The Cheer Athlete

Back pain holding your bases back? Learn how to spot — and fix — the movement patterns that make stunting harder than it needs to be.Dr. Laura Turner, The Cheer PT, shares how to build a stronger squat, improve core control, and prevent pain by understanding what’s missing in your athlete’s movement.✅ Perfect for: Bases, coaches, and parents who want to keep their cheerleaders healthy and strong.🎯 Learn about the new Cheer Base Backbone Program HERE for bases who want less pain and more power.(If you want to learn more about our Confident Cheer Flyer Project, please fill this form out )🧠 Follow LT on Instagram: @thecheerpt💌 Contact: laura@movebetterllc.com

This week on The Cheer Athlete, Laura breaks down two important cheer topics every parent and coach should understand:💪 1. Bracing for injury prevention — is it actually helping or hurting?Learn why relying on braces can sometimes weaken muscles and delay true recovery, plus what you can do instead to build lasting strength and confidence.🧠 2. Teaching body control and awarenessDiscover simple, effective ways to help cheerleaders feel their movements—tightening the right muscles, improving posture, and mastering body positions for safer, more powerful skills.Whether your athlete is a flyer learning to stay tight in the air or a base working on landing strong, this episode will help you rethink how to train for injury prevention and performance.✨ Ready to help your cheerleader move better, feel stronger, and reduce pain?Laura’s new Flyer Strong and Cheer Backbone programs are coming soon — designed to build flexibility, stability, and power specific to cheer athletes.📩 Stay tuned for early access or reach out directly at laura@movebetterllc.com.Follow @thecheerpt for weekly tips and cheer-specific training advice.Find free guides and content at LTTheCheerPT.com

5 Cheer Travel Tips: Stay Calm, Strong & Hydrated on the RoadCompetition season is here — which means it’s time to hit the road (or the skies)! In this week’s episode, Dr. Laura Turner, The Cheer PT, shares her top five tips to make cheer travel smoother, healthier, and way more fun.Drawing from her own recent trip to Italy, Laura talks about the importance of taking time off, preparing your body for long days and lots of walking, avoiding the stiffness that comes with travel, staying hydrated, and keeping the stress level low when plans don’t go perfectly.Whether you’re a coach planning for Nationals, a parent juggling schedules and suitcases, or a cheerleader ready to take the mat, these simple strategies can help you arrive ready to perform — and actually enjoy the experience.🧳 In This Episode:Why time off makes you stronger (not lazy!)How to train your body for extra stepsSmall movements to ease stiffness on planes or busesThe easiest way to stay hydrated while travelingManaging travel stress and finding the joy in the journey📘 Mentioned in this episode:Book: Strength & Conditioning for the Cheer Athlete — available now on Amazon.Free Resources: Mobility and strength tools in Laura’s Linktree.💬 Share your best cheer travel tip in the comments!

Being cut from a team can feel like the end of the world — but sometimes, it’s the start of something even better.Dr. Laura Turner (The Cheer PT) shares her personal story of resilience, how to help your athlete handle disappointment, and why grit and growth matter more than perfection.🎯 Learn how rejection can become redirection — both in cheer and in life.📘 Grab Laura’s book Strength and Conditioning for the Cheer Athlete on Amazon. https://a.co/d/75Py0jn 💡 More free injury prevention tips at LTTheCheerPT.com

Welcome to The Cheer Athlete Podcast! I’m Laura Turner, The Cheer PT — Doctor of Physical Therapy and strength coach, helping cheerleaders, coaches, and parents keep athletes healthy, safe, and strong for life.October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and today I’m sharing why it’s so important to start open conversations about breast health early — especially with our kids.This is a personal topic for me. I found my first lump as a teenager while I was cheering. Thankfully, it wasn’t cancer — but I went on to find several more lumps in my 20s and 40s. Those experiences, along with seeing friends, teammates, and parents affected by breast cancer, have shaped how I view prevention, screening, and awareness.In this episode, I cover:Why teens should start hearing about breast health at puberty (without fear).How self-awareness and knowing your body can make all the difference.The role of family history (and why you should look at BOTH your mother’s and father’s side).How genetic testing can empower informed decisions.The progress we’ve made in treatment and survivorship — and why hope matters.How cheerleading teams and communities can play a role in raising awareness.My message: Talking about breast cancer shouldn’t be taboo. Open conversations help our athletes grow up informed, empowered, and proactive about their health.✨ Resources:American Cancer SocietyBreast Cancer Research Foundation💌 Questions or stories to share? Reach out at laura@movebetterllc.com or connect on Instagram @thecheerpt.Learn more ways to connect with Laura at LTTheCheerPT.comRemember: Take life one step at a time. Don’t forget to breathe out. And always take care of the body that takes care of you.

Welcome to The Cheer Athlete Podcast! I’m Laura Turner, The Cheer PT. I help cheerleaders, parents, and coaches navigate injuries, prevent setbacks, and keep athletes healthy and strong so they can cheer for life.This week’s episode is about perception — and how changing the way we look at challenges can help athletes (and all of us) move forward. I was inspired by Jeremy Renner’s book My Next Breath, where he shares lessons from his near-fatal accident and recovery. His story carries powerful takeaways for cheerleaders:Love matters most. When everything else fades, love for family, teammates, and the sport is what carries us through.Focus on the next breath. In moments of stress, pain, or self-doubt, progress comes from taking things one step — and one breath — at a time.Shift your perception of pain. Pain doesn’t always mean you’re finished; it can be a signal to pay attention, adjust, and keep moving forward.These lessons apply not only on the mat, but in school, training, and life. Whether you’re learning a new skill, balancing schoolwork, or facing setbacks, perception and persistence can change everything.📖 Want to dive deeper? Check out My Next Breath by Jeremy Renner on Spotify, Audible, or Kindle. 👉 And if you’re looking for cheer-specific tools, grab my free guide: 3 Tips to Prevent Injury in Cheer and my done-for-you Warm-Up & Cool-Down Program Remember: Take one step at a time. Don’t forget to breathe. You can do anything you put your mind to.

Conditioning is essential for cheerleaders — but should it ever be used as punishment when a flyer falls?In this episode, I break down why “exercise as consequence” can actually increase injury risk and create fear instead of confidence. We’ll talk about what really causes falls, share voices from the cheer world, and dive into 5 research-backed tips to keep stunt groups safer and more consistent.👉 Download your free Injury Prevention Guide here: https://ltthecheerpt.com/injuryfree-350183References & Sources Mentioned:Braun-Trocchio, C., et al. (2024). Effects of Coaching Behaviors and Differences in Sport Injury Anxiety Among Cheerleaders. Journal of Emerging Sport Studies. LinkMueller, F. O., et al. Cheerleader Injuries and Safety. PMC. LinkFierceBoard Community Discussion: Conditioning as Punishment LinkCheerleading Coaching Blog – Coach Brandy: How to Deal with Talkers on Your Team LinkVarsity News – AACCA Rules Update, Jim Lord quote LinkWhat you’ll learn today:Why punishment conditioning can lead to more fallsHow fatigue, fear, and poor timing play into stunt crashesReal quotes from athletes, coaches, and cheer leadersFive practical ways to reduce falls & prevent injury Tune in, share with your coaching staff, and start building safer, stronger stunt groups.To access other free guides and learn more about programs, head to LTTheCheerPT.com

Try these 2 tips that I learned from Tony RobbinsTo connect with Laura LTTheCheerPT.com

Think cheerleading is the most dangerous sport? The data tells a different story.This surprised me too.Cheerleading injuries aren’t as common as you think — but when they happen, they can be serious. In this episode, we break down the latest research on injury rates, concussion trends, and stunt risks, plus practical strategies every coach and parent can use to keep athletes safe.Resources: USA Cheer ArticleA systematic review of cheerleading injuries: epidemiological characteristics, biomechanical mechanisms, and prevention strategiesConnect with Laura at LTTheCheerPT.com

There's been a lot of social media and news buzz lately about the male cheerleaders in the NFL. Share this episode with someone who doesn't understand how male cheerleaders have shaped the world of cheer...from my perspective.If you want to connect with Laura head to LTTheCheerPT.com

If you would like to learn more about movement screening, you can sign up here and I will send you a series of emails.To connect with Laura and access all the free guides, LTTheCheerPT.com

They say anything worth having is worth the sacrifice. Do you agree?Connect with Laura and find the Strength and Conditioning For Cheer Athletes book at LTTheCheerPT.com

In this episode I share my thoughts about the pending Presidential Fitness Test and what I think would be more helpful if we actually want to have fit and healthy kids (and adults too :)Check out https://www.functionalmovement.com/ to learn moreTo learn more about Rebel Aid follow them on Instagramor go to their WebsiteConnect with Laura HERE and access free guides or find her on social media :)

In this episode I answered some questions that I saw on the Crazy Cheer Mom's page on Facebook.You can find the Tiger Tail on Amazon. (Please note, this is an affiliate link and I will receive compensation if you buy from here)If you want to learn more about how to manage ankle pain check out the Ankle/Balance Masterclass HEREWatch the webinar series HERETo connect with me head to LTTheCheerPT.com

Recovery doesn't always mean stop everything. Sometimes your brain needs time away from the constant go to do something different, slow down and regroup.In this episode, I share a bit of how my on the go, and not spending much time recovering, led to a mishap that could have cost me a fortune.And a bit on why just cuz the doctor tells you to do something doesn't mean you should follow the instructions to the letter.Connect with Laura and find my book on Amazon HERE

What if you could change how you feel and move by just shifting your body and your mindset a little bit? In this episode I share some insight from a recent course I took called The Female Athlete. Send me a message and tag me when you try one of these tipsLTTheCheerPT.com

In this episode Laura talks with Ashleigh Howland from Howland Muscular Therapy. She gives practical tips on how to improve core stability and reduce tightness without stretching, by learning how to have better biomechanics with breathing. Ashleigh Howland is a Licensed Muscular Therapist, Certified Personal Trainer, owner of Howland Muscular Therapy, and founder of the EquiForm & Get Back Your Back coaching programs. She works with active women, especially horseback riders, to correct posture/performance issues in the saddle & alleviate back pain. Her unique methodology focuses on fortifying clients' Internal Pressure System, the integral foundation in our body that supports us from the inside-out, for results that last in and out of the saddle.You can learn more about Ashleigh's programs at https://www.howlandmusculartherapy.com/Or at Instagram https://www.instagram.com/howlandmusculartherapy/To connect with Laura LTTheCheerPT.com

You DO have an off season...and this is why you need to recognize and appreciate it.And your off season does mean that you have to work on strength training too. If you want to check out the 8-week Summer Cheer Program, go to LTTheCheerPT.comCheck out Laura's book Strength And Conditioning For the Cheer Athlete on Amazon**Please note, I receive income from items you purchase thru this link. Thank you.

Motivating your athlete to do their conditioning at home doesn’t have to feel like a constant battle. In this episode, I’m talking directly to coaches and parents who are tired of nagging and ready to inspire long-term consistency.You’ll learn why true motivation has to come from within—and how to help your athlete find it. I’ll share specific, practical strategies for building discipline, creating buy-in, and shifting your role from enforcer to encourager.🎯 Plus, I’ll share details about my 8-week summer conditioning program—the perfect tool to give athletes structure and ownership over their progress.Learn more about all my programs at LTTheCheerPT.com

In this episode I discuss when you should stretch and give suggestions for how to making stretching work better for you.Want to connect with Laura on social media, access the free guides, learn more about the 4 week Flexibility, Power and Confidence Program or sign up for the 8 week summer training, you can find all links at LTTheCheerPT.com