Tumbling and Career Longevity

Tumbling, especially at a high level, is difficult and can result in a lot of ‘wear and tear’ on an athlete’s body. If a tumbler wishes to have a long career then they (and their coaches) need to take care to ensure that a minimal amount of injuries are accumulated and, when injuries do occur, that athletes take the necessary steps to heal and rehabilitate their bodies before they return to regular training. This blog entry will look at some ways that tumbling athletes can take care of their bodies and ensure that they have a long and enjoyable career in Cheerleading. Stretching When we think about a ‘strong’ body we tend to focus on an athlete’s ability to generate power. However, resilience is another form of strength, and it is crucial that tumbling athletes train their bodies to be resilient. Stretching at home, as well as in the gym, is crucial to success in tumbling. Aside from needing flexibility to perform tumbling skills well, flexibility also significantly decreases the chance of injury for an athlete, as their bodies can bend and take impact in a wide range of ways. On the other hand, athletes who lack flexibility can (and often do) injure themselves when performing even rudimentary tumbling exercises. Conditioning The conditioning required for tumbling is highly specific. Athletes need to develop a muscular frame which is light, agile and flexible. Tumblers need to develop their fast twitch muscle fibres (also known as Type II fibres), which are responsible for explosive-power movements such as leaping and flipping. Athletes who do not develop their fast twitch muscle fibres are at a greater risk of injury as their rotational speed will be slow, resulting in landing in the wrong (and often dangerous) positions. Sleep Proper sleep habits are critical for tumblers, as any physical or neurological impairments greatly increase the risk of injury. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can be equivalent to alcohol intoxication, which can result in balance impairment, extreme fatigue and compromised decision-making abilities. There have been numerous times in my coaching career when athletes (particularly teenage athletes) have botched landings, failed to jump high enough for a skill, collapsed in a landing/handstand or attempted something dangerous because they had not been sleeping properly and were exhausted. Sleep is crucial to safe and successful training, so please try to get enough! Mindset While Cheerleading is still classed as an amateur sport, athletes wishing to enjoy a long career and reach a high-level of ability must develop the mindset of a professional athlete. Cheer training, particularly tumbling training, can be incredibly demanding on a psychological level, as athletes are constantly pushing themselves outside of their comfort zones to develop and maintain their skills. There will be setbacks, there will be challenges, but there will also be many rewards. Ask any coach and they can tell you stories of talented athletes who left the sport early because they were not prepared to deal with the ups and downs of training. Tumblers must develop a mindset of perseverance and determination if they hope to reach the higher levels and enjoy a long career. A great tool for athletes feeling dejected or overwhelmed by their tumbling is to avoid saying things like “I can’t do that skill” and try to say things like “I can’t do that skill yet”. The difference is small and may seem insignificant but reminding athletes that future success is possible while still acknowledging current challenges is a great way to keep a positive yet realistic mindset, which is essential for long term tumbling success.