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Why are strength training exercises important? These days, more and more people are looking for ways to make their bodies look leaner and sexier. The men want to store muscle mass and women want to have curvaceous bodies. To achieve both goals, you need to undergo strength training exercises to build muscle mass and at the same time burn off excess fat.

Without enough strength, men will not be able to lift heavy dumbbells and women will not be able to keep up with strenuous cardiovascular exercises. In order for you to build strength, you need to have the proper workout routine to achieve your fitness goals.

Many gyms have been established to help those who want to build strength and for those who want to lose weight as well. Once you have decided to join a fitness center, a good strategy is to get a fitness trainer so that he will be able to guide you thoroughly on what types of exercises you should do and the type of diet that you should follow.

If it is your first time to enroll in such an exercise program, here are some things that you have to remember:

1. Educate yourself about the fundamentals of strength training. Knowing as much as you can about it will help you achieve your goal more easily.

2. Choose a program that allows you to work all the muscle groups in your body. Do this once or twice a week.

3. Before you start lifting weights, be sure to warm up first with some cardio workouts. Do some warm-up sets of each exercise for 5 to 10 minutes before lifting your first and lighter set of weights.

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4. As a beginner, it is strongly advisable that you start with 1 to 2 sets of 15 to 16 repetitions of the exercise. You can increase the resistance and the number of reps as you go along, whenever you feel comfortable.

5. For those who are enrolled in a fitness center, you can start using strength training machines first. This will give you more power if you decide to do the exercises manually.

6. Rest every other day. This will give your muscles enough time to recover from fatigue.

7. Level-up every week. Meaning, increase the number of reps that you do or better yet add a few more pounds to the weight that you are currently lifting.

8. Challenge yourself, but never overdo it. For example, in the first few weeks you can focus first on learning about the exercise. Then, proceed with increasing the amount of weight that you lift over time.

9. It is recommended that you do consistent strength training for 6 weeks. After that, you can change your routine and make it more difficult.

10. Incorporate new routines or movements so you will not get bored and give up.

People now lead fast-paced lives and do not all have the luxury of going to fitness centers. But it does not mean that you cannot do strength training exercises in the comfort of your own home.

Here are two of the most effective strength training exercises that you can easily do.

1. Squats

What is it: Many trainers will agree that squats are one of the best exercises there is. This simple movement works your quads, hamstrings, legs, seat muscles, abs, and calves all at once.

How to: You need to stand with your feet at hip distance and toes facing straight ahead. Slowly bend your knees and lower your hips while you keep your torso straight. Just like you are going to sit in an imaginary chair, but do not go lower than 90 degrees.

Number of repetitions: Do 12 to 16 reps for at least twice or thrice a week.

2. Push-ups

What is it: Push-ups make use of your whole upper torso. You are giving your chest, triceps, back, shoulders, elbows, arms, and abs a workout.

How to: Position yourself facing the floor while balancing on your toes. With your hands wider than your shoulders, your body should be in a straight line. Slowly bend your arms and lower your body to the floor.

Number of repetitions: Same with squats, do 12 to 16 reps for at least twice a week.

Strength training exercises are not really hard to do, especially if you are armed with the knowledge of how to properly execute every routine. Work your way towards a healthier you.

Strength training builds healthy lean muscle and creates an increase in metabolic rate that persists throughout the day. Muscle tissue is naturally active, while stored body fat contributes little to your metabolic rate. Furthermore, when you exercise your muscles with strength training or weight resistance exercises, not only will you burn calories during the exercise period, you will also burn an even greater number of calories for hours afterward as your muscles re-build and recuperate.

Strength training benefits women over 40 in particular. When you combine strength training with aerobic cardiovascular exercise, you will blend a perfect combination for that body you want.

Many women are afraid that lifting weights or strength training will cause them to build bulky muscle and lose their feminine look. This is an inaccurate depiction of the effects a strength training program has on a woman’s body. Developing bulky muscles requires high levels of testosterone, which women lack. The more natural response is for a woman’s body to become more lean and toned. Your arms and legs will take on an attractive shape and curve.

If left un-checked, women over 40 will gradually lose healthy muscle mass and bone density. Strength training for women over 40 actually helps re-build muscle tissue and increases bone density. Reports also indicate that a moderate strength training program can also combat the effects of diabetes, arthritis, and depression. Your body will be stronger and leaner. You will naturally have more energy and a more positive, confident outlook. Everyday tasks such as carrying groceries, holding children, and climbing stairs all become easier. Strength training also promotes healthy tendons, ligaments, and joint function.

By keeping your sets between 6 to 12 reps, performing 4 to 6 sets per exercise, you will balance the objectives of muscle strength, muscle tone, and muscle endurance. Focus on quality and proper form. Perform each rep slowly. This will assist in proper breathing. Slower reps will also reduce the amount of momentum in the movement, forcing your muscle to work harder for a given amount of weight, thereby enhancing the positive effects, and reducing the risk of injury.

By including strength training in your overall fitness program, you will increase strength, improve the proportion of lean muscle mass to body fat, and you will simply feel better about yourself.

Once reserved for only competitive male athletes and bodybuilders, strength training should be an essential part of any woman’s fitness program. If woman strength trains she doesn’t have to torture herself with low calorie diets or spend hours on a treadmill trying to make noticeable changes in her physical appearance. With strength training, women can lose weight, build firm muscles and achieve a lifetime of fitness and well being even as they age.

The way that most women try to lose weight is to burn off those extra calories by spending hour after hour sweating them off on a treadmill or some other aerobic activity. I am not saying that there is no need for aerobic exercise. Every woman should include some form of aerobic exercise in her workout routine. But a more productive way to burn those extra calories would be to burn them off when you’re not exercising by increasing your RMR.

What is RMR? How do I increase the number of calories that I burn when I am not exercising? Well let’s talk about RMR, or resting metabolic rate, which is the number of calories that you burn just maintaining your body vital functions in a resting state. This typically accounts for about 65 to 75 percent of your bodies total calorie expenditure. So if you raise your RMR, you’ll increase the number of calories that you burn when you’re not exercising.

So how does a women go about raising their RMR? You raise your RMR by strength training of course. When women strength training they increase the size of the muscle fibers throughout their body. That’s how the body natural response to the stress of weightlifting. When your muscle fibers enlarge and become stronger they also consume more energy, which in turn, increases your RMR. With strength training, an average woman can increase their metabolic rate up to 15 percent.

Strength training also helps women to increase their bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures. By the age of 20, the average woman has acquired most of her skeletal mass. As a woman ages, her bone density decreases. By the time a woman reaches menopause, she most often experiences a large decline in bone mass. Recent studies have shown that women who strength train two or three times a week, not only increase strength by building and enlarging muscle fibers, but they also see an increase in bone density. This increase in bone density will help to keep a woman’s bone healthy and strong, as she gets older.

In recent studies published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also found that strength training exercise can improve:

• An older persons balance. Which helps to reduce the chance of slips and falls.
• How the body controls glucose levels helping you to manage diabetes.
• The amount and quality of sleep a person gets at night.
• A person’s self-confidence and self-esteem.

The benefits that a women can receive from strength training two or three times a week, will carry on throughout her whole life cycle. Helping her to stay strong and to live a fit and healthy lifestyle as she ages.

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Strength training is something with the intention of generally females discover to be trying. The wits these unadorned techniques seem so tricky, is since generally women sort out not know how to sort out them. Strength exercises pro women can help a woman be converted into strong, and if made aptly, will provide a long lean affect with the intention of is not bulky or masculine.

Benefits

There are many repayment of strength exercises pro women. Not single sort out strength exercises build muscles in all the aptly areas of a female, but they help to burn fat as well. It is a proven detail with the intention of muscle burns fat nearer, so strength training techniques in fact boost your metabolism and helps you lose consequence more quickly.

Strength exercises can furthermore cause a woman to increase her posture. This can principal to an boost in self admire. When a woman feels strong and powerful, she has a greater opportunity of performing well in her everyday activities.

Quick Tips

There are many things to consider as learning in this area strength exercises pro women. Women often need to sort out more reps than men to think it over noticeable results. Since women look after to aid a reduced amount of consequence as strength training, it is de rigueur pro them to go more repetitions in order to bring about as tricky.

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You must permanently vary the areas of your body with the intention of are worked on a day after day or weekly basis. If you take up again to bring about the same muscle groups ended and ended, they will by no means heal and destruction may possibly occur. Befall guaranteed to go all implementation as it is predestined to be made. Failure to stay on proper procedures as responsibility strength training may possibly principal to injuries, especially persons of the narrow part and knees.

Specific Strength Exercises pro Women

Some of the point strength training exercises with the intention of women must be responsibility include:

Weighted squats

Bench critical

Pull-ups

Lunges with weights

Dips

Dead lifts

These fastidious techniques will help women build muscle in the aptly areas. They will get on to you strong lacking causing bulky muscle assemble to form with the intention of will get on to your map appear more masculine. The perception behind strength training pro women is to develop the strength lacking the added consequence and unenthusiastic things. By using a decrease consequence ended more repetitions, you are lengthening the muscles and rising them in a more even way.

When a woman is looking pro a way to boost her metabolism, burn fat, and build muscle, hardly any things may possibly be more effectual at that time strength exercises pro women. These designated exercises are embattled to provide a woman with the amount and type of strength techniques with the intention of will bring about to her benefit. Without strength techniques, it is almost impracticable to build a skilled amount of muscle which can effectively help to burn fat more quickly. If made accurately, strength exercises can help you lose consequence up to five era nearer than solely aerobic implementation lonely.

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If you are looking to get stronger and more powerful muscles then you need to learn more about Isometric Strength Training!

CLICK HERE For more>>>  Isometric Exercises

Isometric strength training or static strength training, as it is sometimes referred to, is a strength training method in which you use an isometric contraction.

Essentially, you are pushing or pulling against an immovable or static object. The angle never changes and you do not use a full range of motion.

Isometric Exercises were very popular in the 60s, 70s and 80s. They lost some of their popularity with the general public due to some misconceptions.

However, they continued to be used by physical therapists for rehabilitation.  And Sports Athletes, Olympic Power Lifters and many others continued using them as well.

One of the reasons that isometrics is so popular is that they can be done anywhere.

With or without equipment. However as you can probably guess, adding isometric exercise equipment will rapidly and dramatically increase your results from your isometric training program.

You can use your own body weight, free weights, resistance bands, cables, an isometric exerciser or even a stacked weight machine for your isometric workouts.

You can do an isometric strength training workout or to make it more effective you can combine it with isotonic training.

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Isotonic training, in case you are not familiar with this term, means working out with repetitions, and sets using a full range of motion.

Here Are Some Things You Should Know before You Begin Your Isometric Workouts

All exercise programs have a tendency to increase your blood pressure while you are exercising. And that is the case with isometric strength training as well.

But once you’re done working out your blood pressure will return to normal. In fact, your blood pressure, because of exercising, will begin to normalize or improve if you have had blood pressure issues in the past. This is one of the benefits of a regular exercise program.

Nevertheless before you begin any exercise program please check with your doctor.

In any exercise program, NEVER EVER hold your breath. Just breathe normally. If you are doing an isometric contraction, then make sure you breathe out during the exertion part of the exercise.

For example, if you were doing a push-up, breathe in on the way down and breathe out on the way up.

Here Are Some Valuable Isometric Strength Training Tips

1. When performing an isometric exercise, hold the isometric contraction for 7 to 10 seconds. If you’re using just your body weight, then you can hold it for longer periods.

2. Before beginning any exercise make sure you warm up properly. You want to reach the point where you actually break a sweat. This is a great indicator that your muscles are properly warmed up. Do not stretch out before working out.

3. With the recent introduction of the ISO7X, isometric exercise equipment, there has been an increased recognition of the benefits of isometric strength training.

But, keep in mind that isometrics has been around for hundreds of years.

Isometric exercise has been used in all martial arts for centuries. It has also been used in yoga, Pilates, and by the old-time strongman. Such as Alexander Zass, Charles Atlas, and many others.

In fact, isometric training has been used by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Lee, Charles Bronson and many others in the martial arts, bodybuilding and movie industry.

So you see isometric training is not a new exercise protocol. In reality, it is one of the few “Scientifically Validated” training protocols available to you today.

One of the major advantages of isometric strength training is that if you get injured you can use isometric exercise to get back on track.

If you’re considering including isometric training into your exercise program then, consider purchasing an expensive piece of isometric exercise equipment.

 In our isometric exercise equipment reviews section you can read about the different types of isometric exercises available.

After looking at images of strength training exercises you decide to analyze your own regular routine. You have been exercising for a very long time and are not satisfied with the results. If anyone asked, you would swear that your form and technique are correct.But for every golfer looking for some improvement on his power golf game, merely giving golf balls a more accurate hit every time will get the golfer to drive the ball farther. Nor will taking more lessons do it for the avid golf player. What is required more for acquiring those powerful drives is trying to incorporate effective strength training for golf exercises that are specially developed for the sport and not just any strength training regimen in general.Nearly all of the exercises will be lifting weights, they will be your weight resistance. This said, you must be aware of risk factors involved when starting out on your strength training program. For example, if you have any diseases or problems with your heart, or even if there is any history of coronary disease in your family, you must get your doctor’s permission before you can start a strength training program that involves weight lifting. If you suffer from obesity, chronic hypertension, arthritis, diabetes, asthma always consult your doctor.

Changes body shape – exercises have an impressive affect on body shape and your appearance. Consistent training helps you lose body fat by building muscle mass. With more muscle mass, your metabolism is more efficient, you burn more calories and more body fat. It results in a leaner, trimmer body shape.From a pure strength training perspective, you should solely use compound exercises to build raw strength. However, from a bodybuilding standpoint, to develop a well rounded physique, you should take advantage and make combined use of both compound-exercises and isolation exercises to stimulate the maximum amount of muscle fibers.This is kettlebell and strength training for athletes at its best! This single exercise allows you to further enhance the intensity and production of your explosive power. This single lift requires the use of a single kettlebell of moderate resistance. To execute this lift you are going to vertically pull it from either the ground or from between your legs up to a held position above your head in one smooth explosive movement.This particular exercise is as hard hitting and efficient in terms of strength training as any exercise. This single exercise can make up an entire strength training workout by itself if you wanted it to. The kettlebell swing is the base strength endurance lift that you can perform with kettlebell lifting. This exercise basically involves you swinging the bell from between your legs up to at least chest height like a pendulum. This dynamic motion integrates hundreds of your working muscles to work together in order to successfully execute this physical task.

Lifting weights, dumbbells, and using resistance bands are good ways to begin a program. There are exercise machines in gyms and trainers to show you how to use it. For your convenience, some types of equipment can be purchased for at home use. Like all programs you should start slow and steadily increase the amount of resistance, as well as the time spent on exercising your muscles until your daily or weekly goal is reached.You should do a program that works on all muscle groups, 2-3 times per week, on alternate days. Work all of your muscle groups each week so that you avoid muscle imbalances, which could lead to injury. It’s important to rest 1 day in between, to give your muscle time to recover from the fatigue of the exercises.

There was a part of me that wasn’t gonna let myself write this…

I mean, I’m a Toronto boy at heart. And I’ve got a strong East Coast work ethic that’s gotten me pretty far. So when I learned this secret, and how much “elbow grease” it can do for you…

Well, I thought I’d be cheating you out of the necessary bumps and bruises it takes to get good at this “Fitness Strength Training & Conditioning Stuff”

But after I thought about it I reconsidered – to be frank, if I could go back and get a pro to do all the heavy lifting for me, I’d jump at the chance in a second. So here’s the story…

Years ago when I was starting to get into fitness strength training & conditioning to boost my energy levels, looks, and health, I met this guy named Eric online.

What’s crazy is that meeting this ‘random’ guy changed my life. He knew a lot about fitness strength training , conditioning and even had his own book published on MMA fitness and how to get ripped super-fast.

Turns out that this crazy guy used to train UFC fighters! I was pretty fortunate to meet a fitness strength training & conditioning coach of that caliber. I gained invaluable information through chatting with him and reading his book.

My talks with him about fitness were very unconventional. But his methods really worked like anything I hadn’t ever experienced before.

It’s because Eric taught me a way to auto-pilot my fitness strength training program. Sounds kinda funny but I’ll explain.

You see, most people go to the gym and lift weights, maybe run a bit, play a sport, etc. They spend a lot of time exercising and don’t give it much thought.

Remember that time in life where you expended energy, you were persistent, and you planned ahead of time?

You probably got better results this way. Imagine not putting much thought into your work or family life, or finances. Unfortunately, this is how most people exercise and fitness train…Without giving much thought to it.

So Eric taught me to set up a fitness strength training & conditioning system to virtually put my exercising on auto-pilot.

The great thing about creating an auto-pilot system is that you don’t need to place much thinking into it. You’re simply replicating a system people use who are already successful and there’s nothing to figure out.

So what do you have to do? 4 secret tips to fitness strength training & conditioning success…

1. Whatever muscle group you are targeting, write down 8 different workouts you can do. Stick to a group of 4 at a time, then after 2 months, switch to the second group of 4 exercises.

A key way to get incredibly fast, lasting strength and conditioning results, is by routinely changing up your workouts. Variability is the #1 key to success. Working out different parts of your muscles will ensure they rebuild differently while you’re not working out. An absolutely amazing auto-pilot way to build strength and conditioning.

Try to find boxing fitness & MMA workouts as these are intense and most training is done in intervals.

2. Get the self-discipline to include consistency. Often overlooked by many fitness trainers, consistency is the way to keep your results long-term and keep climbing the ladder to fitness success.

3. Track the progress of your results. If things aren’t going as planned you can change things up.

Planning work isn’t the most fun exercise but it’s crucial. Be realistic. Find out what other people have achieved and set goals. If you can’t reach them, reflect on whether you’ve been consistent and variable in your workouts. Keep refining.

Planning and writing things down will ensure you stay on track. It’s a way to auto-pilot your fitness strength training & conditioning. Once you do the initial planning, there’s no work involved.

4. Look at what experts are doing. Do a google search, read about Will Smith and how he got super-fit for the movie Ali. This is just an example but you probably understand what I’m getting at. Do what successful people are doing. They all had one thing in common… Disciplined systems to follow. It’s simple.

Combining these is like having a 100% automated fitness strength training program that’s guaranteed to work. My buddy Eric is actually one of the most innovative guys on the planet when it comes to this stuff.

But I still kinda feel like I’m giving you a cheat sheet before a test; or helping you find someone to do your homework for you…

Before starting any strength training routine you need to understand the beginners guide to strength training. Trust me, so many people fail before they actually start strength training. This is because of a number of factors, such as motivation, discipline, time constraints but above and beyond those the majority of people fail because of knowledge. Yes building muscle takes time and discipline to achieve the desired results, but it also takes the right approach.

Before you are looking in the mirror and checking out your massive guns, you have to look in the mirror and understand the best exercises and routine to build those guns.
To enjoy the successes of strength training you have to go into it in the right frame of mind. Lets have a look at what I consider the beginners guide to strength training.

Don’t Run Before You Walk

Possibly the most important thing I want to discuss in the beginners guide to strength training is this point. Don’t walk into the gym and immediately think you know it all, or compare your workouts to others. Like many other aspect of life, building muscle is a game of inches. To get to your next goal you have to first master the original goal.

I truly suggest keeping a workout journal. In it you should be writing down your routine, number of sets, reps and weight used. This is honestly the only way to track your results and ensure that you are consistently moving in the right direction.

Set realistic goals for yourself, and ensure that you are doing everything in your power to meet those goals. And continue to chart your progress throughout the process.

The Only Weight You Should Be Worried About Is the Weight That You Are Pumping

Don’t spend your time on a scale wondering if you are gaining or losing weight. When you are an advanced strength trainer you can worry about that. When you are starting out you can truly expect some inconsistent results in terms of your weight.

You may be expecting to see some big gains, and only see a gain of a pound or even worse a loss. Don’t worry about this, your body is changing. Its changing for the better, you will be shedding fat and gaining strength. During this period there are no typical results. Your body will be changing for a few months and then it will level out, and you will be able to see more consistent results from the scale.  Check out www.internethealthandfitnessdatabase.com for more info on this.

Just ensure you are doing real compound movement exercises and eating right and the results will follow. That is the only guarantee you will be able to bank on. This brings us to our next point.

Your Nutrition is Half the Battle

This is truly a misunderstood point. If you change one thing from the beginners guide to strength training please ensure that it is your diet. You have to understand that diet is half the battle, and eating right is critical to building muscle and shedding fat. Doing the right exercises is critical, but honestly ensuring that your body is well stocked with the right stuff is more important.

Understanding the beginners guide to strength training is something that will surely separate you from the pack. If you truly want to start gaining muscle understand these points before you ever step into the gym and lift your first weight.

Are you just starting a strength training routine? Are you a couple weeks into your new strength training workouts. Well I have some advice for you to get the most out of your workouts. That’s really the key to strength training, making each workout count. You are aiming for muscular gains right? I mean isn’t that the main reason to actually put all the effort in. Well make all those gains count. Here are three things that you should know before you get too deep into a strength training routine.

A) A Workout Log Helps
You need to track what you are doing. Invest in a small book that you can track your workout routines in. The old saying really counts here. “Anything you can track you can improve upon”. In the journal keep track of what your routine is for the day, how many sets and reps you did, the weight for each and any additional notes. You should be tracking if you are doing more weight than last week, if you felt better about the weight, if you feel you are getting enough rest etc. This is a critical part of your workout, it should take less than 5 min a day and is well worth the extra effort.

B) The Kitchen Is Your Best Friend
Trust me on this one, if you are just getting into strength training you may not understand exactly how important diet and nutrition is. You need to be eating 5-6 times a day and eating high quality foods. Nutrition is more than half the battle, I truly estimate that it is about a 60/40 split between nutrition and workout. If you are not eating right you will not be getting even half of what you put in out. The body is an amazing thing, and it will react very well to the new change if you feed it properly. Don’t forget about your post workout meal, this is the most important meal of the day when it comes to strength training. Your muscles will be in need of nutrients, and I recommend giving them it in a whey protein shake with a bit of creatine. Try this for a couple weeks, you will notice a difference quickly.

c) Don’t Forget About the Lower Body
I really never understood why beginners to strength training always forget about this important nugget. Lets are at least as important as upper body, and there is 2 exercises that are heads and toes above others for legs. They are squats and deadlifts. Think of the body as a circuit, you have to have strong wires all the way through. Your leg exercise burn more calories and add more lean muscle to your body than any other muscle group. To truly get a ripped body, you need to make all your muscles strong. Do this by including legs in every weekly routine. Trust me as well, include squats and deadlifts. They may be difficult, but there is a reason they are. They are huge strength gainers.

Trust me when I say these are three things that all beginners to strength training should know. Knowing and following this will give you a huge advantage over the guys and gals that don’t.

Strength training should be an essential component for cheerleaders who want to stunt.

The types of injuries sustained during a stunting session at a local summer cheerleading camp suggest that a solid conditioning program focusing on core strength and strength for the shoulders, arms, and wrists should be a mandatory requirement for all cheerleading programs that choose to stunt.

Stunting safely requires strength in the core muscles, and strength and power in the shoulders, arms, and leg muscles. Cheerleaders with a background in gymnastics already have this training. However, many young people stunt for the first time upon entering a cheerleading program.

Flyers should not be selected solely by their height and weight. Unfortunately, this seems to be a primary criterion for many programs. Small and lightweight individuals are the logical choice for flyers, but height and weight shouldn’t be the only criteria.

Developing Core Strength for Flyers and Bases

Core strength is a critically important criterion for flyers. Core strength allows the flyers to be lifted into the air, change direction, and return safely to their bases because they can control their bodies in space. Flyers without core strength may easily lose balance when lifted and be injured on the way down.

Before a cheerleader is ever lifted into the air to stunt, the individual should have a solid foundation of core strength sufficient to hold their bodies tight and strong for a period of at least one minute.

Cheerleaders who base need the same type of core strength to be able to hold flyers in the air without injuring their backs. Tight core muscles will stabilize the spinal column and prevent injuries during stunts.

One easy way to test if a cheerleader’s core strength is strong enough is to test how long the cheerleader can hold a plank. The plank should be performed as a full-body plank with the athlete’s forearms and feet on the ground. The athlete should be able to hold a straight body position (without moving their hips up into a piked position) or dropping and sagging their bellies to the floor.

If potential flyers are unable to maintain a solid plank for a minimum of one minute, then the focus for these athletes should be on strengthening their core muscles before they are allowed to go up into the air.

One way to develop good core strength is through pilates. Finding a good pilates instructor who can come in and teach some basic core strength exercises is one good option to getting the athletes in the program well on their way to good core strength.

Improving Arm Strength and Power

Along with core strength, programs should focus on arm strength and power. Because most females tend to have insufficient arm strength, increasing and improving arm strength is a key component for cheerleaders who base.

Because athletes who base need to be able to lift flyers up above their shoulders and sustain the position or be able to toss flyers into the air, every athlete who bases should be on a strength training program for their arms.

These athletes should target their biceps, triceps, and deltoids for strength and power. This can be developed through arm curls, arm extensions, and behind the neck presses.

Initially, athletes should train for strength using the basic principles of three sets of 10 repetitions. Once athletes have a strength base, they can move to power lifts. The only difference between a strength lift and a power lift is speed.

When lifting for power, the athlete needs to perform the initial movement as quickly as possible (concentric phase) and then control the return movement (eccentric phase).

Power lifts mimic what bases do when they stunt. Bases have to be able to lift their flyers quickly and with speed.

Preventing Wrist Injuries

Because wrist injuries are prevalent in young female cheerleaders, coaches should also focus on wrist strengthening exercises for all those who base. Wrist strengthening exercises strengthen the muscles on either side of the forearms.

This can be accomplished through dumbbell exercises. Again, the basic principles for developing strength can be employed with the athletes completing three sets of 10 repetitions for both wrist flexion and wrist extension.

Developing strength in the forearms and wrists will help prevent wrist injuries in the bases while they are sustaining flyers in held positions. Stronger forearm and wrist muscles can maintain the wrist’s position during stunting maneuvers. However, athletes with weak forearm and wrist muscles may be unable to sustain a hold and thereby risk wrist hyperextension injuries.

Just as athletes in all traditional sports have learned the benefits of strength training to enhance their performance and to prevent injuries, cheerleaders who stunt can obtain the same benefits. Coaches who choose to include stunting in their programs should also include strength training to help reduce injuries in the sport of cheerleading.