AES Cougar Cheerleading
Sample Practice Plan
Coaching Dance Exercises Jumps Motions Stunting Tryouts Tumbling
Here's what we do at most practices, though not always in this order and not always everything on the list. It depends on the length of the practice and how attentive the kids are that day.
Warm up
Team relay races: Running, skipping, leaping (grand jetes), side and front chasses. Sometimes we add crabs, wheelbarrows, and log rolls for fun.
Jumping jacks if we didn't warm up enough with the races.
Stretching and conditioning
(Below is only a short list of possible stretches. See the exercises page if you don't know
what some of these stretches are or if you would like to try something
different.)
Neck rolls and nods
Shoulder rolls front and back
Interweave fingers and turn hands palm out to stretch wrists
Swing arms and twist waist
Sitting straddles or lie on back and pull straddles to floor
Pike stretches
Butterflies
Splits
Bridge rocks
Push ups
Crunches
V-Ups and Pike-ups
Bicycles
Hip rolls
Stunt top positions
Tumbling
Forward and backward rolls
Handstand kicks
Handstands roll downs and back extensions
Handstand/front limber/stand up/back limber/kick over
Cartwheels (standing/running)
Round-offs (standing/running)
If there is time and the kids are ready, we review the basics of front and back handsprings and do jump backs onto a mat, handsprings over a rolled mat, and/or spotted handsprings.
Jumps
10 jumps with preps on each (usually toe touches and pikes)
10 jumps, one prep to start and then just pop back to next jump after that (stamina jumps)
Motion drills
Review hand and arm placement, work on
timing and cleanness
Choreography
Review cheers and dance choreography
Stunts
Review safety and proper mount and dismount of thigh stands, assisted toe touches, straddle lifts, preps, and show and gos.
Final meeting before leaving where I ask them what they think they did well with and what needs more work. Any reminders I need to give are done at this time, when the parents are there to pick them up.