For Parents Mental blocks success stories?

[trampolinemom]

DS (11) is in elite trampolining and suffering from mental blocks for nearly a year now. Meanwhile he did manage to be successful in competition the year through strangely enough. In fact it was his best year ever, he almost won every competition he entered. We had weeks where he couldn't do a single somersault and became national youth champion in the same week. But until a year ago he did crazy hard stuff for his age (skills he never competed). He was a very quick learner and basically did everything he was taught nearly immediately. But now some skills he competed for over a year he stops doing in training. And the newer skills he used to do, he now blocks at progressions of them. The blocks and fear come and go. He does have good days. But they are allways under the surface it seems. He has never been a dare devil type of kid.
So what are your experiences? Do kids eventually overcome this when they experience mental blocks and fears this young? Or might the elite track eventually just not be for him.

 

[NutterButter]

In my experience, the kids who struggle with blocks at an early age will always struggle with this. Some are just hardwired like this and are more 'mental' when it comes to skills. They have a harder time making their bodies do the skills. And as you've noticed with your DS, these kids often end up on the podium in the events they struggle with the most. My DD was unable to flip a vault in competition for 1.5 seasons and she recently (finally!) flipped that dang vault and she medaled.

I don't know what this means for your DS being on an elite track but I would say not to underestimate his abilities. I'm in awe of my DD and what she has been able to accomplish. I first found chalk bucket because I googled "gymnastics and fear" when she developed a fear of doing a cartwheel on beam when she was new to competing. I never, ever, ever imagined that she'd be able to reach L7. She even said she would quit when it came time to train BHS on beam. But she pushes on and works through the fear.

 

[duyetanh]

In my experience, the kids who struggle with blocks at an early age will always struggle with this. Some are just hardwired like this and are more 'mental' when it comes to skills. They have a harder time making their bodies do the skills. And as you've noticed with your DS, these kids often end up on the podium in the events they struggle with the most. My DD was unable to flip a vault in competition for 1.5 seasons and she recently (finally!) flipped that dang vault and she medaled.

I don't know what this means for your DS being on an elite track but I would say not to underestimate his abilities. I'm in awe of my DD and what she has been able to accomplish. I first found chalk bucket because I googled "gymnastics and fear" when she developed a fear of doing a cartwheel on beam when she was new to competing. I never, ever, ever imagined that she'd be able to reach L7. She even said she would quit when it came time to train BHS on beam. But she pushes on and works through the fear.

Pushing on and working through the fear is really imho what gymnastics is all about. They all hit this at some point in their gymnastic career; it's unavoidable. Some unfortunately hit it younger/earlier than others. Your son is very lucky because it sounds like he has both great parents and coaches in terms of helping him through these situations. It is a very hard spot for both types of adults to be in, and how these important figures in a child's life handle these situations truly (again imho) makes or breaks the child's gymnastics career. Often, middle school brings these fears into even larger play...it sounds like he is really trying to push through, and if he keeps it up, he will break through to the other side eventually. I hope he continues his career, because he sounds absolutely amazing!

 

[trampolinemom]

I don't know what this means for your DS being on an elite track .

I mean he is FIG elite. So he is at the highest national level and doing international competitions. For instance World Age Group Competions. With elite track I mean going up to senior elite.

 

[profmom]

It sounds like a vestibular problem to me. If he can hang in there and just keep progressing when he can, he may outgrow it. Given where he is now, and given the long developmental trajectory for T&T, the big thing is just for him to learn to manage the frustration and stick with it. I like his chances.