Need Help Motivating My Cp To Stretch!!!

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mommadonna

Cheer Parent
Nov 13, 2010
2,131
5,266
Hi all! My cp is a flyer, but she needs to stretch! I've tried reward systems and things to motivate her, but she balks at me when I tell her she needs to do some stretching! She is very strong, and she says she wants to fly, but when it comes down to doing the work at home, I'm meeting resistance. What I'd like to get is this: Can some of you veteran cheerleaders on here write some posts to her about the importance of stretching? I'm thinking maybe she'll listen to you all more than she will to me. I know she's getting sick of me constantly nagging her. Thanks!!!
 
One of my favorite quotes: “Hard Work Beats Talent, When Talent Doesn’t Work Hard

In life, you may start out better at something initially, but if you don't put your %110 percent into it and do everything you can to be the absolute best you can be, someone else WILL be willing to put the extra effort in and pass you up eventually.

For flying, I believe that stretching at home is part of a flyer's "job", because the better conditioned and flexible she is, the more we can do with her. There is always a way to improve skills, so I expect even the most flexible flyers to keep working hard.....it's just not good enough anymore to "have a heel stretch" or a "scorpion". Overstretches, Bow & Arrows, beautifully extended scorpions, & spikes are all being choreographed into routines these days, so you gotta put in the hard work to stretch & strengthen at home, or risk your position in the air because otherwise eventually there will be a day where you'll get passed up.

Has your daughter ever seen the training that rhythmic gymnasts do to stretch? It will make sitting in the splits while watching TV look like no big deal;).....

The difference of stretching:
:dorito: Vs. Sports Photo: Rhythmic gymnastics
 
Since rewards didn't work, I would make a little set of rules for her!
1. While she's watching TV, she must stretch for at least one TV show (or on commercials, or whatever works).
2. For every (non-school related) hour on the computer, she must stretch for 15, 20 minutes.
3. In order to go to a movie or to a party or something, she must have stretched for 15, 20 minutes that day.

I would just say be sure that she really wants to be a flyer before you start pushing her. This may not be fore everyone, but I really wish someone would have pushed and motivated me. I regret not working harder in the past, a ton!
 
Tell her that you do not want to be that one flyer with the dorito scorp or thigh/ankle stretch. It's embarrassing for yourself and your team. You might think its not okay, but your team mates will not be happy with you. Last year, on my team this one girl swore she stretched at home but she was the only flyer that didn't get more flexible...I wonder why she became the alternate.....
 
This was me at the start of my first season (sorry it's so blurry, I took it from a video):

r2oydi.png


This was me at the middle of my second season:

2nvs2ec.jpg


I was literally the poster child for Tragic All Stars. I busted my butt to stay in the air because it was something I really wanted. I think that because I was older, I knew that my spot was always at risk. But I really enjoyed stretching, maybe I'm just weird but I always thought it was fun and I liked being the most flexible flyer!
 
This was me at the start of my first season (sorry it's so blurry, I took it from a video):

r2oydi.png


This was me at the middle of my second season:

2nvs2ec.jpg


I was literally the poster child for Tragic All Stars. I busted my butt to stay in the air because it was something I really wanted. I think that because I was older, I knew that my spot was always at risk. But I really enjoyed stretching, maybe I'm just weird but I always thought it was fun and I liked being the most flexible flyer!


Oh wow. How did you get that good! What was your daily routine?
 
Oh wow. How did you get that good! What was your daily routine?

I would go for a mile run or so to get my muscles warmed up then I would just stretch out like normal. Then I would sit in my right leg splits and lean back and try to grab my leg or have my mom/sister pull my arms back. I would stretch out my shoulders and my back. Then I just started pulling scorpions. And each time I would grab a little lower on my leg until I eventually got it straight. And then I would hold it for a while and pull my leg closer to my back to make it look better! It took me about one year to go from not being able to grab one at all, to having straight arms and About three months to get from straight arms to having a spike. I've been trying to get it overstretched but it puts too much pressure on my lower back so I've quit trying to overstretch for the time being!
 
She has to want it! And sometimes you have to loose something to realize who much you need it. If her coach thinks she has the potential, talk to her and see if she will help you. Not asking her to stretch, put maybe have her base for a few practices; if she really wants to be a flyer, she will hate basing and just maybe motivated enough to start working hard to get what she wants.
 
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