10 Exercises for Cheerleading Strength Training

Cheerleading demands athletic output and stamina. Flyers need dependable balance, bases must generate upward force, and tumblers require core strength to flip and land safely. Strength training builds these muscles.

This guide details 10 accessible exercises built for youth, high school, and competitive cheerleading programs. Most require nothing beyond bodyweight exercises or minimal equipment, allowing squads to build power without a full gym setup.

Whether you are a cheerleader managing solo conditioning at home, a coach planning practice, or a parent reviewing athletic development, this article provides a practical starting point. 

We will explore essential setup steps before detailing the exercises.

What to Focus on Before You Start

Athletes must master movement quality before adding extra repetitions to build strength. Good posture, body control, and spatial awareness matter more than cramming high rep counts into a set.

A squat executed with poor knee tracking teaches the muscles the wrong pattern, regardless of repetition frequency. Movement quality supersedes volume and added weight.

A dynamic warm-up encompassing mobility work, jumping jacks, jogging, and muscle activation must initiate every session. Cheerleaders place frequent stress on their ankles, wrists, shoulders, hips, and lower back, requiring dedicated attention to these joints before lifting weights begins. 

These strength training exercises prepare the upper body and lower body, while resistance bands build lower body strength over time.

Age and experience level dictate the training structure for this sport. Youth cheerleaders benefit most from coordination drills, while athletes with broader backgrounds can integrate resistance bands and complex variations.

Coaches instructing junior squads must treat this progression as a guideline. None of these routines require specialized equipment. 

Dumbbells, a medicine ball, and a sturdy step cover nearly everything in this guide. Different roles demand distinct physical focus.

Flyers rely on body tension, midline stability, and unilateral balance. Bases need lower body strength and upper body strength alongside full-body bracing, while back spots depend on shoulder stability and leg drive.

Aim for a set of 8 to 12 reps on strength-based movements and 20 to 40 second holds for isometric work. Gradually increase this volume based on training age and current practice demands to ensure stable landings.

10 Cheerleading Strength Training Exercises

This lineup addresses the total picture: lower body, strong core, upper body, balance, and explosive power. This ensures no major physical aspect gets neglected, and each entry follows the same format for rapid scanning. 

Modify these strength training exercises to build the stronger leg muscles required for safer skills and higher jumps.

1. Squats

What it works: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and core. Why it matters: Squats build the leg power behind jump takeoff, stunt drive, and stable landings.

Keep the chest upright, ensure aligned knee tracking over the toes, maintain full-foot ground contact, and control the descent. Beginners can stick with bodyweight variations before progressing to a goblet format with a light weight.

Advanced athletes can incorporate explosive variations like squat jumps to develop power for higher jumps and dynamic movements. Bases rely on this pattern to drive stunts upward with force. Every athlete needs this motion to absorb landings with control and land safely.

2. Lunges

What it works: Quads, glutes, hip stabilizers, and core. Why it matters: Cheer involves numerous one-footed moments, and walking lunges build the strength to govern them.

Keep the torso upright, track the front knee over the second toe, and lower the back knee with precision. A reverse lunge provides a great starting point for beginners since it places less anterior joint stress on the knee.

Holding a proper lunge position ensures maximum muscle engagement and safe joint alignment.

This movement helps correct left-to-right imbalances. These asymmetries show up often in unilateral cheer patterns when putting weight on one leg.

3. Planks

What it works: Core, shoulders, and glutes. Why it matters: A straight body line in stunts, tumbling, and jumps requires midline stability, and planks construct this exact foundation.

Pull the ribs down, engage the glutes, keep the neck neutral, and prevent the hips from sagging. Start with an elevated plank on the hands, transition to a forearm hold, then incorporate side planks for lateral development.

Athletes can also begin in a push-up position before lowering to forearms for added core strengthening benefits.

Flyers use this strength to maintain precise positions and face forward. Tumblers rely on this tension for aerial control while diving or flipping.

4. Push-Ups

What it works: Chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. Why it matters: Torso and arm pushing strength supports basing and broad athletic control across the board.

Keep a straight line from head to heels, position elbows at 45 degrees, and move through the full range of motion. Kneeling modifications against a wall suit beginners, while standing push-ups provide a challenge for advanced athletes. 

For early-stage participants, good form holds more value than high rep counts. Focus on correct movement execution before increasing difficulty or volume.

5. Glute Bridges

What it works: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and core. Why it matters: Jump power and landing mechanics trace back to the posterior chain.

Glute bridges activate this region while supporting the lumbar spine during overhead stunts. Drive through the feet, practice squeezing the glutes at the peak, and avoid overarching the lower back.

Progress from a two-leg bridge to a unilateral version as strength builds. That hip extension power transfers into jump height and landing stabilization.

6. Dead Bugs

What it works: Deep midsection stabilizers and anti-extension control. Why it matters: This exercise teaches torso bracing during coordinated limb movement, supporting safer tumbling patterns and overall control.

Press the lower back into the floor, extend the opposite arm and leg, raise with control, and exhale through each extension. Scissor kicks also prove valuable for novice athletes learning to engage their core for the first time.

7. Step-Ups

What it works: Quads, glutes, hip stabilizers, and balance. Why it matters: Stunt entries and dynamic drive depend on single-leg strength and proper knee tracking.

Step-ups build these physical attributes. Drive through the full foot of the working leg, control the descent, and resist the urge to push off the ground.

Remember to use a step or box matched to the athlete's size. Grab light dumbbells only after form stabilizes.

8. Hollow Holds

What it works: Anterior core, hip flexors, and shoulder stabilizers. Why it matters: The hollow body shape appears frequently in tumbling, jumps, and flyer body-line work.

Press the lower back flat while keeping legs straight, reach through the arms, and maintain steady breathing. Reaching your arms backward increases upper body tension, improving kicks.

Beginners can bend their knees or shorten the hold duration. They should practice this modification until the position feels safe.

9. Medicine Ball Slams

What it works: Explosive power, lats, core, shoulders, and hips. Why it matters: Slams introduce dynamic movement without requiring maximal lifting or complex technique.

This accessibility makes them a solid piece of conditioning for any skill level. Reach overhead with control, throw the ball downward, and repeat before each repetition instead of rushing.

Ensure the training space remains clear of obstacles. Choose a medicine ball weight that matches the age and athleticism of the kids.

10. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts

What it works: Hamstrings, glutes, hip stabilizers, and balance. Why it matters: Stronger hamstrings and glutes protect against injury while supporting landing control under load.

Keep a soft knee on the working leg, square the hips, and reach outward rather than bending low to maintain a neutral spine. Beginners can utilize support or stick with a bodyweight-only version before incorporating resistance. Lifting the back leg ensures the working leg is engaged.

This exercise supports calf and joint stability.

Safety Tips for Cheerleaders During Strength Training

Strength training must occur under the supervision of a coach, trainer, or knowledgeable parent. Clear instruction must precede solo practice, as there is no shortcut around establishing technique.

Form supersedes resistance at every stage of development. Coaches should only integrate heavier weights or higher rep counts once athletes demonstrate flawless movement patterns.

Proper injury prevention starts with mastering technique before advancing to more challenging variations or adding resistance.

Conditioning must fit around cheer practices, competitions, and game-day demands to avoid stacking a vigorous session on top of a full practice day. While compound movements form the foundation of cheer training, isolation exercises can address specific weaknesses or imbalances when needed.

Rest days, steady hydration, sleep, and listening to the body serve as key components of athletic development. They are not obstacles to progress, and coaches provide guidance on this.

Athletes must distinguish between standard fatigue and a warning sign. General tiredness or mild soreness hours after exercise represents a typical response, but you must stop if it hurts.

Sharp, specific, or joint-based pain during or after a workout signals a problem. That scenario requires a medical opinion, not a dismissive shrug.

Progression must remain gradual over time to remain effective. Beginners should stick to bodyweight-only movements for a week or two, prioritizing spatial awareness and control.

Intermediate and advanced athletes can explore tempo variations, added resistance, or extra volume. These additions must happen in incremental steps.

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