Physiological Responses of Elite Cheerleaders During Training and Simulated Competition Routines

Area of Science:

• Sports Physiology
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Competitive cheerleading (cheersport) is a demanding sport with limited research on its acute physiological responses.
• Understanding these responses is crucial for optimizing training and preventing injuries in elite athletes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the acute physiological responses during training and simulated competition routines (full-outs) in elite cheersport athletes.
• To quantify heart rate, blood lactate, and countermovement-jump (CMJ) height changes.

Main Methods:

• Six Coed and 10 All Girl elite cheerleaders participated.
• Physiological measures included heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration, and CMJ height.
• Measurements were taken pre-practice, post-warm-up, post-full-out, and post-training.

Main Results:

• Most training time (51%-68%) occurred at 50%-69% maximum HR, with only 3%-4% above 90% maximum HR.
• During full-outs, HR was elevated (≥80% maximum HR) for 67%-80% of the time.
• Blood lactate significantly increased post-full-out and post-training compared to pre-training/post-warm-up (P < .001 and P ≤ .025, respectively). CMJ height showed no significant changes.

Conclusions:

• Cheersport training exhibits low overall metabolic demand punctuated by high-intensity intervals, particularly during full-outs, highlighting the anaerobic nature of routines.
• Elite cheerleaders benefit from training both aerobic and anaerobic systems.
• This dual training approach can improve recovery between drills and maximize anaerobic power during competition.