The better sport..., gymnastics vs. cheerleading Options

[unfortunatekiwi]

so...i was looking at the cheerleading vs. dance thread and i decided to make this one. my personal choice is gymnastics. i'm currently a level 7 in the sport and i do it competitively. which do you like better? i completely disagree with anyone that claims that cheerleading is dance and gymnastics combined because that is totally un-true. i've met millions of cheerleaders who used to be gymnasts and they actually quit because gymnastics was too hard and cheerleading was easier. i don't see any cheerleaders doing standing full twisting layouts over a 4 inch piece of wood that's four feet off the ground or doing release moves on bars. do you?

[mouse_3k]

gymnastics i guess..i hate cheerleading so i guess gymnastics got my vote.

[sugarcultluver]

i hate cheerleading and i watch gymnastics r the Hamm brothers so yea i'd go with gymnastics.

[unfortunatekiwi]

i hate cheerleading and i watch gymnastics r the Hamm brothers so yea i'd go with gymnastics.

the hamm brothers are amazing. ^_^ definitely 2 of my favorites out of the guys side of the sport.

[silver-rain]

eh, i like gymnastics better. i've been watching it on the olympics, and it looks pretty tough.

[dani41790]

i did both and i think gymnastics is better

[islandkiss]

gymnastics is a better sport.

[MusicalAngel]

I've helped coached both, and i do have to say that its completely different. Cheerleaders have to take gymnastic lessons too to get the twists and layouts that they do and they have the difficulty of wow-ing the crowd. They also do their routines 20 feet in the air and trusting ONE person to not drop them. Gymnastics on the other hand... they do more routines... but they also don't fly 20 feet in the air and hope that someone will catch. Strength wise, gymnastics is harder in my opinion. But emotionally... cheering is harder. Because they have to WOW the crowd and pray that someone doesn't drop them or that someoen doesn't move because everything will tumble if they do move. Gymnastics is hard on strength i do have to admit. Conditioning is a MUST... i admire both groups of girls. They're both really strong. Gymnasts have to worry about catching the bar and landing back on that four inch beam... so both is difficult and both earn my respect

[*CEP*]

Cheerleading's a sport?
hahahaha

I go for gymnastics. Because even people who aren't gymnasts consider that as a sport. Unlike the latter.

- Chinkieeyedpnoi

[xx angelbabu xx]

i go with gymnastics.. cheerleaders just annoy the hell out of me..

and gymnasts do cooler flips and stuff...

[*thesweetescape*]

My sister did gymnastics for 11 years and quit just before going elite because it was too much for her at the time, her being so young and stuff. I would go to the gym almost every day during her workouts and cheerlearders practiced there too. In my opinion, gymnastics is a better sport. It's a lot more disciplined and instead of just wowing the crowd, they learn how to do tumbling/jumps/etc. correctly, instead of just for show. When some of the cheerleaders-turned-gymnasts came to my sister's gym, they had to learn their tumbling all over because they were taught in a way that could eventually harm their bodies if they did it for too long...

[JustPeachy]

definatly gymnastics. i did it for 7 years and now i regret that i quit :unsure:also i HATE cheerleading i think it is so stupid and it is NOT a sport

[x emo screamo x]

gymnastics.... Cheerleaders are evil

[sweetdreamsx3]

Cheerleading's a sport?
hahahaha

Lol, agreed. I go with gymnastics. :D

And cheerleaders aren't evil. Just make a nasty comment and that'll shut them up.

[s0emotionalx3]

Im a cheerleader but actually if you ask me.. i like both even though ive never done gymmastics because you need to work a lot at it. And for some cheerleading moves, you do need parts of gymnastics but not all so it's not a must i guess. So I like both..

And yes cheerleading IS a sport.

[inthemudhole]

Softball, man.
SOFTBALL.

[TrannieL]

Gymnastic is better~

// EDIT: wait, cheerleading is a sport??

- Tran -

[sweetdreamsx3]

wait, cheerleading is a sport??

I don't think it is, but that's just me. And then here comes some people arguing again....

[rOckThISshYt]

i'm not a gymnist, but there's no way in hell cheerleading is better. i think it takes more talent to be a gymnist, and at least they're not cheering people on. they're actually going out there and doing it themselves. you know?

[[2]realisticx]

gymnastics totally..i mean cheerleading's ok..but you don't really do much.. gymnastics is a lot better to watch too

[AMBERLY07]

WELL THERE IS A LOT OF GYMNASTICS IN CHEERLEADING!

[mznikki]

used to do gymnastics when i was a kid and always liked it better than cheerleading. sorry

[*Infinite.*]

I would much rather do gymnastics, I use to do that when I was little anyway.

[KissMe2408]

Cheerleading all the way


=MOVED TO SPORTS=


boy a lot of cheerleading topics today.

[espressive]

Gymnastics, definitely.

Cheerleading, for the most part, is just "cheering", hence the title of the sport. Though there is some gymnastics incorporated into it as well as pyramids and whatnot, gymnastics require more skill, in my opinion. In gymnastics, their floor routines would kick a cheerleader's ass, since that is not always the primary focus as a cheerleader. A cheerleader's purpose is to entertain, unless it's competitive cheerleading, so it's not as skill oriented as opposed to being a gymnast. Plus, I think gymnasts are more versatile, as they have training in floor routines, bars, rings, etc.

But I guess it depends on how you define "better". I chose gymnasts because I think that skillfully, they are better.

[xourzestt]

awww.. You guys are meanies because your like stario typing that anyone who is a cheerleader is one of those ditzy blondes.

[espressive]

awww.. You guys are meanies because your like stario typing that anyone who is a cheerleader is one of those ditzy blondes.

And you're stereotyping all of us to thinking that way.... if that made sense.

[Serendipity]

I like gymnastics. I think gymnasts are very talented - I love watching them on TV (doing the uneven bars, beam, vault, etc.). Plus I used to do gymnastics myself.

[alysaphobia]

i don't really think people who haven't done both can put out a strong opinion on how one is so much better than the other, because they wouldn't really know by experience. so for the people who've said that you don't do much in cheerleading/it's easy... no it's not. i've done both and i think they're equally hard at a competition level.

anyways...neither sport is better than the other, you just can't really make a comparison like that because it's up to personal preference. i like gymnastics more though.

[cheri_pi]

With cheerleading you won't be made fun of by all those people who hate cheerleaders...

Not that I know anyone like that... *sarcastic*

[angelrevelation]

gymnastics takes a lot more hard work and practice, and it's more strenuous (sp?) so i'd pick that.

[showstopper!]

not all cheerleading is just a bunch of screaming girls.
we need bothto get to regionals & the nationals. [competitions]
it takes a lot of dedication and strength.
plus, we need tumblers/gymnists on the team.
therefore, i don't really have descision.
i like both.
Oh and I completely disagree with the starter of this topic saying we don't have to stand on a wood bar.
Try being no more than 15 feet off the ground trying to do twist-downs, cradles and only depending on 3 girls to catch you. It isn't that easy. Plus, some girls take tumbling classes.

[bonnyvae]

Gymnastics over cheerleading, anytime! Gymnastics is something you can strive to be good at, and if you really are good, ppl appreciate you for your skills, not your "hottness" in a cheerleading uniform.


Nuff sed.

[teacupcake]

I personally don't think that people that have NEVER done cheerleading shouldn't be saying anything. People that just THINK that cheerleading is all about hottness or anything is completely wrong. I would die if I was just depending on 1 person to catch me. Yeah. You can do a one man stunt.

[*suddenly she*]

awww.. You guys are meanies because your like stario typing that anyone who is a cheerleader is one of those ditzy blondes.

Obviously you haven't read all the posts...

And I guess some people here haven't been to cheer camps or performances, because the cheerleaders and whiteguard (that's what our school calls the "male cheerleaders") do a hell lot of gymnastics.

Cheerleading, or at least at my school, involves a lot of tumbling. For one of the last performances at cheer camp last year that a couple of my friends went to, they just had a giant mat in that stretched from one side of the gym to the other where they just did fulls and jazz back and forth. For the gymnasts who are all like "oh, but we walk a bar!", I'm pretty sure you guys don't balance yourselves on one leg on a guy's hand...

I'm just defending cheerleading. I don't have a preference between the two.

[Jinny]

gymnastics all the wayyy

[tokyo-rose]

I like gymnastics better, but both sports are pretty rigorous and require lots of practice.

[sykosrfr]

i love them both, but i would have to say cheerleading.
i love the feeling of preforming in front of people and being loud. and i agree with you about cheer not being like gymnastics.
in some ways they're the same, but in a ton of other ways they're different. gymnastics is way harder than cheer.
i mean cheerleaders tumble and &do amazing stunts with only one person holding them up and catching them but, they don't have to balance on that skinny beam, sprint then jump on a little trampoline and land a full, they don't pull themselves up and over bars over and over again, and they definately don't work six hours a day [[or more]] everyday to get better at their sport.

[gelionie]

I think gymnastics.
There's hardly any proper cheerleading in the schools here.

[NgocQuyen]

i like gymnastics. :)

[loveylovely]

Gymnastics is actually more interesting to watch on TV. Except for those national cheerleading competitions that come on each year.. I guess.

[danifibble]

gymnastics, it's the basics.

[EmoEyelinerx]

Gymnastics I think is better. I use to take it but I dropped out becuase I wasnt haveing alot of fun. My favorite part was the bars (I loved jumping one to the other) I also liked learning backflips and that kind of thing

Plus, gymnastics is alot more fun to watch on tv.

[liever]

Alright. I am fair on both sides.
My sister is a gymnast and a cheerleader as well as I am.
I have been cheering for five years and a gymnast for six.

But it depends on which sanction of the cheerleading world you are talking about. Sure, full twisting layouts over a vault is hard, but try a triple full, hitch kick out of a basket toss with a lib reload scorp. In our routine for Nationals this year.

Not to mention theres an all-star competitive non high school and MSHSA sanctioned event.

There are multiple pluses and downfalls of both sports.
Cheerleading involves the same skills as Gymnastics has to have.
You have to have upper body strength for the tumbling, extreme leg strength for the stunting, and over all muscularship and body toning to be a true cheerleader. Or at least to acomplish the skills.

My squad, runs every day, two miles, an hour of conditioning at practice, which lasts four hours on our non-competition schedule.

If you're talking about most high school cheer squads, than yes, gymnastics can be. But if you're talking about all-star and or national consecutive ranking squads in high school, their harder.

Gymnastics involves a lot of the same skills, but cheerleading you have to hell, as well as be able to pelt yourself, over people, ten or more feet into the air while spinning, twisting, kicking, squeezing, and being prepared to fall on the floor any second.

Truth be told, out of a college level research report, cheerleading holds more injuries and yet holds the highest athletic rate in college and high school than gymnastics does.

Truth be told, I work harder than I do at my elite gym.

Yes, round off back handspring double pike is difficult, but so is doing that in a three minute routine, where your skill level depends on nineteen other people, you're yelling, throwing girls into the air, while you still manage to throw your own body multiple times into the air.

Catch my point?
Gymnastics is all an individual sport, the floor lasts typically 1.5-3 minutes. Depending on the level. You usually throw three tumbling passes, on a floor much smaller than a gym hard wood floor.
Your tricks are on a spring floor, which gives a false sense to cheerleaders since they have to throw the same exact tricks on a hard wood floor, in which dosnt give.

So heres a synopsis.

Gymnastics-
Spring floor
Conditioning
Tumbling
Dance
Technique
Jumps

Cheerleading-
Hard wood
Conditioning
Heavy lifting
Stunting
Tumbling
Hyper Extended Jumps
Dance
Technique
More Conditioning
Team Work
Trust


I personally feel, as having experience in both of them for multiple years, balancing on two feet on a beam three feet within the air while doing a back walk over into back hanspring step out with a round off twisting layout as a dismount I feel, is not harder than pelting a girl typically weighing from 104-145 10 feel into the air, shes flipping around while you follow her body, it falling to the ground while you're yelling, tumbling, dancing, and repeating the process.

Most people think cheerleaders as yelling and nodding their head but its much more complex and complicated.
It really depends on what you define 'cheerleading' as. There are non sanctioned high school squads that dont stunt or tumble that are called a cheerleading squad but then theres the all-star and national competing squads that blow them out of the question.

Thats just all girl stunts.
It goes much more in depth. College cheer you have four mans (two-three layered stunts), partner stunts like double cupies.

You tell me a full tuck up into a double cupie scorp isnt harder than flailing your arms around a bar, jumping up and down while doing giants?

So, as you can tell I, when I'm referring to cheerleading, am referring to the all-star or national competitive cheer squads.

Just thoughts of mine.
As I feel, cheerleading is more difficult than the elite gymnastics that I am ever so familiar with.
A perspective of mine.

Cheerleadings more in depth than gymnastics, more rules, requirements, team work, bonding, preparation, and over all skills that are needed to do it.

People underestimate.
I was overwhelmed when I transfered into my high school squad.
Not to mention I coach a Junior All-Star squad, composed of a few ex gymnasts.

I feel, you cant really judge cheerleading or speak about it unless you have done it personally, as an all-star or national ranking team mate, whom is able to tumble or unless you have judged it.

Falling from that high up can kill. More than off a eight foot high bar or three and a half high beam.

[dannyordinary]

I'd say gymnastics...just because you develop you flex and that's
good..and you do it a lot.
and chearleading (no offense)..why is that even a sport...so technically
if I jump up and down and have random outbursts then I am chearleading.

awsome

[liever]

and chearleading (no offense)..why is that even a sport...so technically
if I jump up and down and have random outbursts then I am chearleading.

awsome

Evidently someone doesn't fully grasp the concept of cheerleading.

My friend, I ask of you to try and lift a woman above your head and hold it for ten seconds while yelling, smiling, and nodding your head.

But like I said, you cant judge it unless you yourself have cheered or have had years worth of competition cheer experience.

Truth be told, its honestly harder than it looks.
I broke my ankle cheering last year. Cheering is more brutal than hockey. Or so the college stats say.

[winningaaa]

gymnastics

[Amaranthus]

Gymnastics: it takes more athleticism:)

[*Moderator*]

Without gymnastics, there is no cheerleading. I have the biggest fear of falling if I ever go out for cheerleading. Gymnastics it is!

[*IVIike*]

gymnastics they have to have a lot more flexibility