Project your voice loudly when doing Cheerleading Cheers

Don´t "sing" you cheerleading cheer or chant. Project your voice loudly, but don´t scream or squeak.

Enthusiasm and Energy Important for Cheerleading Cheers

When doing cheerleading cheers or chants always stay very enthusiasthic and energetic. "Hit" your motions very tight and keep a big smile on your face. There is no such thing as a tired cheerleader. Staying pumped up will win the crowd and the judges.

Clean routine is the key to success

Judges want to see clean, creative, well-executed routines. It is far more important to nail your routine than to attempt harder skills that you execute poorly. If you cannot hit it 9 times out of ten in practice, do not bring it to competition. The judges will have a field day with you. Don´t give them any areas to take deductions.

Song length in cheerleading music mixes

DO NOT use any one song for more than 6 eight counts in the routine. I would normally use a remix of a song between 3-6 eight counts.

How to Mix your Own Cheerleading Music

If you are going to attempt mixing your own cheerleading music mix, use a loop based software program like Acid Pro 4.0. This is the program that all of the professional cheerleading mixers are using. You will also need another piece of software to cut your samples with before you import them into Acid Pro 4.0. Unless you are computer savvy, have tons of time on your hands and are willing to train yourself for a couple of years, I would use the services of a professional cheerleading music mixer. You can visit my site by clicking the link below.

Cheer routines are all about the energy

Cheerleading routines are all about energy. Make sure your music has energy. There is a huge difference between the speed of a song and its energy. A professional cheerleading music mixer can take a normally boring song and re-mix it into something that will add energy to your cheerleading routine.

Avoid Overplayed Songs for your Cheer Routine

Avoid overplayed songs for your cheerleading music mix that you know every team will have in their routine at competition. Put yourself in the judges position. By the time they have heard "toxic" 5 times in a row they are ready to beat their heads against a wall. Be creative, but be fresh with the songs you pick. Let a professional produce your cheer music mix. The cheerleading-music-mix website mixes musoc for squads all over the country at affordable fees!

Music at Cheerleading Competitions

When preparing to take your cheerleading team to competition you should get your music done professionally. The judges can easily tell the differnce between a home-grown cheerleading mix and a professional custom mix. By getting a professional to do your music you will save time, allowing you to focus on more important areas. You can now get an original routine done for your squad for less than $5 per cheerleader! See the link to the website below.

Using Sound Effects

Use sound effects in your cheerleading music mix selectively. It sounds really weird to have a ton of sound effects happening that do not match your choreography. It screams to the judges, "we ripped off someone else´s music!" A well placed sound effect when a stunt, jump or pyramid is hitting makes your music really "pop" and add great energy.

Flow of cheerleading music important

The songs that you use in your cheerleading music mix should flow together with smooth transitions. There should be not weird abrupt transitions from one song/section to another. Your "eight counts" should match up perfectly. If you cannot count music, you should not attempt to make a cheerleading music mix.

Get a Custom Voice Over

Having a custom voice-over of your team name included over top of your cheerleading music shows that your cheer music has been professionally mixed and gives your routine a personal touch. A good cheerleading music service will provide this for free. I do!

Don´t Buy Cheerleading Music CDs

DO NOT buy cheerleading music cds and use them for your cheerleading music routine. This is very lazy and you will probably have the same cheerleading music as another team at competition. You want to separate your team from the crowd with unique music.

Style of music is important

Style is a factor when choosing a professional cheerleading music mix service. Mixing music is an art and each person will have their own unique style when they mix their cheerleading music. My style has a fresh, up-to-date, hip-hop, in-your-face kind of feel to it. Someone else´s style may be more 80´s, or broadway. I do not like to use "old" stuff. It just does not excite me except for rare occaisions. Make sure the service provides you with free samples so that you can hear theur style and determine if it is compatable.

Themes in cheerleading music

Themes in cheerleading music are tough to make work effectively. Unless you can make the theme of your music very clear, do not attempt to do a theme. In order to achieve this you will have to get every piece of your music to line up with this theme and that will require a purely custom made cheerleading music mix. It also forces you to find wierd songs that you normally would not use in a cheerleading music mix.

Use warm up wisely at cheerleading competition

When at cheerleading competition, use your warm-up wisely. Make sure your team is focused on the task at hand and not on other teams.

Bring Music Back-Ups

When you go to a cheer competition make sure you have at least two CDs of your music burned on two different brands of CDs. Sometimes certain CD players cannot read certain CD-Rs. Never, ever burn your music onto a CD-RW. Bring a tape back-up in case the CD player crashes. Never bring only a tape of your music. many cheerleading competition companies don´t even offer tape decks. Plus, you look like your are still in the stone ages if you are using a tape.

Your Cheerleading Music speed and tempo

When mixing your cheerleading music, never use songs at their normal speed. Try to use a cheerleading music mix that is between 138 beats per minute (bpm) and 145 bpm. This will make for an upbeat, high energy routine that will not put the judges and the crowd to sleep. You can listen to free sample cheerleading music mixes by clicking the link below.

Go to a "Level-Play" Cheerleading Competition

Go to a "level-play" cheer competition in order to level the playing field. The term "level-play" refers to the fact that a cheerleading competition company is offering divisions based on skill level. Normally these divisions are broken down by novice, intermediate, advanced, and elite. Each competition company will have guidelines as to what you are allowed to do in each division.

Choosing a Cheerleading competition

When choosing cheerleading competitions look past gimmicks and sales pitches. Many cheerleading competition companies are now offering free admission to the general public. To offset this loss in revenue they increase the entry fee for each participant. Find out what is included in each cheerleader´s entry fee. Many cheerleading companies include event t-shirts and gifts with your entry fee.

Tape recorders and Cheer Mixes don´t Mix well

DO NOT use a tape recorder to mix your music. It will come out with awful abrupt transitions. You will be outclassed and embarrassed by your competition.

Go to "Nationals" cheerleading competitons

Go to a national cheerleading competition. If you are a new cheerleading team I would recommend going to a smaller national competition. You cheerleading team may have a much greater change to win at a newer cheerleading nationals event rather that one of the mega huge national competitions.

Using a Cheerleading Music Mix Service

Use a professional cheerleading music mix service because you need to focus on choreography. The hours that you spend trying to save a buck will back-fire when you could have spent that time perfescting your routine. Choreography is the foundation and the key to your team´s success at cheerleading competitions. It does not matter how talented your squad is or how awesome your cheerleading music is if your choreography stinks. Cheerleading-Music-Mix.com does high-energy cheer mixes for teams all over the country. See their link below!

To cheer or not to cheer? Avoid it if possible

Cheers are old school. If you are a high school or recreation league cheerleading squad, then you are normally required to do a cheer in your routine. It is a fact that when a team starts the cheer portion of their routine, the energy of the routine drops off tremendously. Try to keep your cheer upbeat and exciting to minimize this effect. Do not put a cheer or chant into your routine unless you are required to do so. If you can put a beat behind your cheer it will increase the energy of the routine.

Avoid crowd response in routines

If you have to do a cheerleading cheer in your competition routine, you may want to avoid a crowd response. Crowd responses may lose the energy of your routine unless you are in a small venue with a lot of your own fans.

Enter the right division at cheer competitions

When you take your team to a cheerleading competition, make sure you enter the division that gives them the best opportunity to win. You should be able to maximize each skill section on the division guidelines before you attempt to enter the next highest division. For example, if your team is entering the intermediate division and you are allowed to do tucks, but you only have 10% of your cheerleading squad doing tucks, then you should not enter the advanced division just because your have one or two kids throwing fulls.

Go to spring floor cheerleading competitions

Go to cheerleading competitions that have spring floors. Spring floors are safer and are much easier on your cheerleaders joints and muscles.

Choreography is King at cheer competitions

Choreography is the foundation to success when entering cheerleading competitions. Many coaches attempt to do their own choreography. No matter how talented the cheerleaders you have, if your choreography is poor, you will not do well in competition. Make sure your choreography is creative, visual, flows well, and maximizes the division you are entering. If you are interested in professional choreography, I can refer you to some of the best in the industry. email me @ jon@cheerleading-connection.com

Finger grooves important feature for cheerleading shoes

Kaepa has patented finger grooves and scalloped arch and rear finger notch for added stunt control. This feature is perhaps one of the best reasons to buy Kaepa cheerleading shoes. If you have ever based a flyer with Kaepa cheerleading shoes I think you would see this as a huge benefit.

Cheerleading Competiton Trend - Streamlining Rules

This year (2005-2006) the USASF and NACCC had merged forces and have released the new levels. Visit 1-Cheerleading.com for tips on how to choose which level to enter your cheer squad for cheerleading competition. Make sure you study the levels now! This will make you a much smarter coach when it comes time to start choreography and deciding which level to enter into.

Avoid Poms at competition for cheerleading cheer

Avoid the use of pom-pons in the cheerleading cheer portion of your routine. Generally speaking, pom-pons are very "old-school". The use of poms wil not impress the judges or score extra points in most venues. Poms create problems when used in a routine because cheerleaders can never get them totally off of the mat and then they become a distraction or a safety violation.

Why your cheerleading uniforms matter.

First impressions at cheerleading competitions are important to judges. Before your squad even begins their routine the judges have sized your team up! How does your uniforms look? If they look like they are from the 1940´s the judges have already "pre-judged" your team solely on appearance. Visit 1-Cheerleading.com for tips on choosing a cheerleading uniform company.

Easy exchange system for cheer shoe exchanges

Buy cheerleading shoes from a company that has an easy exchange system so that you can easily exchange shoes that do not fit.

Cheerleading Shoes - Guru Top Pick

My Guru pick for cheerleading shoes for the 2004-2005 season is the Kaepa Ultralyte. I picked this shoe because it is lightweight, weighing pnly 6.9 oz. and durable. It also has all of the patented Kaepa features like finger grooves, and apx cushioning with helps absorb shock in tumbling skills.

Get easy - to- clean cheerleading shoes

Get cheerleading shoes that are easy to clean. Stay away from shoes with "mesh" uppers. They are hard to keep clean. You want to look your best at competition!

Deal with hyperactive cheerleaders on your squad

When one of your cheerleaders is extremely hyperactive and disruptive in class you may find it helpful to get the parents involved. Many times the parents know some little "tricks" that will help you motivate your cheerleader and keep them on task and stay focused. The beCalm'd product website is a good resource on natural ways to increase focus.

Low price guarantee for cheerleading shoes

Buy cheer shoes from a company with the lowest price guarantee.

Not all cheerleading shoes are created equal

Buy a true cheerleading shoe. It is typically not a good idea to buy a non-technical cheerleading shoe. Many mega large shoe companies have their own line of cheerleading shoes that are simply slight modifications to a shoe that they have already designed. You want a shoe that is totally built for cheerleading. I recommend Kaepa shoes because I believe they are the very best "technical" cheerleading shoe on the market.

Do an all-music routine without a cheer if possible

Do an all music routine if you are allowed to. Having to do a cheerleading cheer in the middle of your routine will drop the energy of the routine. If you still want to incorporate a cheer into the routine, cheer over a lower volume beat. Keep this type of cheer limited to two to three eight counts.

Avoid Indoor only cheerleading shoes

Some cheerleading shoes are made for indoor only. Make sure you check to see the durability of the cheerleading shoe that you are sonsidering.

Don´t buy heavy cheerleading shoes

Make sure you look into the weight of the cheerleading shoes that you are considering. Bulky or heavy shoes can effect tumbling and stunt performance. I would try to get a shoe that is under 7.0 ounces.