
heerleading has moved off the
C sidelines into a league of its
own. It no longer consists of
pep-squad members whose sole pur-
pose is to lead the crowd in cheering
on their school’s sports teams to victo-
ry. Today, cheerleading is recognized
as a sport that requires strength,
power, endurance, flexibility, agility,
16
balance, and high levels of technical
skill and coordination (5, 8, 9). Fur-
thermore, a mastery of gymnastics
and dance is needed for optimal per-
formance.
At many collegiate institutions, cheer-
leading is housed in the athletic de-
partment, and cheerleaders are recruit-
ed and are on scholarship. College and
grade school cheerleaders now com-
pete in high-profile, nationally tele-
vised championship competitions every
year. To compete, a team must perfect-
ly perform many skills, including elite
gymnastic moves, compacted into an
intense 2-minute and 15-second rou-
tine. One mistake in performance is
often the difference between the na-
tional champion and the runner-up, so
the physical and psychological stress
runs high (3, 11). However, as in gym-
nastics, skill training alone will not ad-
equately prepare cheerleaders for the
competitive demands of their sport (6,
12).
Because cheerleaders train and cheer
through football and basketball seasons,
these athletes rarely get a rest from skill
practices. This high amount of repeti-
tive practice and performance creates an
increased risk for injuries, especially
December 2004 • Strength and Conditioning Journal
ankle sprains, lower-leg, low-back, and
rotator-cuff injuries (5, 8–12). Further-
more, practices and performances typi-
cally occur in unfavorable circum-
stances such as hard wooden floors,
bumpy grass fields, and possibly cold
and wet conditions, and cheerleaders
face a myriad of distractions such as
crowds, music, and other cheerleaders
nearby. Therefore, proper supplemental
training is important to physically pre-
pare these athletes throughout their
training year to maximize skill and con-
ditioning levels for the competition sea-
son and minimize injuries (5, 6, 8–10,
12).
Like gymnastics, cheerleading requires
high levels of strength and power rela-
tive to body mass to generate a high rate
of force development and withstand the
eccentric loading of one’s own body
weight to successfully perform the tum-
bling and throwing skills (6, 12). High
strength levels are also required to push
and hold other cheerleaders overhead
when performing stunts.
Strength training is vital to better
prepare the athlete for the peak sea-
son, as well as reduce the chance of
injuries during the athlete’s critical
practice and performance sessions (6,
8, 9). Muscular hypertrophy, howev-
er, is typically not the goal of strength
training for female cheerleaders, be-
cause leanness and small body size are
keys in maintaining high relative
strength levels for competitive per-
formance (12, 13). To minimize hy-
pertrophy in the cheerleader, strength
and conditioning professionals rec-
ommend strength training with heav-
ier loads with fewer repetitions and
longer rest periods (7, 12). Cheer-
leaders, like gymnasts and dancers,
also need to develop and maintain ex-
treme levels of flexibility and be in
peak anaerobic condition to perform
optimally during their explosive,
high-impact, glycolytic, and techni-
cal routines (4, 6).
The purpose of this article is to pro-
pose a model to help guide the indi-
vidualized strength and conditioning
program of an elite female collegiate
cheerleader preparing for national
competition. This model may not be
appropriate for novice high school
cheerleaders or college cheerleaders
who may not be physically prepared
for the demands of this level of condi-
tioning. Also, because of variation in
cheerleading task specificity, male
cheerleaders would not typically fol-
low this plan but would develop a
training model based on their individ-
ual-needs analysis.
The time of year of the national-level
competitions vary depending on the
cheerleaders’ age, school attended, and
preferred nationals’ association; there-
fore, the peak seasons vary. This model
uses the month of April as the peak
competitive month for a college cheer-
leader attending the National Cheer-
leaders Association National Champi-
onship in Daytona Beach, FL. In this
model (Figure), the cheerleading year is
divided into 2 phases, the conditioning
phase and the performance phase.
Within these phases are 5 general train-
ing stages. The conditioning phase con-
sists of the off-season stage, stage I pre-
December 2004 • Strength and Conditioning Journal
Figure. The cheerleading training year.
season, and stage II preseason. The per-
formance phase includes the high-im-
pact season and peak season. The overall
goal of strength and conditioning train-
ing for a cheerleader is to maximize
muscular strength, power, and en-
durance relative to body mass while
minimizing hypertrophy. Anaerobic
power and endurance, lactate tolerance,
and flexibility also need to be opti-
mized.
Because of the high levels of physical
and psychological stress cheerleaders
endure, they (like other athletes) must
pay critical attention to program de-
sign to reduce the likelihood of over-
training. Crucial to monitoring the
athlete is a personal journal the cheer-
leader is asked to keep. This journal
encompasses such things as training,
sleep, dietary habits, and other issues
that could be key to her readiness to
train and compete. This type of record,
along with an emphasis on communi-
cation between the coach and the
cheerleader, helps monitor training
and recovery status and guide individ-
ualized manipulations in program de-
sign throughout the year that help op-
timize performance.
Conditioning Phase
Off-Season
The training year and conditioning
phase begins after the team is chosen
(usually late April), with the off-sea-
son months consisting of May and
June. Because cheerleaders are ex-
pected to be actively performing dur-
ing football and basketball seasons
and then immediately peak for com-
petition, this off-season is a very im-
portant rest period. No formal work-
out is held during this active rest—
physical and psychological rejuvena-
tion is key. Usually, the team meets
for only 1 intense week each month
to orient themselves with each other
and prepare for cheerleading camp.
The emphasis of training is on gener-
al conditioning and overall muscular
and cardiovascular fitness on an indi-
vidual-need basis. As with other
sports teams, top performers in
cheerleading are encouraged to re-
turn from the off-season with excel-
lent base conditioning, ready to start
formal training.
Stage I Preseason
The training year begins with stage I
preseason (July and August), which
consists of more intensive weeklong
practices for cheerleading-camp prepa-
ration and one or two 4-day cheerlead-
ing camps in the first 2 weeks of Au-
gust. Cheerleading camps are designed
to work on necessary basic skills and
compete against other teams to assess
the teams’ beginning potential and
skill level, much like that of a “scrim-
mage.” Outside of camp preparation,
stage I preseason has minimal skill
practice; therefore, the cheerleaders
should concentrate on strength train-
ing and adequate rest and recovery
(e.g., sleep, nutrition, massage). As in
gymnastics (12), exercise selection
should focus on the major muscle
groups and movements specific to
cheerleading as well as strengthening
any problematic areas (e.g., ankle,
lower leg, low back, rotator cuff ) to
help prevent initial injury (i.e., preha-
bilitation).
To optimize strength (7, 12, 13), repe-
titions per set should be kept in the
17
 Table 1
Sample Stage I Preseason Training Week

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Jump rope (5 min) Plyometrics (UB) Rest Jump rope (5 min) Plyometrics (UB) Rest Rest
Medicine ball. Medicine-ball drop,
Plyometrics (LB) Plyometrics (LB) catch, and throw.
Squat jumps with Weights (UB) Tuck jumps bring-
arms extending External rotation ing knees into Weights (UB)
overhead for each Side lateral raise chest. Rear delt raises
jump. DB incline press* Straddle jumps. External rotation
Broad jumps with Close-grip press* DB flat press*
arms extending Lat pull-down* Weights (LB) Pull-up*
overhead. Seated row* Front squat* DB shoulder press*
Triceps press-down Deadlift* Bar dips
Weights (LB) Bar curl DB step-up at 12 DB curl
Back squat* Wrist in.* Wrist
Stiff-leg deadlift* extension/flex Calf (toe) raise extension/flex
Calf (toe) raise Reverse toe raise
Reverse toe raise Sprints Sprints
4 × 400 m Abs (crunch,V-up) 8 × 200 m
Abs (crunch,V-ups)

Note: UB = upper body, LB = lower body, DB = dumbbell. Plyometrics performed for 3 × 8–10 contacts with a 3- to 5-minute rest between sets. * in-
dicates strength-training intensity on primary exercises at 3–5 × 4–6 repetition maximum (RM) with a 3- to 5-minute rest between sets. Secondary
exercises performed at 3 × 6–8 RM with about a 2-minute rest between sets. Sprints performed at 75–85% intensity (no straining) with a 3-minute
rest between bouts.

4–6 range of the repetition maximum
(RM) continuum on primary exercises,
with an introductory resistance in the
first weeks of the stage that allows
completion of the specified set while
still being able to complete about 2
more repetitions (i.e, not training to
failure). As the cheerleader acclimates
to the formal strength-training work-
outs, intensity increases to a true
4–6RM (i.e., near failure to failure).
Set range is 3–5 per movement with a
3- to 5-minute rest between sets, again
to focus on optimizing strength (7).
Secondary exercises are performed for
3 × 6–8 repetitions with about 2 min-
utes of rest between sets.
Workouts should be 4 times a week be-
ginning with a 5- to 10-minute warm-up
(e.g., jump rope, jogging, stair stepper).
Low- to moderate-intensity plyometrics
(e.g., squat jumps, broad jumps, tuck
jumps, medicine-ball throw and catch)
performed for 3 sets of 8–10 repetitions
(contacts) before the strength-training
workout are included to prepare the
cheerleader for increasingly intense skill-
specific practices that require high power
output. Plyometric-based relays and
games such as those discussed by Bompa
(1, 2) are also recommended for the be-
ginning of some workouts. Games are a
great way to develop power and team-
work crucial to the cheerleader’s com-
petitive performance while including
fun and variety into the training regi-
men (1, 2).
Rotator-cuff exercises are performed
before the upper-body workouts for 3
sets of 10 repetitions. Abdominal
movements (e.g., crunches, V-ups)
are performed 2 days a week for 3 sets
of 20 repetitions each. In addition,
light-to-moderate anaerobic training,
such as sprints or cycling intervals, is
performed 2 days a week. Aerobic
work should be performed with cau-
tion, for it may compromise the ex-
pression of muscular power necessary
for optimal cheer-routine perfor-
mance (6). Because flexibility is a
critical requirement of a cheerleader’s
performance, each workout should be
completed with stretching exercises
(e.g., static stretching, proprioceptive
neuromuscular facilitation, active
isolate stretching) and followed by a
cool-down (e.g., light stretches, re-
laxation drills). Table 1 depicts a sam-
ple training week during stage I pre-
season.
Stage II Preseason
Stage II preseason includes Septem-
ber–December. This is the point of the
season when the team practices 3–4
times a week for 3–4 hours each prac-
tice, cheers football and basketball
games, and does appearances and per-
formances in the local community. Be-

18 December 2004 • Strength and Conditioning Journal

 Table 2
Sample Stage II Preseason Training Week

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Jump rope (5 min) Sprints Weights Jump rope (5 min) Sprints Game day Rest
4–6 × 400 m at External rotation Medicine-ball 4–6 × 200 m at or general
Plyometrics about 80–90% in- Side lateral raise drop, catch, and 90–95% intensity practice.
Drop jump with tensity with 3- to DB incline press* throw. with 3- to 5-min
hurdle hops. 5-min rest be- Close-grip press* Box jumps with rest between
Drop push-up tween bouts. Close-grip pull- 10- to 12-m bouts.
onto box. down* sprint.
Seated row* or Rest
Weights Bar curl Weights
Back squat* Jump squat* at
Push press* 20–40% of Mon-
Lat pull-down* day’s squat rate.
Calf (toe) raise Deadlift*
Reverse to raise Close-grip press*
Wrist Wide-grip pull-
extension/flex up*
Rear delt raises
Abs (crunch,V-up)
Abs (crunch, hang-
ing leg raise)

Note: DB = dumbbell. Plyometrics performed for 3 × 5–8 contacts. * indicates strength-training intensity on primary exercises at 4–6 × 2–5 repeti-
tion maximum (RM) with a 3- to 5-minute rest between sets. Secondary exercises performed at 3 × 6–8 RM with about a 2-minute rest between sets.

cause of the long time period stage II
preseason encompasses (about 16
weeks), trainers are recommended to
use microcycles of 4–6 weeks to add
variation and manipulate the intensity
and volume of training for optimal
adaptation and recovery. This also al-
lows additional planned recovery
breaks at Thanksgiving and Christmas
for the cheerleaders to visit home or
cheer the school’s football team at a
bowl event.
During this time, the focus of strength
training should be on the major mus-
cles used in the cheerleaders’ skills, as
well as the high-risk injury areas. In-
tensity is high, with the sets increasing
(e.g., 4–6) and the repetitions decreas-
ing (e.g., 2–5) on primary exercises.
Ballistic movements where the cheer-
leader accelerates into free space (e.g.,
jump squats) are incorporated in some
microcycles to further enhance power.
The resistance workouts should de-
crease to 2–3 times a week because the
regular practice schedule of the cheer-
leaders and games they cheer at are
now in session. The amount of
strength-training exercises should be
reduced, but the anaerobic training
should still be a major conditioning
tool.
The importance of this stage is to gain
the skills, strength, and power neces-
sary for the peak season. All skills
should be mastered in this time peri-
od, and the competitive team is cho-
sen based on performance during this
stage. Cheerleaders and coaches must
be aware that this is a stressful time
for cheerleaders. Rest and recovery
techniques must be emphasized, along
with increased communication be-
tween the coach and the cheerleader
related to individual status. These ac-
tivities are crucial to making individ-
ualized adjustments in the training
stress to optimize the response to
training, performance, and recovery.
Table 2 depicts a sample training week
during a microcycle used in stage II
preseason.
Performance Phase
High-Impact Season
The next phase of the training year is
the performance phase, with the high-
impact season consisting of January–
March. The cheerleader team now
practices performing skills in a short
period of time and practices the 2-
minute and 15-second routine on a
regular basis. The high-impact season
is a strenuous period with high gly-
colytic and structural demands during
repetitive skill and performance prac-
tice. The cheerleader should be well
conditioned to withstand these de-
mands at this point.

December 2004 • Strength and Conditioning Journal 19


Table 3
General Cheerleading Practice Structure During High-Impact Season
Time Activity
1500–1520 The team warms up and stretches together, making sure that the mus-
cles are ready to meet the demands of repetitive overstretching.
1520–1530 The practice then begins with a few “walk-throughs” of the routine.
This is the only time where no tricks are thrown.
1530–1600 The team then warms up the appropriate stunts, pyramids, or basket
tosses for the routine.
1600–1630 The routine is performed with all the stunts, pyramids, or basket tosses
usually 3 or 4 times with rest periods in between.
1630–1700 The team warms up their appropriate standing tumbling or gymnastic
skills that are in the routine.
1700–1730 The routine is performed with all standing tumbling, and the running
tumbling is warmed up during these “run-throughs.”
1730–1745 Break.
1745–1800 The team goes through 2 or 3 “full-out run-throughs” where the rou-
tine is performed with all stunting and tumbling skills.
1800–1830 The conditioning session of 30 minutes is conducted.This includes
skill conditioning (e.g., 10 consecutive standing tucks), body-weight
exercises (e.g., pushups, crunches, free-standing squat jumps), and
short sprint work (e.g., line drills) followed by extensive static and
proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitating stretching.
Table 4
A Cheerleader’s Sample Week During High-Impact Season
Day Activity
Monday 3-h practice on the routine followed by conditioning
Tuesday 2- to 3-h basketball game where the cheerleader is there 1– 1⁄2 h early
for warm-up and to prepare for the pregame traditions
Wednesday 3-h practice on the routine followed by conditioning
Thursday 2- to 3-h basketball game where the cheerleader is there 1– 1⁄2 h early
for warm-up and to prepare for the pregame traditions
Friday 3-h practice on the routine followed by conditioning
Saturday Performance of the routine for the public at a local high school
competition
Sunday A morning appearance for the basketball team’s pep rally followed
by the 3-h practice on the routine and conditioning
As the volume of skill practice increases weight room and more on body-weight
throughout the training year, the cheer- strength. The practices during this ses-
leader will cycle from heavier weight sion are broken down into sections to
lifting to more body-weight training. build up for the maximum demands of
Therefore, she should focus less on the the routine and then maintain them
20 December 2004 • Strength and Conditioning Journal
once they have been reached. A general
practice at this point lasts about 3 hours
(refer to Table 3). This training should
give the cheerleader proper strength,
power, endurance, and flexibility to
perform at peak condition for the com-
petitive month.
As if the practices were not enough
stress on their bodies, the cheerleaders
are now also cheering basketball games
2 or 3 times a week, continuing to make
community appearances, and perform-
ing sections of their routines publicly
to prepare for competition. Overtrain-
ing is a key concern, and the cheerlead-
ers must be monitored and individual
workouts manipulated as necessary to
enhance recovery (4). Communication
between the coach and the cheerleader
about training and recovery status is
again emphasized to help facilitate op-
timal program design. Table 4 is an ex-
ample of a cheerleader’s week during
the high-impact season.
Peak Season
The national competition is at the be-
ginning of April. The cheerleader needs
to be in peak condition at this time for
optimal competitive performance. A na-
tional competition is usually a 3-day
event including a preliminary round of
all the teams and “Finals” consisting of
the top teams in each division. Divisions
are determined by the size of school in
the college-level competitions and the
size of team at the high school–level
competitions. A large division usually
includes about 50 teams during the pre-
liminary round, and only 10 of those
make it to Finals.
The teams perform their routines for
competition once for preliminaries and
once for Finals. They have only 1 time to
make their routine work, which is why
total conditioning is vital. The teams
continue to practice on their skills
throughout the competition during
each break. The peak month includes
not only competition with other teams,
but also try-outs for the upcoming year’s
team—another stressful event. After the
peak month, the cheerleaders begin the
off-season.
Conclusion
The sport of cheerleading is highly
competitive, physically and psycho-
logically demanding, and rewarding.
Comprehensive conditioning and re-
covery is a must for optimal perfor-
mance and injury prevention. The
model presented in this article may
help guide the individualized training
of the elite collegiate female cheer-
leader. As always, the individual’s spe-
cific needs, training status, and re-
sponse will dictate the final program
design. ♦
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Shelburne
Jennifer Shelburne currently works and
models in the fitness industry and is a for-
mer University of Louisville cheerleader.
Goodwin
Erika P. Goodwin coaches cheerleading
in the National Cheerleaders Association
High School division and is a former Uni-
versity of Louisville cheerleader.
21