Gymnasts and cheerleaders both practice their strength, flexibility, and energy to perform flips, jumps, and dances. There are many differences between the two sports. However, there are also a few overlapping skills. Cheerleading isn’t all about pom-poms and football games. With competitions in school cheer and an increasing number of competitive All-Star cheerleading teams, cheerleaders can certainly hone their skills in the gym. Learn more about the similarities and differences between cheer tumbling and gymnastics.
What’s the difference between gymnastics and cheer tumbling?
Gymnastics is a sport that involves exercises to display physical agility and coordination. Gymnasts compete in events like balance beam, floor, uneven or parallel bars, rings, and vault.
Tumbling is a form of gymnastics where athletes move their bodies by flipping, twisting, rolling, and jumping. Tumbling is often used at cheerleading competitions, where cheerleaders will incorporate flips and jumps into their routines.
Do cheerleaders need gymnastics?
More and more, cheerleaders are required to have basic tumbling skills. Some cheerleaders are part of competitive all-star cheerleading teams that require basic and advanced tumbling skills for their competition routines, which take place on spring floors and involve advanced stunts. However, even middle school and high school cheerleaders often require basic tumbling.
Beginner skills like somersaults, handstands, back walkovers, cartwheels, and round-offs are great skills for any cheerleader to have. Knowing back handsprings, back tucks, side aerials, and layouts are also excellent skills to make cheerleaders more competitive.
What gymnastics classes should cheerleaders take?
Gold Medal Gymnastics Centers offer tumbling and trampoline classes optimized for cheerleaders to improve their skills. They teach a back handspring class that focuses on drills and strength building to learn a back handspring on the floor, a skill that is most needed by high school cheer squads.
After that, cheerleaders can take a flipping class to learn how to perform a back tuck, side aerials, and layouts. GMGC also teaches a Dancenastics class that focuses on the tumbling and acrobatic skills used in dance, which can be helpful to cheerleaders in competitions.
Are you looking for a great tumbling class?
Gold Medal Gymnastics is a school full of trusted professionals who work to help your kid be the best they can be. We accomplish this by giving your kids a fun and safe environment where they can explore the world of gymnastics. If you have any questions about what we do and how we do it, contact us today!
