I wish I was as powerful as a teenage cheerleader

[JoeJustice]

We had a family get together this weekend and me being the big kid that I am, I usually end up horsing around with the sub 18 age group rather than sitting, sipping sweet tea on the porch and complaining about how hot it is. A couple of my cousins are High School cheerleaders, so they started to show me some of their tumbling skillz. I gotta say that if I had my druthers I think I'd be a tumbler/gymnast/acrobat rather than a big, beefy strong man. I wish I'd have gotten into something like gymnastics as a kid, flipping and flying all around and doing handstands just seems really cool to me.

One thing that did actuality catch me totally off guards was that my strength to bodyweight ratio was much higher than any of these amazing flipping and flying girls - despite the fact I outweigh them by 50lbs. After seeing them do a forward handspring I assumed that they more of less launched by using a lot of upper body strength. To my surprise none of them could do a handstand push-ups, or even come close. I can do 2/3 range for reps, but they could barely bend the elbows. Same with many other exercises. Various push-ups were difficult to impossible. Hindu Squats were VERY hard for them, which REALLY threw me; they had a very difficult time with their balance. And pull-ups? Forget it!

Yet here they were bouncing and flying as if gravity just didn't apply to them. I wish I could do that! But I guess any kind of physical activity whether it be a back flip or a push-up is really learned through practice, strength can only get you so far.

The highlight of the day for them was watching Ol' Uncle Joe try to do some tumbling. Gravity did, very much, apply to me.

-Joe

[VRT Man]

Joe, that's what I like to call 'manipulative energy.' When I was younger, I was simply amazed to see couples who were ice skating in the Olympics, or some other skating tournament, and see a relatively thin (but muscular) male skater swing the female up over his head, and hold her there, while he continued skating! The same can be said of male and female dancers, who are swung and lifted and twirled overhead and around and then let down. I used to think, "how in the hell does this guy have the strength to swing and lift anywhere from 105 to 130 lbs. over his head?"

Manipulative energy has a lot to do with a moving body. When a body is propelled in motion, the momentum helps one to achieve extraordinary athletic leaps and lifts. Take this individual by themselves, and their personal body strength may be no more than sub normal to normal; as far as Hindu squats, hand-stand PU's, rope climbing, pull-ups, and even strength for lifting dumbbells or a barbell.

But in the moments of acrobatic movement, the body is propelled at high rate of speed, and, in and of its own volition, can be propelled up into the air, and say, held aloft by the arms of a rather ordinary man. It's all in the movement of the body that this can all be accomplished.

Greg Mangan
VRT Man

[MikeNY]

Greg they use the same type of "manipulative energy" in Judo, JuJitsu and Kung fu as well as other Martial Arts. In Chinese Internal Boxing (Kung fu) they use a strike to push you straight up into the air; they practice pushing you upward and people literally are lifted straight up into the air. The Chinese call the skill "Uprooting" in Tai Chi, PaKua and Hsingi Internal Boxing. Once you are airborne and moving it is easy to direct that energy and push you backwards into a wall. The combat application is to lift you by striking you and injury you. In Judo they do not lift you up and over thier head, you literally fall over the top of the man throwing you, they are using that manipulative energy to direct your manipulative energy and thier body weight manipulative energy to project you into a throw. In both forms Kung fu and Judo the energy involved is thier weight in motion plus your body weight in motion and it is a powerful force.

[gruntbrain]

I wish I were as powerful as Bennyb

[JoeJustice]

Ice skaters and dancers are a really great example of this stuff too. I just wonder, is it possible to do this kind of stuff as an adult with not gymnastics background? I need to get me some mats and get to practicing!! :male-fighter2:

-Joe

[gruntbrain]

I like the idea of approximating some of the gymnasts activities. Makeshift gymnast rings provide a way. Iron Crosses aside, the novice can use "rings" to perform isometric stretches in an attempt to approximate the strength & flexibility of a gymnast. Such activity is a prequisite to attempting gymnastic moves

[JoeJustice]

I called around and there is a Gymnasium that works with adults in my area. So I'm going to give it a try. Should be fun.

-Joe

[gruntbrain]

I hope bennyb chimes in; I believe he's tried some age defying gymnastics

[Big Bear]

Greg,

I absolutely love your term for this! Not only is it 100percent spot on,but I like the other word you attached to Manipulative-'energy'.It is a very fine and elegant point to make,much like the various energies we use in Taiji.Well done Sir,that really resonated with me!

Joe,
As you know I work in a High School setting.Cheerleaders are some of the hardest working athletes out there nowadays.It is so different when I was in school(back when we had to use dino eggs for footbals,ha,ha).Cheerleaders now not only have their practice,but also take classes in gymnastics,tumbling,etc...They are very good athletes!
You will enjoy those adult classes,I have a friend that did the same and has really enjoyed his new found flexibility and strength.As you know they use the same sort of systems as we do for strength.

Great thread!

peace,
jason

[gruntbrain]

Real gymnastics : fraidy cats like me need not apply .

[JoeJustice]

Got my first tumbling class tonight. I'll let you guys know how it goes.

-Joe

[MikeNY]

Joe dare I even tell you the secret of thier powers? Think about this, Judo player's all wear a Judo Uniform, Kung fu folks all wear a Kung fu uniform. Teenaged Cheerleader's always wear a teenaged cheerleader unifrom, for workouts tiny, tight short shorts and a super tight t-shirt, and for events thier cheerleader uniform. :go-away: lol.

PS: Don't post photo's

[Hank_Z]

I wish I were as powerful as Bennyb

I wish I were as powerful as gruntbrain.

[gruntbrain]

Hank_Z
Seek a loftier goal; get strong like bennyb