Fitness Flash: Cheerleading

Health & Beauty

Who would have thought that cheerleading, a seemingly tame sport, could help you lose up to 600 calories in an hour?!

With pole dancing lessons becoming a bit old hat, there are now over 23,000 registered cheerleaders in the UK alone.

Sky sports presenter Georgie Thompson, who dates Declan Donnelly, loves cheerleading and hopes it will be taken as seriously in the UK as it is in the U.S.

Her company, "Iamsuperchick" aims to get more women involved in fun sports like cheerleading and has TV presenter and cover girl Kirsty Gallacher on its members list.

The "Superchicks" live by the motto Cocktails and Cardio and think that the only way to get women truly enjoying sport rather than thinking of it as a chore is to combine it with glamour, fun and... cocktails!

I decided to try cheerleading for myself and suggested to my friends that we go along to a session on one of our girls nights out.

To our surprise these Cheerleaders are normal women of all ages and all shapes and sizes- there for one purpose only to tone up and feel confident and sexy doing it. The cheerleading is taught in parks in the summer and nightclubs in the winter by the Unity Cheerleaders who can even be hired for hen parties.

The work out starts off slow, easing us into it, but before we know it we are two dance sequences through, singing along to everything from Rihanna to Cindy Lauper, laughing at each other and thoroughly enjoying ourselves!

By the end of it we are sweating but what better way to finish the night with a refreshing cocktail or two. We meet 30 year old Superchicks member, Teresa Westcott who eats and drinks as much as she wants but manages to maintain an amazing figure through cheerleading, "Its been fab! The whole atmosphere is great and you have a laugh whilst working really hard! I have lost weight, got rid of my bingo wings and feel more toned without realising how much work I've done!"

The night is a success but the next day we aren't so happy. We ache all over and so do our heads but all agree that cheerleading is a fun way to exercise and feel really toned after just one session.

To see the Unity Cheerleaders in action click here and ladies be prepared to be amazed at their moves! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RodrbC46gy4

And to become a Superchick like Georgie and Kirsty click here www.iamsuperchick.com