Parents Backward beam skills...fears?!

[meganliz77]

My DD has recently been struggling with back walkover and back handsprings on beam, as well as vertical handstand and cartwheel there for awhile...

She has never done a BHS on beam without a spot but was willing to try and could get it with spotting. I literally watched her body refuse to go back without a coach just placing their hand behind her-- didn't even need to touch her. Hand went away-- she wouldn't/couldn't do it. She had her BWO pretty solid this spring on high beam without a spot. Cartwheel and handstand issues crept up recently.

Last night after practice DD came out and told me the coach wanted her to do a BWO on high beam. She said she tried but couldn't make herself go backwards. She then asked for a spot. Coach said (according to DD) "just do it... You had it back in April just fine". After DD couldn't/wouldn't without a spot, she was sent to the hallway for 15 minutes or so. She was hurt, and couldn't really understand why she was sent away. Coach was gone pretty much all summer due to personal issues and i feel she may not fully understand that DD has been struggling with this for a couple months. I do have a great relationship with the coach and already touched base with her a few weeks ago about the handstand and cartwheel, but I'm not sure if I should reach out again, or let it be? I had considered inquiring about a private (rare at our gym) but know she is typically of the mindset not to make these things into too big of a deal or the problem could worsen... Which I understand...

Just looking to help DD In any way I can, while understanding that this is something she will probably just need to work through in the gym...

 

[meganliz77]

And is sending a gymnast to the hallway or away from skill area typical in these circumstances?

 

[gymjunkie]

I don't spot kids on beam, because it causes fear issues like this. She would do better to work on her own on a lower beam and move without a spot to the higher beams when she is ready.

 

[kayjaybe]

I don't think it is out of the norm to have the child step away from the skill/apparatus if they are working themselves into a state of frenzy over the skill. Once a kid gets really worked up, nothing productive is going to happen. But I see that more as a "it's OK. Take a break and a few minutes to collect yourself. We'll work on this next practice or later that day." If they are punishing over fear, that seems wrong.

Our gym also doesn't do much spotting on beam. They have you go back to the line on the floor, then the floor beam, then a cranked down beam, and eventually work to high beam rather than try to spot on the high beam.

 

[Kcanflip]

My kiddo is sadly regressing on this skill (bwo on beam) too. Her fear is so BIG now that it's all consuming. It's the 1 skill keeping her from a level 5 score out and doing level 6, which we have a floor routine for and everything. So I feel your pain. I've come to understand that she's going to have to work through this herself. When the desire to do the skill is greater than the fear it will happen. But it's dang frustrating!

 

[munchkin3]

I feel your pain.
I found this article helpful for me. My DD beam coach is luckily more of this type of coach, however, head coach is NOT.....head coach believes in 'doing it' no spot....period....

http://allgymnasts.com/16-ways-to-overcome-psychological-mental-block-in-gymnastics/

Just remember it's a process......it takes time......I have stopped talking about beam entirely.....

 

[Moxiegrl83]

Beam is tough. My DD went from doing her BHS's alone, to suddenly not going backwards at all. On any event. Dunno said it was vestibular, and it took about a month but all her skills came back. As much as we wanted to fix it, she had to figure it out and just wait. She's only 8, so there was no rush.

Her coach spots on the high beam for the first one or two, then they're on their own. If they won't throw, they go back down a step until they're ready. They can stack mats under the high beam too while they're learning. How old is your DD and what level?

 

[profmom]

Vestibular. The only cure is for her to do it where she can and wait for her system to mature. Privates will not help and could be counterproductive if they make her feel like it's an emergency. It passes, but sometimes it can take a long time. DD got stuck on handstand BHS for two years, which kept her back at L7. Everyone needs to lower the stakes and let her work through it on her own schedule.

The nice thing about gymnastics is that if you're badly stuck on one thing, there is always something else useful to be learned or improved.

 

[meganliz77]

Beam is tough. My DD went from doing her BHS's alone, to suddenly not going backwards at all. On any event. Dunno said it was vestibular, and it took about a month but all her skills came back. As much as we wanted to fix it, she had to figure it out and just wait. She's only 8, so there was no rush.

Her coach spots on the high beam for the first one or two, then they're on their own. If they won't throw, they go back down a step until they're ready. They can stack mats under the high beam too while they're learning. How old is your DD and what level?

She's a new 8 yo and level 4. Coach was on the fence about moving her to level 5 at the beginning of the season. She told me she was ready but really wanted her to have a successful level 4 at states first (she believes in strong fundamentals, foundation of basics, not rushing) so is planning to move her up to 5 in January after states in December.

My daughter is the type of gymnast that aims to please, takes corrections and puts them to work. I think she felt like coach was upset with her and she was hurt, when that likely wasn't the case at all. At times I think she may put too much pressure on herself, so I usually do my best not to add to that... Just support her, no advice etc.

I was wondering if this was vestibular... Hmmm... She has no issues on floor with BHS though...

 

[profmom]

My DD didn't either. Sometimes it only manifests on beam. The best thing you can do is help her to dial down the stakes.

 

[munchkin3]

Take the pressure off. It is important that they resolve this complicated issue, without additional stress from mad coaches, parents and upcoming level changes.....
I'm not saying your mad, but your DD may perceive disappointment.... Even though she is the one who's disappointed!!!! You know how it is when you feel self conscious about something, and it seems EVERYONE notices??? And it's all in your head???
Just tell her she'll get it, and to stop stressing.
We are in a pickle about BHS BHS.... There was stress, talking about it, meeting with the coaches, etc.
We ALL just stopped completely talking about it.... Now coach basically tells her towards the end of beam, ok, start down low.... Spot for the first few.... Move up a beam.... Spot a few..... While this is going on, no stress, no pressure... It's like conditioning.... If it's not a good day, then finish and move on.
Little by little.... She's back to doing it on the low beam.... She put a couple on the higher beam with spot..... Good enough.....
We are NOT talking about levels, or competitions right now....I don't ever ask about that skill anymore.

 

[LJL07]

Ahhhh! I wish I had seen this! I just posted almost the exact same question in the WAG forum. LOL! Also 8 year old level 4. She will not, and I mean will not do her back walkover on high beam. Slightly more comfortable with back handspring. Zero issues whatsoever tumbling on floor. In fact does ridiculously well with that. She's getting fussed at too for not doing the walkovers and BHS. I'm so over it. I have nothing to offer but commiseration. I just asked if it was vestibular too.

 

[munchkin3]

Question for dunno or similar......
If it's vestibular, then what?
It seems that that's the final diagnosis for this sort of thing....... Still, time and patience is the only thing is parents can do.....

 

[gymmomtotwo]

Explore the possibility with the coach of doing a back extension roll to replace BWO/BHS in Levels 5 and 6. She could keep working on the BHS in the meantime. The back extension is not easy, but works well with kids who fear the BWO more than the BHS or have shoulder flexibility issues

 

[LJL07]

I just did another search and found where dunno said something like some kids can do back walkovers very fast (that would be my child) but when asked to do it slow on beam it isn't computing with the sensory hardware. But if they are told to do fast they could probably do it?? What do you think @meganliz77 ? If she did it quickly would it be less frightening?

 

[meganliz77]

Take the pressure off. It is important that they resolve this complicated issue, without additional stress from mad coaches, parents and upcoming level changes.....
I'm not saying your mad, but your DD may perceive disappointment.... Even though she is the one who's disappointed!!!! You know how it is when you feel self conscious about something, and it seems EVERYONE notices??? And it's all in your head???
Just tell her she'll get it, and to stop stressing.
We are in a pickle about BHS BHS.... There was stress, talking about it, meeting with the coaches, etc.
We ALL just stopped completely talking about it.... Now coach basically tells her towards the end of beam, ok, start down low.... Spot for the first few.... Move up a beam.... Spot a few..... While this is going on, no stress, no pressure... It's like conditioning.... If it's not a good day, then finish and move on.
Little by little.... She's back to doing it on the low beam.... She put a couple on the higher beam with spot..... Good enough.....
We are NOT talking about levels, or competitions right now....I don't ever ask about that skill anymore.

I told her exactly that-- "don't worry kiddo, you'll get it" and then changed subject or she'll tell me about something else fun they did in practice.

After I realized that there was an issue with vertical hand stands out of the blue, that it was more than just an off practice, I shut up about it. I don't want to freak her out...

I let the coach know, since she had been gone, so she could work with her knowing what had been going on.

 

[munchkin3]

For my DD it's the 'going'.... She needs literally to be almost pushed physically, and then she's fine.
She can crank out a few in a row..... Then if a period of time passes, she needs again to be pushed.....

 

[Moxiegrl83]

All 8 year olds! What helped for us, was not talking about it at all. Her coaches laid off, I didn't say a word, and when she brought it up I told her not to worry and changed the subject. She still goes through phases. A month ago she was doing her BHS on high beam, no mats, all alone. The next week scared again. It took another month, and then last night her coach told me she did a few with her standing there. It's a one step forward, two steps back, but it's on her terms. She's lucky her coach is amazing about knowing when to push, and knowing when to back off.

 

[rjb123]

I always wonder when I read these threads. I did a sport (not gymnastics, figure skating) and I can remember a few times where i had issues that were likely "vestibular". It was SO scary- usually came after a growth spurt. I remember feeling just dizzy doing a simple back layback spin, not knowing where I was in the air, that sort of thing. Very terrifying for a kid. I also had periods where I was just simply AFRAID of a certain jump or whatever (this was a triple toe loop). I was just AFRAID. I knew where I was, had none of the same "feelings" as the other times, just fear of the entry to the jump. Anyway, recently my DD was having issues on beam with her series. She just freaked out one day after having done it with no issues for several months. Her coaches were great- literally one of them just took her completely off the beam and said "enough for today- you are too tired, go stretch". Another one said "no biggie, you just grew a little, this always happens when you grow a little" and NO ONE said anything about it to her. DD was still a hot mess and so one day I asked her if it "felt funny" doing it- did she feel lost in space, dizzy, etc. Could she do it if she forced herself- that sort of thing. Well, I got an earful about "well I am worried about this or that or what if this happens or that happens," but she had none of the same "issues" that I recall. It sounded like fear, plain and simple. So I asked her if she was afraid. At first she was saying "no, I am just WORRIED" but then she finally said, yes, she was afraid because she had witnessed a bad fall of a team mate. AHA. She literally started having issues with the series the day AFTER seeing the fall. She realized it the same time that I did, and put it together. She then started some "positive self talk" while working the series and within days had it back. Anyway, the long and short of it is, yes I totally agree that some things are vestibular- been there, done that. But sometimes it can be just a fear too IMO. Take it for what it is worth.

 

[Ali'sMom]

Two months ago I wouldn't know anything about this.
Since then, DD fell on BWO from high beam. Didn't get hurt, but scared the heck out of herself.
The very next day, she froze on high beam. With a coach who was of the mindset "Really??? I KNOW you can do this".
She was finally told to go to the crank beam. on low. She was so shaken up she was freezing even with it way down low.

Over two months she's gotten to where she can do them low. But her description is "I crank it up each time, and then all of a sudden it's a height, and I.JUST.CAN'T.DO.IT". Last week she pretty much had a full panic attack while standing there, freaked out, and completely lost it.
The next day, coaches decided that they're substituting a handstand in her routine (she's L6) until she gets it back.
During this time, with no pressure, apparently she's getting them to be beautiful on low beam But they aren't pushing her to high beam. Pretty sure that during beam rotation right now the crank beam is all hers.

Hers isn't quite vestibular, she's conscious of the fact that she's scared.
Her own words are "I can't get hurt on low beam".

All that said, since your DD is a L4, and doesn't need it yet, even though apparently the coaches would like her working on it, I personally wouldn't do a private, unless she specifically asks for time to do it alone with a coach. Other wise, just let her go at her own pace, and hope that the coaches adopt that attitude, too.

My anthem for September was plainly: FEAR SUCKS.