Parents 7yo Level 2 Casting Mental Block

[kn2013]

My daughter started gymnastics about a year ago and fell in love. She did so well in her rec classes and wanted to try out for team, so we let her. She was placed level 2, and is now experiencing a mental block with casting high. She says she is afraid, but was never afraid in her rec class to try.

She does all of the drills presented to her with full effort, but once she gets up on the bar to cast she cannot get out of her head. I'm not sure how else to help her - she practices at home and is praised for her accomplishments so I'm not sure what else to do! Any advice would be great.

 

[rd7]

Try to take off the pressure as much as possible, it will only make it worse. Don't mention the dreaded cast, definitely don't practice it at home, tell her she will get it when she's ready if she brings it up, keep telling her you're proud of her efforts and act like it isn't a big thing. Hopefully her coaches are addressing this with appropriate drills and supporting.

 

[kn2013]

Try to take off the pressure as much as possible, it will only make it worse. Don't mention the dreaded cast, definitely don't practice it at home, tell her she will get it when she's ready if she brings it up, keep telling her you're proud of her efforts and act like it isn't a big thing. Hopefully her coaches are addressing this with appropriate drills and supporting.

Her coaches have been great with drills and support. We watched a YouTube video where the person who was teaching the casting basics stopped mid-instruction to say "this looks like it'd be easy but there's SO MANY things you have to remember in order to do it right" and my daughter said "I know!"

I really think she is stressing herself out so much over having a perfect form that she's now afraid to do it wrong, if that makes sense.

 

[GymnastMomX2]

The best advice for mental blocks in the gym is to not even mention it or ask about it AT ALL when she’s at home. If she brings it up just brush it off like it’s no big deal. Tell her it’s normal to be scared, and no big deal she will get it when she’s ready. Then change the subject.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Stop watching you tube videos and doing gym at home…

Keep gym in gym and let the coaches do the coaching

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

The best advice for mental blocks in the gym is to not even mention it or ask about it AT ALL when she’s at home. If she brings it up just brush it off like it’s no big deal. Tell her it’s normal to be scared, and no big deal she will get it when she’s ready. Then change the subject.

Dunno if I'd agree with brushing it off -- if she wants to talk about it, it's a good idea to listen.

But generally, yeah, treat it like it's no big deal. Because it is no big deal -- she's level 2.

 

[GymnastMomX2]

Yea maybe brushing it off is the wrong wording, but really just making sure she knows it’s not a big deal is the important bit.