The NFL Cheerleader workout and diet varies from team to team, but here is what some of them have to say. Shape Magazine interviewed the Minnesota Vikings exercise specialist to see what NFL cheerleaders go through to get in shape. During the season, they condition 2-3 times a week. Head trainer Steve Rosga, and his team, share the NFL Cheerleader workout and diet.
The truth is that cheerleading is about more than just practicing routines. If all you do is the same routines each day, you won’t get stronger. Danielle, a NY Giants cheerleader, says the mistake cheerleaders often make is not focusing on getting stronger.
They’re just throwing people in the air and pounding their knees, hips and shoulders into the ground. Doing this day-in and day-out is recipe for getting hurt.
NFL Cheerleader Workout
So, NFL cheerleaders are put through a strength routine to help guarantee they don’t get hurt. Each workouts starts with a warm up, to get the blood flowing to their muscles. This includes:
- Lunges
- Walking Toe Touch
- Inchworms
- Jumping Jacks
Shape Magazine interviewed Vikings exercise specialist Ryan Svenby, who says each NFL Cheerleader workout starts with dynamic stretching. From there, they go into specialized exercises to enhance their performance. Here’s the NFL Cheerleader workout Svenby uses with the Minnesota Vikings’ cheerleaders.
How to do each exercise:
- Snow Angels
- Pushups
- Planks
- Plyo Push Ups
- Hand Touch Plank
- V-Pushup
- Spiderman Plank
- Bodyweight Squats
- Band Step Outs
- Prisoner Squat + Jump
- Knee Raise + Lunge
- Glute Bridges
- Jump + Spin (180 degrees)
For Dance Cardio, the NFL Cheerleaders vary up their routines to keep things fun. Find your favorite dance workout video here.
For the bodyweight squats, Svenby says:
Go slightly just past parallel, with toes turned slightly inward.
For the Glute Bridges:
Be sure to keep your body weight resting on your shoulders, not your neck.
The NFL Cheerleaders also use cooldown stretches to prevent muscles from cramping. These include crescent lunges, hamstring stretch, runner’s stretch, hanging stretch, downward dog, triceps stretch and the quad stretch.
NFL Cheerleader Diet
The NFL Cheerleader diet is about eating small meals constantly throughout the day. They thrive on drinking lots of water and getting the energy they need to perform their routines. NFL cheerleaders from the Atlanta Falcons team were asked about their workout and diet. Here’s what they had to say about their daily routine.
Atlanta Falcons cheerleader Kat says:
I use my workout as an escape from every day life. Forget about mundane things like your to-do list, just be in the moment. Stay hydrated and focus on your goals.
Atlanta Falcons cheerleader Jasmin says the important parts of her diet include:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Leafy greens (most nutrition per calorie)
- Water-drink as much as you can
- Big breakfast, followed by:
- Smaller meals throughout the day
Being Happy
Most of all, the NFL cheerleaders say that being happy is the key to workout success. Find a workout that makes you happy. If you’re enjoying what you do, you’re much more likely to continue doing it. Keeping things fun is the key. If dancing is what you like to do, as most cheerleaders admit, then make sure that’s a major part of your workout routine.
Getting Better Abs
Getting Better Abs is always a focus for a cheerleader. The key to better abs really depends on your diet. What you do in the kitchen is far more important than toning your abs. Still, you can focus on your abs with a proper abs routine. NY Giants cheerleader Danielle suggests her routine:
(Do 3 sets of this abs circuit)
- Double Crunches x 30
- Plank – 1 Min
- Bicycle Crunches x 30
- Plank – 1 Min
- V-Ups x 30
