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The Cheer Athlete: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Laura Turner
REAL talk about ways to progress in cheerleading, reduce injuries and stay healthy and fit for life. Laura Turner is The Cheer PT. She cheered thru college, while becoming a physical therapist. She has coached both high school and college. Later, her doctorate studies in physical therapy included a final project about cheer injuries and how movement screening may reduce the risk. She is passionate about keeping cheerleaders healthy so they don't lose time at school or with their friends and team. And she LOVEs seeing all the progress cheerleaders continue to make. Are you ready? Let's GO!
Latest Episodes
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- 5 days ago22 min
Episode 174: Stop Telling Your Cheerleaders to “Squeeze” — Do This Instead
“Squeeze! Stay tight!”It’s one of the most common cues in cheer—but squeezing harder doesn’t necessarily create better stability.In this episode of The Cheer Athlete, we look at what may actually be happening when a stunt keeps wobbling despite everyone trying to get tighter.We’ll break down the flyer, bases, and back spot separately, because the same wobble can come from very different movement limitations.You’ll learn why reflexive stability matters, what movement patterns you can watch on the ground, and how cues involving breathing, positioning, and control may be more useful than simply telling an athlete to squeeze harder.We’ll also talk about how movement screening can help you connect what you see during a stunt with what an athlete may need to work on during warm-ups and training.Want to start screening your athletes?The Mat Ready 10 Minute Screen is designed to help coaches identify what may be missing and track their athletes over time. I’m currently looking for the first 30 founding users to help me build it out.👉 LEARN MORE HEREConnect with Laura HEREWhen in doubt, breathe out.
- 1 weeks ago24 min
Episode 173: The Last Movement Screen Video Cheer Coaches Will Ever Need (5 Tests, 10 Minutes, No Equipment)
You don’t need a PT on staff to start paying attention to how your athletes move.In this episode of The Cheer Athlete Podcast, I walk you through a simple movement screen you can use with your team in about 10 minutes—no special equipment or certification required.We’ll look at trunk flexion, the squat, single-leg stance, kneeling, and push-up/reverse push-up patterns. More importantly, we’ll talk about how those movements fit together.Because an athlete who struggles with a heel stretch, jump, stunt, or squat doesn’t necessarily just need more stretching or more repetitions. The compensation you see may be part of a bigger movement pattern.This isn't about diagnosing athletes. It's about learning to observe movement, recognize when something needs more attention, and know when pain means it's time to refer out.I’ll also introduce The 10-Minute Screen, the tool I’m building to help coaches screen and track athletes without having to remember everything themselves.Founding access is currently $27 for lifetime access.👉Learn More HEREConnect with LT HERE
- 2 weeks ago16 min
Episode 172: Back Pain: Your Movement May Tell You What’s Missing
Back pain can make choosing the “right” exercise feel complicated. But before you focus on the exercise, take a look at the movement.In this episode, we bring together the movement patterns we've been discussing over the past several weeks and apply them to back pain.What happens when you touch your toes? What happens when you lean backward? Are the hips contributing? Is the spine moving? Does one direction hurt while the other feels better?Those observations can give you valuable clues.We talk about:• Back pain with flexion vs. extension• What you can learn from touching your toes and leaning backward• How the hips, pelvis, hamstrings, shoulders, and spine contribute to movement• Common compensations to watch for• Using movement to help guide warm-ups and exercise selection• Recognizing when someone should be referred to a healthcare professional• Why movement can look different from one day to the nextYou don't have to diagnose someone to start observing how they move.Whether you're a coach, personal trainer, clinician, cheer parent, athlete—or simply someone trying to understand your own body—learning to recognize movement patterns can help you ask better questions and make better decisions about what comes next.Have a question? Reach out and let me know what you're seeing.— Laura Turner, PT, DPTThe Cheer PT | Move Betterhttps://www.LTTheCheerPT.com
- 3 weeks ago15 min
Episode 171 Your Shoulder Feels Tight—But Is Your Shoulder Really the Problem_
Your shoulder feels tight—but is your shoulder actually the problem?If you have trouble reaching overhead, reaching behind your back, or keeping your shoulders relaxed during pressing movements, it’s easy to assume you simply need more shoulder mobility.But your shoulder doesn’t move by itself.In this episode of The Cheer Athlete Podcast, we break down shoulder mobility as part of the bigger movement picture. You’ll learn how your shoulder blade, trunk, core control, and even your opposite hip can influence what happens at your shoulder.We’ll talk about:How to do a simple shoulder mobility checkWhat to watch for when an athlete reaches overheadWhy shrugging or arching the back may be a compensationHow single-leg stability can connect to shoulder movementWhy your warm-up should address what your body actually needsHow movement screening can help you choose better exercises instead of simply stretching what feels tightThe goal isn’t perfect movement. It’s learning to watch how the whole body moves, recognize limitations and compensations, and then give your athlete—or yourself—the right place to start.And remember: pain is different from a movement limitation. If a movement causes pain, stop and have it evaluated by an appropriate healthcare professional.💬 Want to learn more about how I assess movement and turn those findings into individualized warm-ups and exercise choices? Leave a comment or reach out to me on Instagram. I’m developing a mini-course to help coaches, trainers, parents, and movement professionals learn this process.Subscribe for more episodes as we continue putting the pieces of the movement screen together.When in doubt, breathe out. Take life one step at a time.Free Movement Tracker HEREConnect with Laura HERE
- Aug 20, 202621 min
Episode 170: Your Neck Feels Tight-But It Might Not Be The Problem
Your neck feels tight—but is your neck actually the problem?When something feels stiff, our first instinct is often to stretch it. But if you keep stretching the same area and the tightness keeps returning, it may be time to ask a different question.In this episode, we explore neck motion as part of your entire movement system.You'll learn what to notice when you turn your head from side to side, why range of motion is only part of the story, and how other areas of your body can influence the way your neck moves.Most importantly, we'll talk about shifting the question from:“What should I stretch?”to:“Why am I moving this way?”Try the simple neck-motion check with me during the episode and see what you discover.Better movement isn't about chasing every tight muscle. It's about understanding how your body works together.Get the Movement Tracker HereConnect with Laura on Instagram HereMore resources HERE
- Aug 13, 202611 min
Episode 169: Trunk Extension: Creating Space for Better Movement
Your back is supposed to bend forward—but it’s also supposed to extend.So why does reaching overhead sometimes leave you feeling tight through your shoulders or pinched in your lower back?In this episode of The Cheer Athlete Podcast, we continue our movement-screen series by looking at trunk extension and what the entire body should be doing when you reach overhead or lean backward.We’ll break down:What trunk extension should look likeWhy extension isn’t just arching your lower backHow the thoracic spine, rib cage, pelvis, hips, shoulders, and even breathing contributeCommon compensations like lumbar hinging, rib flare, shoulder shrugging, and breath holdingWhy a “tight shoulder” may not actually be just a shoulder problemHow flexion and extension work together as part of a connected movement systemMost importantly, we’ll continue practicing something I want coaches, trainers, therapists, athletes, and anyone interested in movement to get better at:Observe before you correct.🎯 This Week’s Movement Challenge:Watch three people reach overhead. Don’t just watch their hands. Look at the entire body.Where does the movement begin?What stays quiet?What moves too much?What surprises you?And remember: compensation isn’t necessarily failure. It’s information.If you want a simple way to start observing and tracking movement for yourself, your athletes, or your clients, check out the Movement Tracker If you found this episode helpful, please consider leaving a review or sharing with someone who is also interested in learning to move better.
- Aug 6, 202612 min
Episode 168: Trunk Flexion: Why Bending Forward Isn't Bad for Your Back
Most people have been told to "lift with your legs" and never bend their back.But is that really how the body was designed to move?In this episode, we take a closer look at trunk flexion—one of the most important movement patterns we use every day. From tying your shoes to picking something up off the floor, bending forward is a normal and necessary part of healthy movement.You'll learn:Why trunk flexion is essentialWhat a normal toe touch should look likeCommon movement compensations to watch forhy flexibility isn't always the problemHow I assess movement to determine whether someone needs more mobility or more stabilityDue to technical difficulties, this week's episode is presented in an audio-first format with movement demonstrations and educational visuals added throughout.Whether you're a coach, trainer, therapist, cheerleader, or simply someone who wants to move better, this episode will help you begin seeing movement differently.Download the Movement Tracker to start observing your own movement patterns.
- Jul 30, 202612 min
Episode 167: Movement Is a Conversation—Are You Listening?
Movement Leaves Clues.What if the way you move is telling you more than where you hurt?In this episode of The Cheer Athlete Podcast, I explain why movement is more than pass or fail—it’s information. Whether you're a coach, trainer, therapist, athlete, or someone simply trying to move better, learning to observe movement differently can change how you coach, treat, and train.We'll explore:Why every movement pattern tells a storyWhat compensation really means (and why it isn't always bad)The four questions I ask when assessing movementWhy looking at multiple movement patterns reveals more than focusing on one painful areaHow changing the way you observe movement can improve performance and reduce injury riskRemember:Compensation isn't bad. Compensation is information.This episode is the first in a new series where we'll begin breaking down individual movement patterns and what they reveal about how the body works as a connected system.⬇️ Resources✅ Download my FREE Movement Tracker 💪 Learn more about the Move Better AppIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a coach, trainer, therapist, parent or athlete who wants to understand movement on a deeper level.Movement leaves clues. The better you learn to read them, the better you'll move.
About The Cheer Athlete
REAL talk about ways to progress in cheerleading, reduce injuries and stay healthy and fit for life. Laura Turner is The Cheer PT. She cheered thru college, while becoming a physical therapist. She has coached both high school and college. Later, her doctorate studies in physical therapy included a final project about cheer injuries and how movement screening may reduce the risk. She is passionate about keeping cheerleaders healthy so they don't lose time at school or with their friends and team. And she LOVEs seeing all the progress cheerleaders continue to make. Are you ready? Let's GO!
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