10 Low-Impact Workout Moves That Burn Fat
Low-impact exercises are workouts that raise your heart rate to the fat-burning zone while not putting too much stress on your joints. Most of these workouts are performed in a slow and fluid fashion and in such a way that improves flexibility, strength, stability, and balance.
These low-impact exercises are good muscle toners for helping you achieve a pro cheerleader’s physique. They also reduce your risk of incurring musculoskeletal injuries during dance rehearsals and arena performances.
The best part? They’re easy to do for everyone! Here are some examples of these workouts you can do now.
1. Cycling
This type of low-impact workout targets your leg, thighs, and buttocks, making them more toned and stronger. Cycling is a good exercise if you want to improve your jumping power and the flexibility of your lower extremities for higher kicks.
2. Squat to jab
In pro cheerleading, you need a lot of mind and upper body coordination to execute dance moves according to the rhythm of the music. Squat to jab is a good exercise to hone that quality. Just remember to engage your core as you perform this workout and breathe properly.
3. Standing oblique crunch
Pro cheerleaders mostly have uniforms that expose the belly. It’s important that you always keep it toned to match your squadmates’ physique. While sit-ups are a common way to achieve a flat upper and lower ab, the standing oblique crunch is a good exercise to tone your side abs.
4. Dumbbell thruster
If you want a workout that burns the fat on both the upper and lower body, the dumbbell thruster is your best choice. This exercise targets your shoulder muscles, glutes, and quadriceps. To do it right, maintain an upright posture during the standing positions and squats.
5. Renegade rows
Flexibility isn’t the only important thing that arena cheerleaders should have. Stability is also essential. Renegade rows target your abs, back, and upper limbs making you dance in a fluid yet stable manner. Dancers who do not emphasize stability often end up dancing like an inflatable tube man.
6. Reverse lunge
The last piece of the puzzle when it comes to what dancers really need is balance, especially on the lower body. Because having strength, stability, and flexibility isn’t enough if you aren’t able to land on your feet or stay firmly on the ground after a stunt. This is where the reverse lunge comes in. It’s an exercise that greatly benefits pro cheerleaders that do a lot of splits and kicks.
7. Slow mountain climber
Compared to the ordinary mountain climber, its slow-paced version allows you to target both your upper and lower body muscles while staying at your fat-burn zone. This is a zone where your heart rate is at 70% of your maximum rate. The best part of this exercise is that it doesn’t tire you out quickly making you sustain the workout and burn a lot of fat.
8. Dead bug
The dances and stunts in pro cheerleading can be hard to perform even for seasoned dancers. But they can be made easier through core strength and stability. This is because two traits are major contributing factors to make movement easier. To improve your core’s stability and strength, do the dead bug exercise on top of an exercise mat to provide cushioning for your back
9. Plank hold
Another exercise that strengthens your entire body is the plank hold. Despite the exercise having little to zero movements and being low-impact, it’s still difficult to do for longer durations.
However, you can increase your hold time by maintaining your normal breathing to give your muscles a constant supply of oxygen. You should also do this workout regularly to develop and improve good posture.
10. Dumbbell extension
Dumbbell extensions work on the flexibility and strength of your triceps. This greatly benefits you as an aspiring or current pro cheerleader because they shape and improve the form of your upper limbs. Use a dumbbell with a weight that’s not too light but can provide a little challenge when lifted.
To make your workouts more engaging, listen to an upbeat music playlist. Not only does it hype you up as you exercise, but it also helps you with your counting and pacing - two essential elements that help you get the most benefits out of your workout session.
Need a Great Workout Routine for Your Pro Cheer Audition Prep?
Pro cheerleaders stay fit, flexible, and strong so they can give out their best performance in the arena. However, achieving that wow-worthy, toned physique doesn’t happen overnight. You need to arm yourself with the right daily workouts.
Thinking of becoming a pro cheerleader?
We are offering you our fun, FREE (for a LIMITED time) POM FIT™ INTRO CLASS that teaches you beginner-friendly cardio moves.
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