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So Dani had a rough practice today. She was having some hesitation issues with her ROBHS and was visibly getting very upset and frustrated-I came for the last half hour of practice to watch. She was getting very teary and very frustrated so Dani's coach and the USAG coach let the girls do whatever tunbling they wanted (their choice) on the floor for the last 15 minutes of practice. So, lo and behold Dani pulls out a punch front!!!! And lands it!!! She did this 3 times!!! I was so proud of her. I knew that she needed this boost of confidence because she was having such a rough practice, and her coach even said to her she could do whatever tumbling she wanted. I think that is really important---to try and end on a high note after a rough practice.

Some coaches don't believe in letting girls practice skills or uptrain when they do not have a lower level skill. In this case, Dani is stil having issues with the ROBHS, but can do other front tumbling skills. What are your thoughts on this?? Dani is on a MDL where they are more leanant on spotting in competitions and for optionals in ABC & D, they can switch out and substitute skills.

This happens in cheer all the time too. There are so many girls that can't do a standing BHS BUT CAN do a standing back tuck. They can do a standing full but can't do a ROBHS...

Anyway...I am just happy that she did the punch front without even practicing it on the floor since last April. I know she will get the ROBHS, but in the meantime I think that the boost in self confidence in other skills is very important as well. Sorry for the drawn out post!!!
 
That is such great news, a new skill is always a confidence boost. A punch front is such a cool skill!

Here in Quebec there is always a way around back tumbling fears, front tumbling can always be used. A little girl in my youngest group has no back tumbling, but she can do aerials, fronts and FHS's, she has done very well this year with those acros in her routine. This is one problem with compylsories, they do not allow girls to progrees without certain skills. We also have quite advanced girls in the club who canot do a BWO or splits, it means that more girls can participate.

Does prep op allow for more flexibilty?
 
That is such great news, a new skill is always a confidence boost. A punch front is such a cool skill!

Here in Quebec there is always a way around back tumbling fears, front tumbling can always be used. A little girl in my youngest group has no back tumbling, but she can do aerials, fronts and FHS's, she has done very well this year with those acros in her routine. This is one problem with compylsories, they do not allow girls to progrees without certain skills. We also have quite advanced girls in the club who canot do a BWO or splits, it means that more girls can participate.

Does prep op allow for more flexibilty?

Hi Bog--I'm not sure about the prep op team requirements, but the Mason Dixon league Dani is on allows for this flexibility when they get to Levels A, B, C and D. The way I look at it is this: why hold a kid back from progressing just because of one skill on one event? The ROBHS is definitely her nemesis and I would hate to see her quit the sport just because of it. If there is a way to work around it, then great.

If anyone knows of the skill requirements for Mason Dixon League Optionals, A through D, let me know!!
 
Congrats to Dani! Front tumbling just seems to be easier for some and it's great that her coaches are letting her go for it. The gym I trained at had an MDL team and it always looked like so much fun. They got to work on what skills worked for them and figured out a way around the skills that they feared or gave them some trouble. Some of the girls were just as good skill wise as the USAG girls, they just preferred the more laid back atmosphere.
As far as requirements, I found this website which might be helpful:
Mason Dixon Gymnastics League: Divisions

Congrats again to Dani!
 
This happens in cheer all the time too. There are so many girls that can't do a standing BHS BUT CAN do a standing back tuck. They can do a standing full but can't do a ROBHS...

Mdgymmom,

Sorry D had a rough practice. Sometimes this happens and it takes awhile to get 'it". My DD still has a horrible standing BHS yet in competiton can do beautiful ROBHS and in practice can do several at once. I have to admit even watching her at practice with those BHS during warm-up are a little embarassing to watch knowing she is on to L5 now. But she also loves to try other things and has no problems with doing things like tucks.

One of our old L5's gets all 9's in everything except floor right now. She developed a fear of the ROBHSBHS. Everything is PERFECT up til that point and then she just stops and does tow slow BHS while crying. I think anyone who has seen her just cries watching her try to deal with this mental block in the middle of the floor. I am sure with time she will work it.

Does D get time on tumble trak to practice the ROBHS? Sometimes it really helps them along. I know my DD used to practice oputside on our tramp too. Maybe the soft bounce is what gave her the confidence boost? In no time she started throwing them on the floor and then doing 1 or 2 or even 3 more afterwards. Maybe the coach can take her aside and work with her a little more one on one?

She will get it soon and then you will move onto some other skill that will just drive you nuts, LOL!
 
Thanks coachmolly!!! That breakdown was exactly what I was looking for! The MDL is really fun! It is pretty crazy because dd's level 4 MDL team actually sometimes scores better than the USAG Level 4's at the gym :eek: :D. The MDL team has a lot of fun and is more relaxed BUT they still work JUST AS HARD as the USAG's. It just goes to show you that all work and no play makes for a not so happy gymnast sometimes!!:p
 
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Does D get time on tumble trak to practice the ROBHS? Sometimes it really helps them along. I know my DD used to practice oputside on our tramp too. Maybe the soft bounce is what gave her the confidence boost? In no time she started throwing them on the floor and then doing 1 or 2 or even 3 more afterwards. Maybe the coach can take her aside and work with her a little more one on one?

She will get it soon and then you will move onto some other skill that will just drive you nuts, LOL!

Thanks Blackie!!! She has good days and bad days. Some days she will do the ROBHS on the tumbletrack a million times by herself and then when she moves to the floor she freaks out. It seems like in competitions (when she has to) she will throw the ROBHS and not hesitate. It is just so frustrating to watch!!!! UGH!!! Thanks for your sympathy!!! Dani has a meet on Sunday so we will see how she does. I'll keep my fingers crossed!!!
 
My daughter had a hard time getting her backhandspring last year she was the last one to be able compete floor last year. I think because she is USAG and the coaches will not spot she kind of had to eventually get it so in a way Dani's coaches are spoting her during the meets maybe she is using this as a crutch. If you could some how help her get over the fear and do it she may get the confidence. I am not a coach but I have seen girls in the gym work with incline mats and those rolled mats.Although maybe if you take the focus off of it for a while and she could substitute other skills for it and maybe she will get it. I think also doing backwalkovers helps. Congradulations to her for doing punch fronts my daughter loves doing them in open gym.
 
My daughter had a hard time getting her backhandspring last year she was the last one to be able compete floor last year. I think because she is USAG and the coaches will not spot she kind of had to eventually get it so in a way Dani's coaches are spoting her during the meets maybe she is using this as a crutch. If you could some how help her get over the fear and do it she may get the confidence. I am not a coach but I have seen girls in the gym work with incline mats and those rolled mats.Although maybe if you take the focus off of it for a while and she could substitute other skills for it and maybe she will get it. I think also doing backwalkovers helps. Congradulations to her for doing punch fronts my daughter loves doing them in open gym.

I totally know what you are saying about it become a "crutch" Panda-girl's Mom. There was a little 8 yr old that got her ROBHS by herself yesterday at practice and I think Dani started feeling bad because now she is the only one on the team that "can't" do it by herself. She gets so frustrated at practice where there really isn't any pressure (just peer pressure) but at the competitions (when it counts) she will throw the ROBHS with a spot like it is nothing. I would think that the pressure of competition and judges would be far more stressful than practice???? Idk...

I guess she just needs to start doing a whole lot of drills into the pit or on tumbletrack to get her confidence back up. I'll keep you all posted!!!
 
I usually see the incline mat (or cheese wedge, as some call it) used a lot in back handspings. Also just jumping up and back onto a high mat (like the level 4 vault mat) to get use to going up and back. Have you tried video taping her and letting her see what she thinks she's doing wrong. Sometimes my dd thinks she is doing something great, and when she sees herself on tape, she sees the bent legs she swears were straight!

Hope she works through it soon. I can be so frustrating to them. When my dd has had a hard time, some times she just needs to walk away from it and come back later when her head is more clear.

Has she tried to get help from other coaches. Sometimes a different coach will just say something that will click and will help.
 
I usually see the incline mat (or cheese wedge, as some call it) used a lot in back handspings. Also just jumping up and back onto a high mat (like the level 4 vault mat) to get use to going up and back. Have you tried video taping her and letting her see what she thinks she's doing wrong. Sometimes my dd thinks she is doing something great, and when she sees herself on tape, she sees the bent legs she swears were straight!

Hope she works through it soon. I can be so frustrating to them. When my dd has had a hard time, some times she just needs to walk away from it and come back later when her head is more clear.

Has she tried to get help from other coaches. Sometimes a different coach will just say something that will click and will help.

Thanks for the ideas flippersmom! She has tried the jump backs to mats, the incline mat, the videotaping...sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't. She is so inconsistent with the skill. We have tried switching coaches and we seem to stick with the more non-pressure type coaches that don't stress her out.

When I asked her what made her do the BHS with the old coach at the first cheer gym, she said that she just did it because she felt like it was "Either do it or die" by the coaches threats and harsh comments. I mean, fear will make you do a skill, if you realize that the consequences of not doing it mean getting kicked out of the gym, but that just doesn't seem like the healthiest way of motivation.

I guess I will just chalk this up to Dani having a rough day and hope for a better one tomorrow. When I talk to Dani about it at home she doesn't get stressed out about it--she just realizes that she had a rough day and she'll try again tomorrow. I guess that is a pretty good attitude to have considering there is no use in worrying and stressing about what happened yesterday. It seems like I am stressing about it more than she is, so maybe I should just let her take the lead and if SHE wants it bad enough she will get it.

Thanks for listening to me vent guys!!!!
 
1 of these days she will decide that "today I am going to do my ROBHS w/o a spot" and she will do it. It sounds like she knows how to do it and can physically do it, now it is just letting her mind catch up w/her knowledge and ability. She will do it
 
Congrats, Dani!!!! :D Anyway, I have also always had problems getting backwards tumbling, and I still don't quite have my ROBHS on Floor yet, however I have gotten alot of front tumbling stuff. So honestly I think my problem w/ BT is I can't see where i am going, and that kinda makes me hesitant to BT, where as FT I can see/control where i'm going, an that does make me get alot more FT skills. Hope im helpful!! :)
 

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