Skills & Drills – Top Girl Training Tips

Top Girl Training Tips

Whether you’re new to topping or the best top girl on your team, you probably have room to take your skills to the next level. And like all cheerleading skills, standing (or switching, spinning, flipping) on your teammates’ hands gets easier with practice. Here are some tips to improve your top girl game at any level.

Next level stretching:

Consistency is key here. While topping is not all about flexibility and body positions, stretching can only help body control and presentation in the air. You’re not going to get around pulling those heel stretches, so let’s make them better. No matter how flexible you may be, stretching every day will guarantee an improvement of your flexibility. Make sure to stretch both sides of your body evenly.

Already being compared to rubber bands? Kick it up a notch. Stretch and hold body positions that build up your muscles for as long as you can. Try to kick up your heel stretch without your hands, keeping your leg as high as you can hold it. Building muscle will give you more control and allow you to be sharper in the air.

Drills get skills:

One of the most important parts of topping is understanding where you’re standing. Recognize how to stand on certain parts of your foot, so that you are ready to stand on any grip your bases have. This can be done easily if you relate top girl movements to your daily movements. For example, standing up quickly in a straight up lib can be similar to stepping up into a big truck.

Think you’ve got control? Try focusing on where your weight is in a spinning stunt. Distinguish the part of your foot that you’re putting pressure on, and then shifting your weight once you feel your side base get a grip on your left foot. The more you understand what you’re doing up there, the easier it is to get consistent and improve.

Performing your best routine:

Have fun when you’re up in stunts and pyramids! It’s the best way to perform well. Getting nervous is one of those things that we as top girls experience often. Bases get to look at each other, focusing on their technique, while tops have to try to focus while smiling at the audience. It may be difficult to focus on our skills during an adrenaline rush, but learning to have fun while performing is the key to keeping everything under control.

If you’re a performer who is already a rock star in front of others make sure to watch previous videos of yourself in routines. Try picking out small details that you can improve on and clean up. Keep your chin up and keep doing your thing!