The next time you hear people say cheerleading is easy or shouldn’t be a sport, instead of showing them a bruise or telling them one of your war stories, just tell them some MMA fighters think cheerleading is more difficult than professional fighting. Brothers Don and Ed Moroney cheer on the Weber State Spirit Squad and are also MMA (mixed martial arts) fighters. We know a lot of multi-sport athletes, but the college cheer-pro fighting combination is a first for us. MMA fighting basically lets opponents use tactics from different styles of fighting‚ like karate, boxing, kickboxing, and wrestling, to name a few‚ to try to either knock out their opponents or hurt them bad enough that the referee determines they can’t defend themselves. So having done both cheerleading and MMA for years now, guess which one the Moroney brothers say is more difficult? Cheerleading. “Between football, wrestling, cage fighting, and anything like that, cheerleading is by far the hardest sport I’ve ever done, and the most painful,” Don told the Standard Examiner. “I’ve been a professional cage fighter for five years now, and I have never been so hurt more consistently (than I have) with cheerleading.” The brothers explained that part of what makes cheer so hard on your body is the impact on your joints and the elbows of teammates. But, as any cheerleader knows, it’s also hard to do. Don started cheerleading a few years after his brother and was surprised by how much he had to learn. “I had no idea of the kind of athleticism it takes,” he said. “I saw them in high school, but I didn’t know the potential, how hard it was, and how much of an athlete you have to be. Learning all of that in one year of cheer was intense.” More people are starting to catch on to the intensity of cheerleading like the Moroneys did. In fact, there’s a new cheer-based workout trend that even non-cheerleaders are using to get in shape. A program called Lithe Plan is already offering popular classes in major U.S. cities. “You utilize every ounce of yourself‚ it’s total-body and very core-focused,” the program’s founder, Lauren Boggi, told Bustle. “People definitely do brush off cheerleading as a workout. They think of people sitting on the sidelines and waving pom-poms around.” Lauren was a cheerleader all her life and said she couldn’t find a workout routine as intense as cheer after graduation. “I recently ran into another ex-cheerleader who said, “‘Do you find you just can’t get the same workout doing anything else?’ and I was like, “‘Yes!’ and that’s exactly why I started Lithe.” Is cheerleading the most difficult sport you’ve done?
Your favorite marshmallow treats are back for Spring, and this year they aren’t just bringing you happiness, they are bringing you CHEER!
From stunting to tumbling, the 2012 Chasse “Peep’ Squad is ready to impress this season, with new uniforms and a whole lot of spirit!
Check out the fun peep dioramas created by the team at Chasse, then share with your friends to get everyone in the Spring spirit!
Meet the 2012 Chasse Peep Squad!
The Peep squad hits the field in style with their cheer accessories!
The Peep Squad brings the community together for an Easter Egg Hunt!
The Peep squad is shopping for new uniforms! Shop the
Omni Cheer catalog or the
Campus Teamwear catalog…but don’t look for the Peeps’ uniforms – those are one-of-kind and not available to purchase.
Yes, the Peep Squad knows how to
stunt and tumble! Shop for
zebra print cheer styles and
jumbo cheerleading bows to get the Peep Squad look!
Maybe we should get some
cheerleading warm-ups?
Team photo! Loving their shiny style? Pick up some
adhesive rhinestones from Glitterbug Cosmetics to get the look!
The entire Peep Squad hits the field for the big finale and demands the crowd’s attention with
metallic poms, then brings everyone to their feet with amazing acrobatics and
cheer jumps!There are two
kinds of bows that should be in every cheerleader’s lineup: Classy and Sassy.We all have our big Minnie Mouse bows that we wear to competitions — the kinds that stand out no matter how big our cheer curls are” “and the simple-but-clean ribbons we use to tie our hair back for games on the sidelines. These are our Classy bows: the tried-and-true accessories that match our
cheer uniforms and add a little pop to our ponytails.Every once in a while, though, it’s fun to mix it up. Enter the Sassy bows, worn at pep rallies, homecoming, special events, and girls’ nights with the squad. Maybe they’re not exactly the school colors, or they’re too funky for competition. That doesn’t mean they’re not fun to wear!
Try combining a ribbon of your squad’s color with an animal-print ribbon for a wild accent. If your squad’s colors are dark, like navy blue or forest green, swap them out for brighter hues, electric blue and lime green. Some ribbons even come in neon or glow-in-the-dark colors. If one of your squad’s colors is silver or gold, there are sparkle and metallic ribbon options.
You can’t go wrong with a big, cute bow! As a team, go ribbon shopping or even make your own bows for an impromptu bonding event. Your squad is sure to create bow-utiful accessories together!
Have you ever made your own cheer bow? What’s your favorite bow style?It might only be June, but everyone’s got their favorite day of summer on the brain‚
The Fourth of July!
Independence day, the day the United States gained their independence from Britain, (In case you didn’t know) is one of the most, if not the most important day in American history. While we remember all that was done for our freedom, it’s also the day that seems to officially kick off summer. Sure, you’ve been out of school for a month give or take, but the heat and the long nights are still on their way. What better way to kick it off than fireworks?!
To spice it up this Fourth of July, we’ve got some hacks just for our cheerleaders. Keep reading‚ the last tidbit will have your squad pumped.
1.
The Bow
As a cheerleader, the perfect bow for an occasion is always necessary. This holiday especially, since you want to sparkle with the fireworks! The Fourth of July is the perfect opportunity to get the perfect picture with the back of your bow with a firework in the background. Here are a few perfect Independence Day bows:
All-American Performance Hair Bow
Not feeling these bows? A great summer get-together for your team might be a bow making party. There are tons of bow tutorials on Youtube and all around the internet. You can get super crafty and start from scratch with your own ribbon, or you can buy a pre-made ribbon and find adorable glue on additions from your local craft store.
2.
Makeup That Pops
Now that you’re all set with your hair accessories, it’s time to move on to makeup. You know all that crazy colored cheer makeup that matches your team colors? You’re probably never going to use it all. If your team colors include red, white, or blue, you’re in luck! There are so many different things you can do with your eye makeup. Blue liner, glitter shadow, a combination of colors‚ makeup is amazing. You can go crazy with every flag color, or keep it super subtle with blending.
Here’s some awesome Fourth of July makeup inspiration:
Angela Bright
Pink Perception
3.
Turn Your Stunt into a Firework
This idea’s an original, just for you. Many cheer teams have a summer performance of some sort‚ whether it’s at a local rec center, or even just your performance at cheer camp. Why not go festive with your stunting while everyone is watching?
Try a basket toss with a handful of confetti, or even a confetti blaster. Make sure this is something safe, and something you can do without putting your stunt group’s safety at risk. It can be as simple as loading your flyer with one handful of confetti to throw at the top of her stunt. There’s so many options‚ did you know there’s something called a confetti high five? You’d just have to clap your hands at the top of your basket toss and boom‚ you’re the talk of camp for the rest of the week. How awesome would a kick-fold look with a blast of confetti?!