Hi, I want to join my high school cheerleading team next year (I've been cheerleading for about three years) but I have a problem. Whenever I do a toe-touch I end up hurting myself. I'm pretty sure I stretch right and I never had this problem before. Help?
BTW: When I do toe-touches I always pull something or strain a muscle.
Exercises, tips, etc...?
Thanks~
2007-02-25 06:42:11 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Injuries
I forgot to mention that I stretch the muscles in my private area :/
It hurts a lot!
But thanks for all the feedback so far! :D
2007-02-25 07:50:22 · update #1
As a coach, here is what I tell my girls:
cheerleading is physical, make sure tha tyour body is ready before you begin. With jumps that means stretching so that you don't get injured while jumping. Form is also critical. Have a coach SHOW YOU what a jump is supposed to look like before attempting it.
Begin by Practice kicking as high as you can, first with one leg then with the other. keep your legs and back straight as you do do. do sets of 10 with each leg.
sit on the floor in a butterfly position, with legs bent and the bottom of your feet touching each other and your back straight. Pull your feet in as close to your body as you can. Press down on your knees with your elbows for a count of 10
standing up with your back straight, bend one leg behind you and grab your ankle. Hold the position for 20 seconds, repeat with other leg.
stand with your feet apart, wider than your shoulders. bend at the waist slowly and reach for one of your ankles with both hands. Move your body to the middle so that one hand is on each ankle, move your body to the other side so that both hands are reaching for the other ankle. Hold each position 30 seconds.,
To maximize jump height, stand straight with both feet together, then take a big step into a lunge position. Be sure to keep your back leg straight and your front knee over your front foot. With the weight of your body on your front leg, bring your back leg forward and return to a standing positions. Repeat in sets of 10 with each leg.
crunches, v-ups and straddle ups will help tighten the abdominal muscles. you will be tightening your ab muscles as you pull your body up into the air.
Repetition may seem boring, but stick with it. If you really want to maximize your abilities this is the kind of training that you need to do regularly...so hang in there, and before long, you'll be seeing results.
If you are stretching properly, and have been able to do this jump in the past, something has changed....either form, height weight or a combination of all three. You may have to re-learn the jump to compensate for the change. Ask a coach to watch your form and offer suggestions. You might even get a P.E. teacher to spot you to see what may be causing the problem.
hope that helps!
2007-02-26 01:48:35 · answer #1 · answered by coachls 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Im guessing that it started when you hit that puberty growth spurt? I was a cheerleader in my school and had the same problem! I went from 4ft 9 to 5/6 in two years. So everything was differnt to do! When i warmed up for a toe touch i would spread my legs apart while standing and strecth to grab my ankles both sides! Then sit on the ground with legs spread and to the toe touch while your sitting! Hope that makes sense!
2007-02-25 06:48:21 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you are at cheerleading practice, wear an icy/hot patch around the mucles you usually end up stretching. this will keep your mucles tighter and it sometimes prevents stretched mucles. ( don't worry, it won't effect the rest of your cheering) You might also have a doctor check your upper leg mucles because there might be a problem with them.
2007-02-25 06:48:55 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are probably not stretching long enough and warming up your muscles properly.
.
Talk to a cheer coach or one of your former coaches and ask for their advice on stretching
2007-02-25 06:52:32 · answer #4 · answered by Smitty 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my sister is on the cheer squad at her school and that happened to her. Her Coach told her this:
1. leg muscles aren't used to it yet
2. not good enough stretching
3. try jumproping to help 1.
4. if this keeps happening see a doctor
2007-02-25 07:45:30 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you're probably NOT stretching right and you may be hyperextending
talk to your coach, doctor, etc. to work on your stretching and jumping technique
http://cheerleading.about.com/od/learningaboutjumps/a/toetouch_drills.htm
2007-02-25 06:46:10 · answer #6 · answered by Mike H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
that has happened to me one time and i went the doctor and they will tell u were 2 go
2007-02-25 07:00:54 · answer #7 · answered by emfs4 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe ur not warming up enough. it could also be ur diet or something that is affecting ur muscles. ask ur doctor.
2007-02-25 06:45:29 · answer #8 · answered by would♥you♥like♥some♥champagne? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋