The Denver Broncos Cheer Squad Are All Work—and Play

Darian, Dee and Sara are members of the Denver Broncos cheer squad who will put you through your paces on the Denver Broncos Fitness Challenge. 24Life also found out how incredibly passionate they are about their team, fans and fun.

24Life: You have 24 minutes—what’s your go-to workout?

Darian: I try to do anything to get my heart rate up! Burpees, mountain climbers, jump squats. These are things I like to incorporate to get a quick sweat!

Dee: A few rounds of Sun Salutations or warm-up yoga flow, with some push-ups, squats and mountain climbers!

Sara: Twelve minutes on the elliptical, 12-minute weight circuit.

24Life: What’s your favorite move? Least favorite?

Darian: My least favorite exercise would have to be squats. I struggle with form, but it’s super important to incorporate into your weekly workout.

Dee: I love squats and bodyweight exercises, and I’m partial to burpees!

Sara: My favorite workout move is a goblet squat; my least favorite is a triceps dip.

24Life: What food could you not live without?

Darian: One food I could not live without are donuts! Yum!

Dee: Cue Oprah—I love bread.

Sara: I could not live without pesto. I put it on everything—rice, chicken, fish, pasta, turkey. I love it!

24Life: What’s your power-up song or artist?

Darian: I love watching “Friends” when I am on the stair stepper or doing cardio. When I’m lifting, I love listening to Selena Gomez and Halsey.

Dee: Can’t help but jam to Bruno Mars or some JT!

Sara: I love listening to Ariana Grande when I really need a push for my last few minutes on the treadmill or elliptical. Oddly enough, I like to listen to slow music when I’m lifting because it keeps my pace slower, allowing me to focus on my form.

24Life: What’s your secret to making every day game day?

Darian: I believe one secret to making every day game day would be staying positive. Negativity can eat away at your experiences and interactions. Focusing on the good is one way I make every day game day!

Dee: Starting the day with gratitude, putting in 110 percent into my day and making connections! Smiles and high-fives are a must!

Sara: Eating to fuel my body. I can tell if I haven’t had enough water throughout the day or I ate something that wasn’t necessarily fueling the night before. Someone once told me if you make a bad food choice several days in a row and you can really feel it during a workout, write down how you feel so you can remind yourself why you don’t want to eat that way. I also stay active every single day. Even if it is just a 30-minute walk with my dog, I try to get up and move at least once a day.

24Life: What inspires you most about the work you do?

Darian: What inspires me to work out is wanting to be the healthiest, most fit version of myself. Working out also makes me feel super accomplished.

Dee: The people from the community I have gotten to meet have been my favorite thing about being a Denver Broncos cheerleader; meeting those making an impact and connecting with people who do good work is unparalleled to anything else! The Broncos #BeAChampion initiative empowers, uplifts and champions people, and it has yielded the most inspiring, humbling and fun experiences—whether it’s building a house with a group of women, speaking with elementary school students about passion, Children’s Hospital visits, mentoring our Junior Cheer program, planting a garden with the Boys & Girls Club, meeting blood donors—the list goes on!

Sara: I made a visit to Craig Hospital right after Super Bowl 50 to visit a huge Broncos fan who woke up just in time to see us win the Lombardi [Trophy]. He was so strong and so excited to meet us. I love bringing people joy and meeting individuals in the community. We have this ability to make a difference, and seeing the differences take place is a joy you cannot explain to people.

24Life: What’s your surefire stress buster?

Darian: Getting on the stair stepper for 20 to 30 minutes or heading to a yoga class with some friends—those are sure ways to alleviate some stress.

Dee: Deep breaths, meditation, a good stretch or a salt bath—self-care, y’all! Tea and a book does wonders, too.

Sara: Vinyasa flow yoga. If I feel myself getting stressed or sick, I always stop what I am doing and find my closest yoga class. It brings me back to a place of gratitude and self-awareness.

24Life: What’s a fun fact that would surprise people about you?

Darian: I’m not sure why but it surprises many people that I’m left-handed!

Dee: I’ve traveled to 24 countries!

Sara: I cook at least five nights a week. I’m not good at meal prepping and don’t like to eat out, so I cook almost every night. It brings me so much joy and is something I love to do with family and friends.

24Life: What do you do professionally aside from being a cheerleader?

Darian: Aside from being a cheerleader, I am also a licensed insurance agent, I teach dance and I work as a software developer. I love being able to teach dance as well as perform for audiences on a regular basis. I feel blessed that I can continue to do what I’m passionate about daily.

Dee: I’m a graphic designer by trade and run a side hustle of my eco-friendly paper goods and stationery line!

Sara: I am a construction controller. It is a really challenging and creative career. I love seeing buildings develop from beginning to end.

Editor’s note: 24 Hour Fitness is hosting a Denver Broncos takeover with Broncos workouts, giveaways and more. Visit 24hourfitness.com/membership/24life/events/ to find a participating club near you.