Expert: James - 9/4/2007

Question
Hi, I was thinking of trying out for the cheerleading squad at university. my problem however (apart from feeling a little embarrassed) is that I am really not the best athlete, and I am concerned about being able to support the team or keep up. There hasn't been any male cheerleaders at my university so far as I know, and I even heard that they don't have a male uniform (yet :P )

I have no experience, and I want to do it mostly for the workout aspect of it. Would you recommend that I try out? How important are 'muscles'?

Answer
This is really hard to answer, I guess first you have to see if they accept coed tryouts. Secondly, cheerleading is an interesting sport and I definitely would not do it for the "workout" aspect, you have to do it because you enjoy the activity. People like me who enjoy sports love the squads who cheer the athletic events, people who enjoy putting routines together (as I do not) enjoy doing the competition squads. And how important "muscles" are depends on which definition you're using. If you're going to toss a girl up and hold her in the different stunts by all means you have to be relatively strong. But you don't have to be built like Hulk Hogan by any means. I guess the short answer is like with anything you have to decide what your reasons are behind it, and do it if you're doing it for the right reasons. There's honestly just too much time, effort, and injuries that go into cheerleading to do it for "workout". If that was my only reason i'd just go join a gym and work out that way.