Train2Cheer Strength and Conditioning

NOTE: I received a free review copy of this workout from the publicist.

As the title of the DVD suggests, Train2Cheer is a workout designed to help cheerleaders enhance their cardio and muscular endurance in order to improve their cheerleading performance. The non-stop, high impact workout is choreographed to an energetic soundtrack featuring many well-known artists such as Jordin Sparks, RuPaul, and The Black Eyed Peas; in fact, a separate music CD soundtrack is included. The workout is taught by Stacey DelPreore; Stacey is joined by two background exercisers, Allison Guarneiri and Ryan Jackson. The three are exercising on a elevated platform in front of a live, participatory audience of about 20 teenaged young women.

Stacey offers both a short introduction as well as a technique introduction section which reviews some of the moves included in the workout. The Main Menu appears as follows: Play Workout from Beginning - Track by Track - Play Exercise Techniques (6.5 minutes) - Replay Introduction - Play Bonus Track-Lower Body

There are 10 Total Tracks, plus the Bonus Lower Body track. I have listed each track (names are as given on the back of the DVD case), provided approximate times, and offered a brief description of each.

TRACK 1, WARM UP (5.5 MINS)
Stacey begins with step-claps, moving into step-punch and the step-curl. She adds in a march forward and back and side steps with "touchdown" arms.

TRACK 2, LOW IMPACT CARDIO (4 MINS)
Although this segment was described as "low impact," Stacey starts right in with jogs with pom-pom arms and eventually goes to jumping jacks. (A cue does appear on screen saying that you can keep the moves on the ground if you wish.) Other moves include grapevine with a squat a grapevine with a jack.

TRACK 3, HIGH INTENSITY CARDIO (3.5 MINS)
This section starts with a gallop from side-to-side, adding in high knees and cross-jacks.

TRACK 4, MIXED INTERVAL (4.5 MINS)
Here Stacey moves through a little interval: alternating step front kicks, step side knee with grapevine, alternating knees, straight leg front kick, jogs, side leaps, and jack squats; the sequence is repeated several times.

TRACK 5, UPPER BODY (4.5 MINS)
For this segment, Stacey is alone on stage, and she leads the group through several sets of push-ups. She begins with walking full-arm plank, then moves into push-ups. After a brief stretch, she repeats this sequence several times.

TRACK 6, EXTREME CARDIO (3.5 MINS)
This cardio sequence starts with heels up, jogs, shuffles with "V" arms, and single knees up; again, the sequence is repeated several times.

TRACK 7, EXPLOSIVE REFLEX (5.5 MINS)
Stacey adds plyometric movements to this segments. She begins with small hops side-to-side. Moving in rounds, she performs jogs, jump squats, and jump lunges. For the final round, Stacey concludes with squat thrusts (aka burpees) and mountain climbers.

TRACK 8, JUMP CARDIO (4 MINS)
This section starts with "tick tock" (heel taps). This is followed by a moving knee repeater forward, a ski jump side to side, and finally, spread eagle jumps.

TRACK 9, CORE (3.5 MINS)
Stacey and crew head to the floor here for several variations on crunches, including both bent and straight leg versions.

TRACK 10, STRETCH & FLEXIBILITY (3.5 MINS)
The stretches begin on the floor for moves like reclined twist and seated straddle. Eventually, Stacey moves to standing to conclude with a few additional stretches such as the standing quad stretch and triceps stretch.

BONUS LOWER BODY (4 MINS)
Stacey is again alone here, with no background exercisers and no audience. She starts with static rear lunges, also performing rear lunges and repeater knees. After performing several sets on the same side, she switches to the other leg. She concludes the workout with a few brief sets of squats/pulsing squats.

Although I found this workout fun and different to do once, it is not something I would do regularly, in part because the cardio was too high impact for my liking, and in part because as a 40-something home exerciser, I am clearly NOT the intended audience. However, I DO think that this DVD could be quite effective if used as a training tool for cheerleaders, dance teams, or even as part of high school gym classes. With those caveats, I would recommend the workout.

Instructor Comments:
I thought Stacey was quite good as an instructor. She led well and showed a lot of excitement/enthusiasm, but she was more athletic than "bubbly." She offered very good mirrored cuing. My only problem with the instruction was that she did not seem to understand the meaning of "low impact," as the low impact segment of the workout included jogs and jacks! Also, although instructions for modifying to low impact appeared on-screen, it would have been very nice to have one of the two background exercisers showing these modifications--this workout might be mainly intended for young women, but they can get injured and need modifications too.

Beth C (aka toaster)

This is a 45 minute cardio w/o with a long pushup set and some good core work. Stacey works out on a stage with 2 others in front of an audience who work out with them. You wont need any equipment for this workout. Stacey offers some lower impact modifications for many exercises. This is basically a solid hi-lo aerobic workout- I didnt see anything "cheer leader" related (which is good in my book). The music is very good.

Each song is its own little routine- though I would def not say this is a TIFT workout. Exercises include: jacks, jogging, hi knees, double side step, criss cross jacks, shuffle, burpees, plyo lunges, plyo squats, star jumps, heel jacks, grapevine, aerobic kicks, knee pulls, one long pushupset and concludes with core work and a stretch.

I rate this a solid to high intermediate. The beats per minute are very fast but the exercises are not complex so I had no trouble keeping up. Very athletic in nature with some good old fashioned hi-lo mixed in. I like Stacey- very high energy but not overly so. I received this dvd to review.

lindseylu8

Full disclosure: I received a free review copy of this workout.

Train2Cheer is a workout designed for cheerleaders by Stacey DelPreore, a personal trainer who used to be a cheerleading instructor. Apparently, she is fairly well-known in the cheerleading world. This workout that she created is a high energy, high impact workout is choreographed to a a great soundtrack featuring many well-known artists; and a soundtrack CD is included with the DVD.

The workout is led by Stacey DelPreore and she is joined by two background exercisers. They lead the workout from an elevated platform in front of a live audience of cheerleaders (at least, I assume they are cheerleaders since Stacey talks to them in those terms) and they exercise with the instructors. Sometimes, you can see the first few rows of exercisers and sometimes you can't. It depends on the camera angle.

There are 11 songs - 10 in the main workout, plus a bonus lower body option. Below is a listing of the tracks with the song and some description:


1 Type of Segment: Warmup
Song: Battlefield
Notes: Low impact moves to get the heart moving

2 Type of Segment: Low Impact Cardio
Song: True Believer
Notes: They lie. It is NOT low impact. I hate it when video instructors have no clue about what low impact is. They meant lower intensity.

3 Type of segment: High Intensity Cardio
Song: I Believe
Notes: High impact and high intensity

4 Type of segment: Mixed Interval
Song: Apologize
Notes: Mixed intervals, all cardio

5 Type of segment: Upper Body
Song: Stay
Notes: Planks and push ups

6 Type of segment: Extreme Cardio
Song: Alone
Notes: High impact and high intensity

7 Type of segment: Explosive Reflex
Song: Look At Me Now
Notes: Plyos. INcludes burpees and mountain climbers

8 Type of segment: Jump Cardio
Song: Everywhere
Notes: Cardio with differnt types of jumps

9 Type of segment: Core
Song: Champion
Notes: Abs and core work on the floor

10 Type of segment: Stretch & Flex
Song: The Climb
Notes: Floor stretches move to standing stretches

Bonus Type of segment: Lower Body
Song: I Gotta Feeling
Notes: Lungest and squats


In several of the songs, Stacey leads you through a sequence and then that sequence repeats several times. Sometimes, the sequence will be changed in later rounds during that song. Once you finish with a song though, you never go back to those moves.

I really wanted to try this workout because of the great music. However, it is not something I decided to keep because the cardio was too high impact. Given I'm 48 years old and never was a cheerleader before, this workout was definitely not designed for me. However, I think anyone who likes high impact/intense workouts AND good music might want to consider this workout because it delivers a good workout. Can you ignore the cheerleading references like I could? If so, it might be for you.

Instructor Comments:
She comes across as extremely competent and passionate about her mission.

Laura S.