It's "All In Her Head"

[pinklemonadeliz]

Soooo... My almost 11 y/o dd is mid-way through her second year of L4 - she's repeating the level because she just can't "get" the almighty Kip - she's solid on all the other L5 skills just that silly kip has eluded her.

She's been doing private lessons with our head coach once a week since school got out & since he's a bars expert, they've been working really hard concentrating on the kip.

She can kip on the strap bar, she can kip when he's spotting her by holding a noodle against her back, she can kip when he spots her with just one finger on her back.... but when he steps away, the kip goes too.

He (head coach) has told my husband that she has the skill in her but her block is all in her head :-/

How do we help her move past this block???

 

[bogwoppit]

Nothing at all. In fact you two getting wrapped up in the kip will not help at all. One day it will click.

Shawn Johnson took over a year to get her kip. My youngest had it with a one finger spot for two years. It will come when it comes.

Just try not to discuss it at home, let the kip stay in the gym.

 

[gymgal]

I agree with bog...

sometimes you just have to figure it out on your own.... I wouldn't pay for any more privates for the kip. She's obviously ready to do it on her own. put the ball in her court and let her how quickly she will accomplish it... if she's motivated to get to 5, she will figure it out.

 

[GymBee97]

I agree with the others. Unfortunatly the mental blocks will come and go and only your gymnast can defeat them. My DD's nemisis is the cartwheel on beam She can do it now but when she was a L5 it was a 50/50 crap shoot if she could. The best thing you can do is really ignore it - the stress we parents can put on a gymnast can be more overwhelming than anything.

I did have bribes in place as she got stuck on skills though. She was an American Girl Doll fanatic and to get her over that cartwheel block I told her if her coach told me she got the skill we would do a visit to an american Girl doll store and get an accessory for her AGD. Then I didn't say anything after that. within two weeks she had that move without a spot and off to the store we went.

Same block on the giant and again a bribe. She wanted my Kodak Easy share camera (it was new) I told her she could have it again if she got her giant and her coach said it was good enought to compete. Again with in 2 weeks she had it and competed it. She is now the keeper of the camera but lets this mom use it when I want LOL

 

[bookworm]

Yeah I agree with Bog too...back down on the privates and try to steer the focus away from the kip and see how it all falls out.

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

My DD is the opposite- has the kip, doesn't have the L5 vault. Again, I am told it's all in her head. I just try not to mention it to her, she knows it's keeping her from competing L5 and that will either motivate her or not... only time will tell. My job as a mom is to love her and support her through her rough time. It's not the last time in their lives they will face a challenge that they feel is daunting (inside and outside the gym)- the lesson learned is that with time, hard work, focus and determination you can achieve whatever you set your mind to. If she likes the privates and feels they are helping, and you don't mind paying for them, then who am I to judge. Best wishes to your DD for the kip fairies to come asap!

 

[pinklemonadeliz]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

I have to pop in that the reason she's doing the private lessons isn't strictly for her kip - she had saved a significant amount of money up to go to Stanford gymnastics camp this summer & then (on her own) decided that she would rather spend the $$ w/ our head coach in private lessons once a week instead because he knows exactly what she needs to work on and what her strengths and weaknesses are. She and the coach are the ones intensively working the kip - I don't have any say in what skills they work, but I'd say out of a 1 hr lesson they spend 45 min on bars (because that's her weakest event & his specialty) - they do work other fun stuff (her favorite is learning a full twist on the trampoline - lol!)

I totally appreciate everyone's input & I agree that she will get it eventually so I guess it's just on her when that eventually ends up being.

Thanks!!

 

[gymgal]

given the new info (smart girl, BTW - my dd chose the same path), I would probably speak with the coach about it and ask his/her opinion on leaving the kip alone during the privates. Having him/her tell your dd that she just needs to work it on her own now. I am wondering if all the etra attention that is getting put into the kip is just making it worse. And the coach may be thinking that since the kip is what she is having trouble with, you want them working on it. And remember, even though he/she is the coach, you are the one paying for the private lessons (or your dd is). You have some say as to what should be the focus (within reason) and you know your dd best. If you think she would do better just letting it lie a little and have her figure it out on her own, then the coach should know that.

 

[pinklemonadeliz]

Good Idea gymgal - I will chat with him. Maybe I can work out some time for her to come in & just try it on her own (the 4's right now aren't getting any chances at kipping as their coaches are only working competition routines & I don't forsee working kips again until after states in November).

Thanks!

 

[gym law mom]

Talk with the HC about backing off on the kip in her privates. Maybe he can give her a couple of drills to do that will be allowed during her L4 practice. Since she is committed to doing L4, it might be ok to just completely stop talking/practicing the kip. This is a skill that usually comes and goes before she has it consistently---hang in there.

 

[GymBee97]

For the privates I would talk to the coach to talk to that smart daughter of yours and see what she wants to work on if its the kip then so be it if not then work on other things. See if coach can make the privates seem like a colaboration with your DD then maybe she will get the skills she is hoping for.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

i'm with Bog...

 

[kimskids]

The kip was the first skill my daughter had a hard time getting and I found myself getting very involved in it without really meaning to!! I would watch you tube instructional videos to see if I could figure out what her problem was! LOL! I don't think she had any idea how over involved I was though! LOL! I did notice with my daughter that she was not getting her feet up to the bar quickly enough. By the time her feet were up she was already swinging back under the bar. I know I should not give her gym advice but I did! I told her to try really whipping her feet up to the bar quickly to see if it helped. May have been a coincidence but she got it the very same day!! LOL! Good luck and try not to obsess over it like I did!!

 

[LizzieLac]

I think it is a challenge many of us parents face at some point - how to help fix the problem or help our child get the skill that is alluding him/her. I know I have been guilty of it (still struggle not to!).

From what I have seen, some little tricks here and there might work for some gymnasts. But the real key is to just keep doing it, whatever it is.

I would say at this point, it sounds like your DD can/should be able to do the kip, but maybe the slight touch or spot from the coach is what is interfering. Mentally relying on...

I think she should just keep working on it on her own. She'll get it!!!