Flyaway Fear

[gymnastbeth]

I am afraid of doing a flyaway. It's a pretty common fear, but it just keeps haunting me. When we started learning flyaways, I couldn't let go of the bar. I think I was afraid of hitting my feet on the bar. Even when my coach spotted me, she held me up in the front swing, and had to scream, LET GO! I finally got it into the pit, after months of fear. I was so happy, and kept doing them over and over. I did it to a mat in the pit, and then I did it on the regular bars! My timing was a little off, but I was doing them. I got very nervous before doing them, but would try to ignore it. The whole time, I was just afraid of my feet hitting the bar. But they never did.

Then one day, I hit my feet on the bar, 3 times. I didn't do one good flyaway. The fear came back, but it was stronger, because now the reason I was afraid of them seemed more real, since it happened to me.

In level 6, I scratched bars in every meet, until our last sectional, where I did my flyaway. I qualified to states, and then lost my flyaway. I didn't do a dismount at all on bars, and got an 8.0.

In level 7, I got it back, and I was so happy. However, I sprained my back, and then had to stop serious gymnastics training for 1 month. When I came back, I was afraid. My coach changed my bars dismount to a sole circle full, but that wasn't working for me either. I went through level 7 with my giants, and an underswing dismount.

Since I had all my other skills, I went to level 8, which is where I am now.

This is the worst mental block I've ever had, and I just can't seem to get it into my mind that I can do it.

Does anyone have any advice on how to get over it? It's just hanging over my head every time I go to practice. Help!

 

[staronbars]

The only advice i can give you having the same fear is that if you start to think about it stop your self and sing a song or think about something else in you head! Then Right before you go on the bar you visualize youself dong it pefectly count to 3 and go fo it!
the only way you are going to get over your fear is to do it! trust me if you do it yo wil feel so relived!

 

[caraburn]

Start back at square one. Do some dead cows.. (let go and do a flat black to a soft cheese) with a spot until you are very used to letting go of the bar. You won't have to worry about hitting your feet here because you won't flip. Then move on to doing a backwards roll immediately after you land on the mat. When you are comfortable put it all together. Let go, think of a flat back, then do a backwards roll in the air. Don't rush it though, and stay positive. You can do it!

 

[coachinkal]

My son did not fear anything in gymnastics until we hit the flyaway.

He still fears doing it.

He hit the bar a few times, and this made his fear worse.

He will let me spot him, but is scared to do it on his own.

The fear makes him tuck up too much and close his shoulders, which is the worst thing to do.

Before we do the skill I get him to lie on his back with his arms in the air near his ears, with open shoulders and head neutral. This is the letting go position. Then we go straight to doing the skill. This seems to be what works best for him.

 

[Gillatard]

Pretty much every single person has had a fear of flyaways. Some days I can do them some days I cant some days I can do perfect cast away layout flyaways and some days I can barley make my self do tap flyawayys. But what helps me is to not even think about it untill I get on the bar and when i'm doing my squat on I think of every other time ive done my flyaway. And I pretty much talk to my self like "Come on stop being stupid you've done this like a million times, it's not even that hard." Things like that and it helps. Atleast most of the time. Good luck!