True professional cheerleaders may be young girls and boys started at age 12 or younger and all the way up through their early twenties and older. Cheerleading is a sport all to itself these days, with competitions, grueling practices, choreographing, learning stunts, and routines. It is not easy work. A person cannot just up and declare they wish to be a cheerleader and then join the team and fit right in. They have to go through the training and practices first; they have to earn their spot on the team. Then just being on the team does not make them good, they have to practice and practice and train and condition in order to take their sport to the next level.

Cheerleaders have to first condition their body in order to perform the stunts, routines and dances to perfection. Conditioning the body means training, workouts, strength training especially. This type of training cannot fully take place at school, at the end of the football field. It has to take place at special training facilities and gyms that have personnel and equipment available. Without using such a facility and trained individuals to help, the cheerleader is at risk for injury or for not strengthening the correct muscles.

When using training facilities like gyms, there are always rules and regulations in place. These are not there to make your life harder; they exist to help gain the most out of the training sessions. Each cheerleader needs to be well disciplined and must adhere to all rules and regulations. This will help to build muscles and strengthen the body. Doing this will help the cheerleaders to perform the stunts and routines they do during their competitions and these are not for the faint of heart. It takes guts, stamina, and perseverance to achieve this.

Discipline of self is probably the number one needed attribute for a cheerleader. It takes discipline to eat right, discipline to carry through with the workout routines and training and discipline to stick with it and see it to the end. Major competitions are greuling and place a huge demand on the body. A cheerleader that performs well is conditioned, strong, and disciplined. Joining a gym for the training helps them to get that way, and is a necessary part of the competition success. Joining with a team helps to get along with the teammates and to get to know their strengths and weaknesses and in how to work with them to make the most of the competitions.