Cartwheel on beam - Mental block

[LiveLoveTumble]

I have a bad mental block on my cartwheel on beam. When I was about 9 or 10, I had a decent, but not too consistent, cartwheel on the high beam. There were about 3 times when I got my front foot back down on the beam, but it slipped, and I flew backwards off the beam. (These happened a few months apart, not all in one practice). The first 2 times, I got back up and kept going. The third time scared me off of the high beam, but I kept working on them on the low beam. Then one time, I was doing one on the low beam. The mental block kicked in when I reached the handstand point of the cartwheel. My brain just shut off and was telling me, "Don't do it!" I twisted out of it and ended up spraining my ankle. Now, the mental block is so bad, I can't even do them on the low beam. We have a beam that is really squishy (they use it for the little kids, it is made out of the same material that mats are made of), and it is about 5 inches wide. Yesterday, I decided to start working on getting over the mental block, so I did cartwheels on that. At first it was really scary, but I just kept forcing myself to do it over and over. I must have done 50 cartwheels on that beam, so now I am fairly comfortable with cartwheels on that one. The problem is what to do after that. I really don't think I will be able to do it on the regular low beam. I just know that if I try, the block will kick it, and I will end up hurting myself again. I don't want to ask for a spot, because I find it harder and scarier with a spot. I also can't work on it constantly, because we are on beam about once every 2-3 months. (I know, not very often). What should I do to get over it?

 

[teena82]

Can you stack panel mats on either side of the low beam and unfold or remove them when you get comfortable?

 

[LiveLoveTumble]

I will try that next time we work on beam.

 

[Kiwi]

You could try putting a thin mat over a floor beam.

 

[LiveLoveTumble]

So, I have been wondering about this for a while. When you are doing a cartwheel on the beam, are you supposed to go really fast or really slow? Most girls I have watched do it slow, but there is one girl who does it super fast, and she never falls on it. It seems much more scary and dangerous to do it fast though...

 

[iwannacoach]

keep doing what you're doing.....50 per day may be a bit much, but you could change that to as many as possible in 5 minutes and see how close you could get to 50. Make sure you're going fast enough to do at least 25. You'll have less time to "out-think" the skill, and will probably do them with a faster rythym. Work this way until you're bored out of your mind. Once you're ready to move on start spending 4 minutes on the "fat" beam and one minute on the regular floor beam.

Work fast, but take small steps!!!!

 

[Quadqueen]

from what I've seen from my DD and her teammates, they are more likely to hit their cartwheels if they go at normal speed (like on floor) instead of slow. Going slow allows more time for your hips and shoulders to get out of alignment.

 

[LiveLoveTumble]

Alright, I'll try going faster. It just seems scarier though, because it seems like if you go fast, it will be easier for your foot to slip off the beam, and if you go slow, you have more time to correct yourself if you get off balance while in the handstand. This is just based on my thinking, though, I have no idea if it's right or not.

 

[iwannacoach]

What I mean by going fast, is to do each cartwheel the same speed you would be doing them on the floor line. Your body is used to that rythym, and slowing it down only increases the amount of time you spend in a position your body is not built to be comfortable in......UPSIDE DOWN!!! Why would you leave a perfectly balanced position, and then spend a self imposed, lengthened amount of time in the upside down position before finishing the skill in another balanced position.

Consider how hard it is to balance a yardstick on your nose. You can only keep it balanced for a brief moment before it starts to fall. Your cartwheel is just like the stick, you only have a brief moment where it will stay balanced, so get the skill done, in it's preferred rythym, before it has a chance to fall.

The other meaning of fast, is to work with very little time between attempts. A cartwheel takes about one second to perform. Give yourself only enough time to do a cartwheel, one second, get your balance, square up and get in position for the next cartwheel, about 2-3 seconds, and then start the next cartwheel. Your mind will eventually "give up" and just let your body do the cartwheel the most efficient way possible.....the way you've learn and practiced it!!!

You should try to get, allowing for a few brief deep breaths, 7-9 cartwheels done in the first minute. You may end up taking a few extra seconds between cartwheels as you tire and that's ok, as long as you stay on the beam and continue at a challenging pace to give yourself the confidence you're looking for. Consider yourself done for the turn if you have to slow down to a rate of five per minute.

This all assumes you have the "fat" beam all to yourself for the "five minute drill". If you're sharing the beam, you should try to get this done in five one minute turns, and work on something else completely different while you wait for your time....like jumps, leaps, or turns, but not handstands, as you don't want your body to think "handstand rythym" when you get back to the "fat" beam.

 

[Aerials Gymnast]

ok, so gymnastics is... well, gymnastics. A lot of it is about getting over fears and going for stuff and always doing your best and trying your hardest. Trust me, i totally know what you are going through!! I think its happened to all of us. With me it was with a backhandspring series. But then you have to remember the times when you have learned a new skill and you were so proud of yourself!

first you hav to understand a cartwheel is a cartwheel. You shouldnt worry about getting hurt on one, because its pretty rare.

So, first sit down, and relax and close your eyes. Imagine yourself on the highbeam. In your mind, stick ten PERFECT kartwheels on the highbeam. Dont think about yourself falling off or wobbling. Dont think about what happened before. Just you in the quiet and doing amazing kartwheels. After that....

1. just start out with kartwheels on a line, but make sure you have plenty of space to work. Do ten to twenty kartwheels with straight legs, pointed toes, and just as good of form as you can. STAY TIGHT!!! make sure you stick them exactly and are ending on the line. Irecommend you try to do them in a row, but thats just me. It would really help though..

2.Once you do those, move to the floor beam. Stick ten, try to do them in a row. You should perfect your kartwheel before you start moving to a higher beam.

3. If you succesfully do that, you are ready for low beam. Ok, getting higher up now! if you need to, take a minute and invision more perfect kartwheels. Then stick ten. If you are having trouble, dont freak out! When you get frustrated it gets harder to do beam.

4. After low, obviously its time for high beam. All you need to do is realize that if you did the above steps and as good as you can, you are ready for this! The only thing you need to do what you did before on the floor, floor beam, and high beam, is confidence (it helps tremendously) and focus.

since you dont get to go to beam as much, ask your coach if they do privates. they help so much because you finally get time alone to work on skills. if you dont want to do this, you will have to try to work quickly next time you go to beam. Remember though, you should work on them at home to. Even if its in your back yard!

Good luck, i know you can do it.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Alright, I'll try going faster. It just seems scarier though, because it seems like if you go fast, it will be easier for your foot to slip off the beam, and if you go slow, you have more time to correct yourself if you get off balance while in the handstand. This is just based on my thinking, though, I have no idea if it's right or not.

young lady, you are putting way to much thought in to this very simple skill. i'll assume you're not 7. sometimes, the gymnast's frustration and failure is due to 'over thinking' every little nuance of a skill. over analyze=paralyze.

 

[LiveLoveTumble]

Oh. No, I'm not 7 . And I know I'm probably overthinking it, but I can't help it! I am so afraid of it now that I have gotten hurt so many times from doing it!

 

[RisingGymnast]

Try again!

I overthink everything too. It's a curse and something I'm learning to get over. I was on the second lowest beam when my left arm pretty much gave out and I fell off and really hurt my arm. (It's okay though) And so we didn't go to beam in our rotation for a couple weeks after that (surprisingly). And when we finally did.. I was really afraid to do my cartwheel. I practiced my jumps and I tried cartwheels on the line. At the end of practice I told my coach to watch me as I did my cartwheel with panel mats on both sides of the low beam. She made me do 5 more before I left and even though they weren't great, I tried. And that's my advice to you. Is just to get back up and try again. I understand how scary it can be but I know you will feel so happy once you start doing cartwheels again. I was doing them last week. First with panel mats on both sides. Took those off and did them with the low beam alone. When I felt ready, I moved up to the next highest beam. Next practice I'm going to start back on low beam and work my way up again. (Starting on second highest made me fall. Not taking chances again (; ) So go at your own pace, try not to overthink, and be proud once you conquer the fear.
Good luck! Keep trying !