Is Cheerleading a Sport? (part 2)

So if you've been keeping up with my blog, which you probably haven't been, I recently wrote a post about whether or not I thought cheerleading was a sport. Well I only touched on the fact that I didn't believe that sideline cheerleading was a sport because it doesn't compete. However, I didn't get the chance to say that I strongly believe that competition cheerleading IS a sport. Please don't try to fight me on this one, I have done competition cheerleading before, so I know what it's like.
There are so many reasons why I believe that competition cheer is a sport, but let's just start with the time commitment. Competition cheer, depending on how extreme, can have 3-4 practiced a week, for 2-3 hours each. Also, on days you don't have practice there is open gym, which means a couple of hours working on stunts and tumbling. Then, when competition season starts, you spend the entire weekend at the competition. It's safe to say that these cheerleaders spend equal or more time training then every other sport.
Reason number 3 is that the skill and endurance it takes to be a competition cheerleader is intense. You have to work at it to be good, and it isn't an easy road to success. Tumbling and stunting and the dance component all take a great deal of training, you aren't just born with that kind of skill. You have to be in extremely fit to be able to tumble and do the tricks that these people do. Also, when stunting, the bases (people on the bottom of the stunt) have to have a great deal of muscle to hold a girl in the air for as long as they do and to throw and catch their flyers. Now the girl on top may seem like she has the easy job, but she too has to have a great deal of muscle and flexibility to hold her poses and keep her balance. Lastly, it takes a great amount of endurance to get through a 4 or 5 minute routine, of dancing, tumbling, and lifting/throwing people. I am a long distance runner and I remember breathing hard after my routine.
My last point is that they compete, and the judging isn't subjective. They are judged on the difficulty of their stunts and tumbling as well as the amount of facials they express. Competing is the part that really makes competition cheer a sport.
I also believe that school cheer squads that compete are considered a sport. Sideline cheer alone is not a sport, but competition cheer or competition cheer combined with sideline cheer should definitely be known and thought of as a sport.

Word Count: 451

Is Cheerleading a Sport?

I recently read a blog post done by one of my classmates about whether or not dance is a sport. I totally support her opinion on that by the way, dancers are athletes, but I do not believe that it is a sport because the judging is subjective. However, if you want to read more about that point of view then you will just have to read her post because that is not the topic at hand today. I have decided to discuss whether or not cheerleading should be considered a sport.
Okay, so let me just say that I am a cheerleader but I am also a cross country and track athlete, so I know the meaning of pain. However, the answer to whether or not cheer is a sport is slightly more complicated than a yes or no answer. Both sideline cheerleading (cheering on sports teams at games and events) and competition cheer (competing in competitions) are two totally different things to consider.
I have done sideline cheer for either football or basketball or both every year during high school, so I have plenty of experience with it. I'm sorry to say it, but sideline cheer is not a sport. It does not compete. It also doesn't involve any quantity of endurance or a large time commitment (two one and a half hour practices twice a week). Yes, cheerleaders lift people into the air and that takes some sort of muscle and skill, but if you are not competing, then I don't believe it can be considered a sport. I see it as more of a hobby, or an extra curricular activity, or a club. It's not something that you have to put effort into for years and years to be great. It just takes a nice smile, some school spirit and a little bit of flexibility.
Now please don't be offended if you are a sideline cheerleader, because I am one and I think that it is something to be proud of. Just because I don't believe that it's a sport doesn't mean that it isn't accomplishment to be a part of a sideline cheerleading team. I am simply saying that I don't believe that it is a sport because it does not compete, that's all. Now competition cheerleading is a completely different story, but you will have to read my next post to find out my opinion on that.

Word Count: 411

Seeing is Believing.. or not

Most people have seen advertisements at one time or another of a weight loss pill that miraculously helps you drop 30 pounds, with no other dieting. You may have even seen the transformation that real people experienced by using this substance. Well don't be so quick to believe every ad you see, because recently, a few weight loss companies were charged for false advertising.

Yes, everyone wishes that they could take a pill and all of their weight problems would just disappear, but it's not that easy. If it really worked, then why isn't everybody already doing it? How come this magical pill isn't all over the market selling like wild fire? My guess is that it doesn't work as the companies make it out to be. Of course, most companies stretch the truth a little bit when they advertise, but I think this has gone too far. Nothing you see on the internet or television can be trusted anymore, which is sad but true. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out when a company is trying to deceive you though, which was proven by many girls on social media.

I have seen things on twitter, which is what actually sparked my thought about this. Some people on twitter decided to show everyone why they shouldn't trust these weight lose pill advertisements by demonstrating how you could "lose 15 lbs" in 15 minutes with a few easy steps. All it took was a new outfit and a fix in their posture, and boom, they look 15 lbs skinnier. It's upsetting to think about how many times I have probably been tricked or deceived in my life. This is just one thing that companies advertise falsely. I am sure that skin care commercials and cellulite and wrinkle cream commercials can be equally deceiving. If the company's product doesn't work, then instead of going through the trouble of lying to us, they should put forth the effort to make their product better. 

It is too bad that there is no sort of weight loss pill that actually helps you lose weight without diet and exercise, and it is also too bad that companies lie to us by saying that there is. So just remember, the next time you want to try out the newest weight loss pill, do your research and don't believe everything that you see on the internet.

Word Count: 406

Depression

Depression. A 10 letter word and a feeling that most of us don't like to admit that we are having. I'm sorry to break the news to you, but everyone is probably going to experience this at some point in their life. It is not anything to be ashamed of, but you should be aware of it and seek help if need be.
I know from experience how hard it can be to admit to yourself that you are experiencing signs of depression. Most people have been there, even if it was only for a short period of time. However depression can become a serious mood disorder if it last more than 2 weeks and it can be dangerous to your health.
My AP Psychology class is learning about mood disorders right now. I know that if you are depressed then you start having negative thoughts. Also, if you get into a deep depression, then it can become a vicious cycle. You need to be willing to accept that you are depressed and realize that it is nothing that you should be embarrassed about. Once you reach this point then you can get the help you need either from friends, family members, or a professional.
I don't think that a lot of people understand the consequences that can surround a mood disorder such as depression. One of the many consequences of long term depression is disturbed sleep. Just this one problem can lead to so many other complications, such as fatigue and becoming more susceptible to sickness. If you are depressed then you are really slowed down and every day that you are depressed, you are missing out on living your life to the fullest. Depression can be treated and it should be before it goes on for too long.
I myself have recovered from depression multiple times. I never had to seek professional help because I didn't let it get that far, I just talked to family and friends. After a while of that, it made me feel so much better. If you are passed the point of getting through it only through the help of friends and family, then I strongly encourage that you find help. Like I said before, depression is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about and you need to find help before it impacts your life any further.

Word Count: 394

My Favorite On-the-Go Breakfasts

If you are anything like me, then you are probably always in a rush to get out of the door on time every morning. no matter how early I get up in the morning, I never have time for breakfast, I am always in a rush. In the rush, you may forget the most important meal of the day, breakfast. If you skip breakfast, than you are missing out on many of its health benefits. This is why even if you are prone to running late, and you don't have time for a sit down breakfast, then you need to have a back up plan for when and where you are going to fit in your breakfast.
The great thing about breakfast is that it doesn't have to be much; it just has to be a little something that gets your metabolism moving in the morning. Keeping grab and go foods in your house can be super helpful. Anything from a banana or apple to a granola bar or an apple sauce cup. All of these items can be eaten on your way to school or work or right when you get there. They take little time to eat and will hold you over until lunch time.
Another thing that you could try is getting something ready the night before. You may not have time to stir together a smoothie in the morning (and if you do then you must really have your life together and I applaud you), but you do have time at night before you go to bed. Throw some fruit, yogurt and ice into a blender, then throw it into the fridge. In the morning you can drink it down while you are getting ready. You could also put some cereal into a bag if you are allowed to eat at your first hour class or at work. Sometimes I put some Honey Nut Cheerios into a baggie and put it into my backpack at night, that way, it is one less thing to worry about in the morning and I can have my breakfast when I get to school.
I am forced to live by both of these strategies because I am a perpetually late person every day of my life. Do what works best for you; as long as that means that you are eating breakfast instead of skipping it. Remember that it doesn't have to be anything big, just a little something to give you some energy for the start of your day.

Word Count: 419

Acceptance is Key

Bad days are unfortunately inevitable, but they do not define you as an athlete. Everybody has them and they aren't fun. But you have to know that the road to success isn't going to be easy and there are going to be days that are easier than others, it's just a fact. The best way of getting over a rough day is just accepting that that is what it was, it was just one bad day in between many good days.
So you show up to your track meet that day expecting to PR and then you get the worst time of your career. I am living proof that it can happen. Yep, yesterday I had a track meet and I was expecting so much from myself, maybe too much. I thought that I could PR, and instead my time was the slowest that I could ever remember myself getting. Days like this you may go through a few stages:
Stage 1: Tears
You are upset with yourself. So upset that you could cry, and maybe you do. It's perfectly okay, let it out. Wipe those tears away and get back up, remember that all you can do is improve for next time.
Stage 2: Rage
After you are over being upset about your time, you will probably just be mad at yourself. I know that I am. I just want to drop everything and quit. I hate that I ran slow and that I couldn't move faster. I'm just mad at the world at this point.
Stage 3: Acceptance
When you decide that the world isn't actually after you, and you forgive yourself for how you ran, you have reached the stage of acceptance. Accepting that sometimes days like this happen and you just have to work that much harder next time.
These are the phases that I go through after a bad race, maybe you don't, that's okay too. If you finish a bad race and right away accept that it is something every runner experiences then that is fantastic. However for the runners that struggle when they perform poorly, know that you aren't alone. The point is, after a race like I had yesterday, you must become accepting. It is the only way to get through the bad days. Every athlete has them, acknowledge it and move on.

Word Count: 394

Healthy Mind Healthy Body

Running has been my way of keeping fit and healthy for as long as I can remember, before I did it for a sport, I ran around my neighborhood for fun. Some may call me crazy when I say this, but I honestly just enjoy running. However most runners have other reason's and motives for going running on a regular basis. That reason is often to keep a nice body due to outside pressures.
Some may say that these thoughts are unhealthy, and maybe they are, I can't be the judge of that. I know that peer pressure can be a negative thing but what people don't realize is that it can also be positive. The right kind of peer pressure can even be healthy. The key is knowing when peer pressure is healthy, and when it has gone too far.
When all of your friends are running and eating healthy, that often causes pressure on you to get more exercise and eat healthier as well. This is an example of positive peer pressure. If your friends and peers are encouraging you to change your behavior so that you become healthier, that is okay. What is not okay is when your peers encourage you, maybe directly or even indirectly to change something about yourself that could cause damage to your health.
If your friends are trying to lose weight, and they over exercise and eat very little to achieve this, you need to realize that this is unhealthy and that you shouldn't fall into the same pattern. They may make comments about your weight or body type that causes you to want to do the same, that should be a red flag.
I think it is so important that kids realize that their peers can impact them positively as well as negatively. Remember that not all peer pressure is bad, and that it is okay to have friends that encourage you to improve your health. I have friends that pressured me into track and cross country. This is one of the best decisions, and healthiest decisions I have ever made, and it was because of peer pressure. So beware of negative peer pressure and be aware of positive peer pressure.

Word Count: 370