Episode 146: Why Flexibility Alone Won’t Improve Your Cheer Skills (Control Is the Key)

Episode 146: Why Flexibility Alone Won’t Improve Your Cheer Skills (Control Is the Key)

From The Cheer Athlete by Laura Turner

March 5, 2026 · 13 min · Season 3 · Episode 146

About this episode

This episode discusses the importance of control over flexibility in improving cheerleading skills and preventing injuries.

Many cheerleaders are told they need to become more flexible to improve their heel stretches, jumps, and stunts. But flexibility alone isn’t the answer. In this episode of The Cheer Athlete Podcast , I break down the missing piece most athletes overlook: control. When athletes rush through stretches or lock out their joints, they lose stability — which can lead to back pain, knee hyperextension, poor stunt stability, and even injury. In this episode you’ll learn: • Why flexibility without control can increase injury risk • How knee hyperextension affects stunt stability • The simple cue that helps athletes activate their quads properly • How controlling the pelvis and ribs improves heel stretches and back stunts • Why quiet landings are a powerful training tool for stronger jumps If you want higher jumps, stronger stunts, and healthier athletes, it starts with training control first. If you'd like help implementing these concepts, check out my Injury Prevention Starter Kit for Cheerleaders , where I walk athletes through proper warm-ups, strength training, and movement control. Have a question you want answered Ask A PT Here

People in this episode

Host: Laura Turner

Topics covered

  • flexibility
  • control
  • injury prevention
  • cheerleading skills
  • stunt stability
  • training techniques

Keywords

  • flexibility
  • control
  • cheerleading
  • injury risk
  • stunt stability
  • heel stretches
  • jumps
  • training
  • quad activation

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