You can just focus for so long until your brain gets tired and when your brain gets tired, your performance will falter.  It’s similar to what happens when you’re working at your computer for too long – your computer freezes up and no matter what you do, nothing happens.  The only solution is to reboot your computer and then -magically – everything works again!

Well, the same concept works for your very personal computer – your brain.  Here’s what you can do so you can resume practice feeling refreshed: 

• Close your eyes and exhale slowly 2 – 3 times.
• Say to yourself, “I’m going to turn my mind off.” 
• With your mind’s eye, see a blank computer screen. 
• Unhinge your jaw. 
• Relax your tongue.
• Be still for 10 – 20 seconds. 
• Then open your eyes.
• Raise your chin above parallel.
• Start sending energy to your next objective or target. 
• Direct your full focus to the task at hand.
• Repeat as necessary 

This technique can come in handy when you become aware that things aren’t going well, when you find yourself going off track or – in the middle of a performance when everything is going south – fast!  In the latter case, you would need to alter the technique since it won’t do for you to close your eyes in front of an audience!  Try this instead: Exhale and say to yourself, “I’m going to turn my mind off,” and then, very briefly, envision a blank computer screen and then say to yourself, “Re-group and re-focus,” and resume your performance.

You know what it’s like: you zero in on one cheer routine or one stunt and do it over and over until you get it right.  But sometimes it seems the harder you try, the worse you do! 

Well, there’s a reason for that and it has to do with the science of concentration.  I won’t go into all the technical details here except to say that when you engage in narrow-focus attention for too long (like when you rehearse a cheer move over and over), it literally affects your brain!  

Yep – you see the brain is the master control panel for your mind and body and if you are stuck in narrow focus, this will induce changes in your muscle tension, breathing, and even the flow of neurotransmitters and hormones. 

You see, everything is influenced by how you pay attention. 

Now narrow focus serves a purpose.  It allows you to see and deal with urgent or important situations and so it can be helpful in the short run but if you stick with narrow focus, you’ll be revving up your brain in ways that aren’t healthy, leading to chronic stress problems. 

So, what can you do? You can take mini-vacations or “focus breaks” periodically throughout your cheer practice to offset the negative impact of too much time spent in narrow-objective focus. 

For example, make it a habit to occasionally pause during cheer practice and allow your eyes to gaze at some open space.  The open space can be a big blank wall or a ceiling.  Just take in the largeness of the space. The trick is not to zero in on any one object but to soften your gaze as you take in a sense of background or space. Exhale slowly three times while doing this.  This should not take too much time away from your practice and – you will return to it feeling more relaxed and refreshed. 

When you gently direct your gaze to and imagine feeling space, your brain will respond by changing its electrical activity.  In other words, you will be able to induce alpha waves which are associated with feelings of well-being. 

So, take a mini-break, gaze out a window, at a wall, at a ceiling, or close your eyes and visualize the vast expanse of sky or the ocean.  You’ll feel better and then you’ll be able to return to your cheer practice with the ability to perform at an optimal level.