More Than “Just Breathe”: How Cheerleaders Can Use Breath as a Performance Tool

More than “just breathe.”

Use breathwork to improve your performance.

Breathwork Basics

Breathing advice is often thrown around in sports: “Just breathe!” But for athletes—especially cheerleaders performing under pressure—that oversimplification doesn’t cut it.

Whether you’re performing a high-stakes tumbling pass or trying to stay focused in front of a roaring crowd, intentional breathwork can be one of the most powerful, underused tools in your mental skills toolbox.

In this post, we’ll explore how cheerleaders can use breathwork to improve performance, regulate emotion, and stay grounded—both on the competition mat and the sidelines.

Why Breath Matters in Cheerleading

You already breathe. But are you using it intentionally?

Here’s what I ask athletes all the time:

• “When do you use breathing techniques during practice or performance?”

• “Do you connect your breath to your focus—or is it automatic?”

• “Does it actually help?”

Even the most advanced athletes often overlook just how much control they have over their breath—and how much influence it has over their mental state, focus, and physical readiness.

Breathing is the bridge between mind and body. When you regulate your breath, you send signals to your nervous system that you’re safe. That’s the secret: calm breath = calm body = clear mind.

Have you ever stubbed your toe and held your breath from the pain—and it hurt worse? But when you breathed through it, it passed more quickly? That’s your nervous system responding.

What Breath Actually Does to Your Body

Here’s the physiology behind it:

When you’re stressed—whether it’s a tight competition, a tricky skill, or a tense coach interaction—your sympathetic nervous system kicks in. That’s your “fight or flight” mode. It triggers:

• Increased heart rate

• Muscle tension

• Shallow, fast breathing

• Tunnel vision and poor focus

But deep, controlled breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system—your “rest and reset” mode. That means:

• Better focus and decision-making

• Improved communication and coordination

• Emotional regulation

• A looser, more powerful physical performance

Breathing puts you back in the driver’s seat of your body—and your performance.

Diaphragmatic Breathing: The Foundation for Athletes

Most athletes breathe into their chest under pressure. But that actually keeps your nervous system activated.

Instead, practice diaphragmatic breathing (also called belly breathing):

• Place one hand on your chest, one on your stomach

• Inhale slowly—let your stomach rise, not your chest

• Exhale just as slowly—release tension with it

• It’s not a race: breathe in as much as is comfortable

• Nose or mouth? Doesn’t matter—choose what works

This is the simplest and most powerful breathing technique for athletes, especially in high-impact, high-stress sports like cheerleading.

Personalizing Breathwork for Cheerleaders

Everyone responds differently—so here’s how to make breath training stick.

Ask yourself:

• Are you more visual?

• Do you prefer cues you can say out loud?

• Do you like movement or stillness?

Here are some ways to anchor your breathing:

Sensory Anchors

• Color breathing: Inhale a calming color, exhale a stressful one

• Word breathing: Inhale “focus,” exhale “calm”

• Body scan: Feel your belly rise, air in your nose, temperature shift

Visualization Add-ons

• Leaves on a stream: Let thoughts float past

• Belly balloon: Expand/contract with each breath

• Warm light: Picture warmth traveling through your body as you exhale

The more personalized the breath practice, the more likely you’ll actually use it in real time.

When to Practice Breathing Techniques

If you only try breathwork when you're stressed, it may not work as well.

You need to train it in calm moments first, so it becomes automatic under pressure.

Try breathing exercises:

• Before bed

• On your walk to class

• During warm-up

• Before a tumbling pass or a stunt

• Between quarters or routine sections

One athlete I worked with trained himself to take a deep breath every time he walked through a doorway. Eventually, it became an automatic reset cue—even under pressure.

Cheer-Specific Breath Tips

For Game Day Cheerleaders

• Use breath to:

  • Focus before a tumbling pass or pyramid

  • Reset between quarters

  • Calm nerves if a crowd or situation feels overwhelming

  • Ground yourself during transition moments or distractions

Breathing gives you space to think—and respond with intention, rather than panic.

For Competitive Cheerleaders

• Use breath:

  • Right before you walk onto the mat

  • In tiny built-in moments (before a stunt, before tosses, before dance counts)

  • To recover and reset after a mid-routine mistake

  • To avoid spiraling into self-doubt or fear

Breathing keeps you in the present—not stuck in a mistake or a what-if.

Final Takeaway: Breath as a Mental Skill

Breathwork isn’t just a fluffy relaxation tip—it’s a high-impact, low-effort mental skill for cheerleaders at all levels. You don’t need equipment. You don’t need a lot of time. All you need is intention and practice.

You can’t always control the crowd, the coach, or what happens during a routine—but you can control your breath.

What’s one moment this week where you’ll try intentional breathing?