Cleaning a Routine

With the competition season now underway, many coaches and teams are looking at ways to improve their score and better their competition placings.

Some teams will change their choreography, add new skills or make sweeping changes in order to dominate the competition - but the reality is many of these measures are often unncessary or unrealistic.

In most cases, simply CLEANING the material you have and ensuring that your team looks sharp and confidant on the floor is the BEST way to improve your overall impression and scores!

But how do we clean a routine? Why is is that some sections are so much easier than others? Why does it seem like some athletes will never be tight or hit that stunt as sharp as they could? We never said it would be easy -- but with a little work, some patience and attention your routines can look ABSOLUTELY FLAWLESS :):)

Here are some of our best tips:

1. Pay attention to detail
2. Every count COUNTS
3. Synchronize your movements
4. Consider your angles/levels/motion placements
5. Limit unncessary movement
6. Make sure that your transitions are seamless
7. Coordinate stunting approaches
8. Strive for symmetry and balance with routine flow/design
9. Tumble the SAME! Timing counts too! not just form : )
10. PERFORM! PERFORM! PERFORM!

Always remember that you score points for doing the same thing, the same time with as many people doing the same thing. Its important that your athletes recognize that they might have to change THEIR WAY to do what is best for the ENTIRE team. Standardization is key.

As a coach you need to be firm when taking out skills or routine parts that are imperfect or just not hitting consistantly. Don't settle for higher difficulty if it is not PERFECT. Set a higher standard of excellence!

When running routines it is important that you do different kinds of runs: Artistic (motions, dance, jumps, facials), Technical (stunts, tosses and pyramids) Tumbling (standing, running and Jumps) and Full out.

Balance these different routine runs to maximize efficientcy and to work your skills without tiring athletes.

Remember, a clean well performed routine will ALWAYS outscore a routine with higher difficulty performed sloppily!

Good luck! AND REMEMBER... cleaning is never easy or fun - but it is a necessity of our sport!