Team Strength and Conditioning Program

BlackWatch Sports is Bringing More to Cheer



Cheerleading has transformed from a sideline activity into a sport demanding intensive physical and mental training. Today cheer demands a significantly higher level of athleticism than in the past due to several developments of competitive cheer, incorporation of gymnastics and acrobatics, organizations that formalized training and coaching, enhanced training facilities, technological advancements, and media exposure.

With this significant shift there has been an increase injuries. The most common injuries in high school cheer are sprains and strains, with other frequent injuries related to the head, back, and shoulders. According to the National Institute of Health approximately 41.2% of high school cheerleaders experience at least one injury and cheer accounts for 65% of all such injuries in female high school sports. Of all cheerleading injuries over 50% are stunt-related, including falls from heights and injuries during pyramids.

To overcome these statistics, it is important for programs to implement strengthening and flexibility exercises, and ensuring proper technique during stunts, to help reduce the risk of injury. BlackWatch Sports developed a solution for high school cheer programs to fill this void through a strength and conditioning program in the off season with a maintenance plan during season that continues to State and Nationals.

1. PHASE 1 – Body Screens

Base line screenings on all athletes to discover where the unknown weaknesses are with strength, flexibility, hips, and balance. This information is not only helpful to the athlete and parent but also the high school coaches and trainers. This part of the program is done by licensed Physical Therapist under BlackWatch Sports’ partnership with Vulcan Performance.

2. PHASE 2 - Running

A month of sprinting and long-distance running curriculum is provided to condition athletes in preparation for weight training.

1. Benefits of running for cheerleaders are as follows:

- Build strength, speed, and endurance

- Strengthens an athlete’s bones and builds muscle and strength in legs

- Promotes higher jumps

- Helps athletes process lactic acid more efficiently

- Reduces inflammation

- Improves insulin sensitivity

- Protects balance and coordination

3. PHASE 3 – Weight Training

One of the most ignored aspects of having a successful cheer program and being a successful cheerleader is strength training. Most teams ignore this aspect. As a result, athletes are not as good as they could be, and they spend far more time being injured. BlackWatch Sports provides a strength & power training program to make athletes stronger. This will allow movements to be more crips and on point as well as make athletes healthier and more resilient to injury.

Building Blocks: Quick twitch (fast twitch muscle fibers) and core will build on explosiveness. Body control will be many of the things athletes gain the most from.

Athletes are periodically tested on their max in this program to monitor progress.

4. PHASE 3 – Body Screens and Maintenance Plan

A final body screen is performed on all athletes to see athlete improvements on strength, flexibility, hips, and balance. These statistics and program aid in many areas of athlete confidence, mat execution, injury prevention and better overall performance that makes for solid practices. The maintenance plan is important during the season so that athletes can maintain all that they gained and don’t lose the strength and conditioning that is needed and will make more of an impact at State and National competitions.

BlackWatch Sports and Vulcan Performance had the opportunity to put this program to test for Spain Park High School’s JV and Varsity cheerleading squads April – July 2025 that consisted of 46 athletes. Spain Park Head Coach: Morgan Lambert, had just finished the 24/25 season with one of her hardest to coach dealing with multiple athlete injuries which resulted in consistent routine changes and shuffling athletes. Coach Lambert seeked out a resolution through the strength and conditioning program to add to her teams who were already training at BlackWatch Sports in cheer team tumbling classes. Her goals were injury prevention, conditioning and overall strength in her athletes. This program proved to be a success as Coach Lambert and her JV Coach Perry have already experienced improved practices, more advanced stunt skills, less injuries and stronger tumbling. Take a minute to watch this video capturing feedback from all parties! These female athletes showed so much energy, were really engaged through the process, and celebratory for improvements they made individually as well as a team. Coach Lambert was shocked by the strength she didn’t know her athletes were capable of as a few athletes squat more than 300lbs, one athlete who benched 165lbs, and the athlete who gained the most out of the program increased in all areas by 60-70%!

This team cannot wait to hit the mat this competition season and BlackWatch Sports is looking forward to working with other cheer teams in the future. This program is 100% customizable to the team’s needs and coach’s overall goals. Our team loves making an impact on our community and with our schools. Athletes deserve the best opportunities to succeed and experience being built by BlackWatch!