How to Get Flexible Fast for Cheer

by | Dec 16, 2023 | Blog, Flexibility & Mobility

Photo by Jerry Hughes

How long will it take for you to get your splits? Your needle? Heel stretch?

Questions like these are so commonly asked but sorry to say, there is no exact answer! There is no particular time frame that it takes to get a specific skill because everyone’s bodies, prior experience, training methods, coaching, motivation and time spent working towards the skill are all different.

Too many factors come into play to provide a definitive date that you’ll get a skill by — and if anyone tells you they can guarantee you a skill by a certain date, they don’t know what they’re talking about! General timelines or guesses can be provided based on past examples of athletes working towards a skill, but everyone will have their own individual timeline.

Some athletes may respond quickly to flexibility training and be able to pull a needle within 6 months, whereas others may need to train their mind and body longer to understand & tolerate stretching, so it may be 3 years before they can do a needle.

Some athletes may live a sedentary lifestyle outside of cheer, which causes their joints & muscles to experience limited movement for long periods of time. Other athletes may do activities like dance or soccer outside of cheer, which means they’ll move their bodies more frequently and prevent any extra stiffness (which means they’ll have an advantage when it comes to stretching).

Here are some things you can do to speed up your flexibility timeline:

  • Stretch at least most days of the week
  • Do a very thorough warm up before stretching, or work on flexibility after practice or conditioning
  • Be mindful while stretching and be aware of what is tight, what needs to be squeezed or relaxed, your posture, what you feel, etc. Paying attention to this will help you understand your body and figure out what is beneficial for you and your situation.
  • Do full-body strength training
  • Incorporate dynamic and active stretches, not just passive ones
  • Always maintain proper technique – laziness will reduce effectiveness of stretches
  • Move frequently throughout the day to avoid stiffening up