Absolutely Refusing Beam?!

[d0nut_l0ver]

I've had awful fears before, but never as bad as this one.

It started on Wednesday at normal gymnastics. I refused to do cartwheels on the high beam--even though I have been doing them for a year now--and I refused to do my handstand on any beam.

This strange fear slowly got worse.

Thursday at gymnastics camp, it got a little worse.

Friday, it got even more worse.

Saturday, it got a LITTLE better...but then worse.

And today, Sunday, I completely refused to do ANYTHING on beam. Except warm-ups. But I wouldn't do split leaps {yes, I have done them many times before}, handstands, cartwheels, or even BASIC JUMPS on a high beam that had a giant mat 1 inch below it. I also began to refuse doing skills on the low beam, even with panel mats right up to the top of the beam.

Has anyone ever gone through something like this before? How did you deal with it? My mind says "go", but my body refuses to move and do the skill.

Thanks!

And no, I have not recently had a bad fall on beam, been injured on beam, or have seen someone else fall/be injured on beam.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Step one, do lots of ccomplex, like releve holds, kicks, rebound jumps etc. just spend lots of time on beam, even jumping rope or bouncing a ball standing on the beam.

Work out what skills you can do even if they are simple like 1/2 turn on 2 feet, straight jump, 3/4 handstand etc. if your body won't do thing on high do 100 on low, if it won't do it on low do 100 on a line on the floor.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

^^^^^^ Also if you are not confident with side handstands on a beam, I would not attempt forward handstands or cartwheels.

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

Okay, thanks! I guess that explains what I'll be doing tomorrow...and the day after...and the day after that... *points to floor beam*

Ahh, that thing shall come in handy now. Thanks again!

 

[gymnasticky]

That sounds ridiculous! If you have been doing these skills for years, and now all of a sudden don't want to do them, there has to have been a reason behind it. Watch some videos of beam routines (good ones without bad falls in them) and make them look easy in your eyes. Obviously, you know that gymnastics is not easy--just don't think about specific skills. Just watch in awe. Then go and work on the low beam, until you successfully land all of your skills numerous times. Eventually, you can go up to the high beam, and maybe be a little bit less scared.

I'm sorry that this will not be so helpful, but it is the best answer I can give. Good luck!

This may not be so

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

There is probably a reason, but I can't figure it out...

Thanks!

There's only one problem...

I tried doing cross handstands on my floor beam, but I got scared.

So, I tried doing them on a line on the floor, but even THAT scared me!!! I'm afraid of falling over weird because my hands are right next to each other!!!

What do I do now?

 

[CoachGoofy]

Are you growing? That tends to make things feel weird.

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

Yeah...I didn't think of that. That's probably it.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I've had awful fears before, but never as bad as this one.

It started on Wednesday at normal gymnastics. I refused to do cartwheels on the high beam--even though I have been doing them for a year now--and I refused to do my handstand on any beam.

This strange fear slowly got worse.

Thursday at gymnastics camp, it got a little worse.

Friday, it got even more worse.

Saturday, it got a LITTLE better...but then worse.

And today, Sunday, I completely refused to do ANYTHING on beam. Except warm-ups. But I wouldn't do split leaps {yes, I have done them many times before}, handstands, cartwheels, or even BASIC JUMPS on a high beam that had a giant mat 1 inch below it. I also began to refuse doing skills on the low beam, even with panel mats right up to the top of the beam.

Has anyone ever gone through something like this before? How did you deal with it? My mind says "go", but my body refuses to move and do the skill.

Thanks!

And no, I have not recently had a bad fall on beam, been injured on beam, or have seen someone else fall/be injured on beam.

Fairly common.

First and most important piece of advice I can give you: TAKE IT EASY. Don't stress about it, don't try to rush to get all your skills back.

I would go back as far as you need to in your skill progressions in order to feel comfortable. If that means spending a practice just walking forward and back on a low beam, so be it. Find the point where you're comfortable, and work from there. Work your way back up, try to stick right to the edge of your comfort zone. If you bail on a skill even once, STOP, STEP BACK, AND WORK YOUR WAY BACK UP TO IT. Don't just try to "brute force" your way through it.

 

[hawaii_gymnast]

It also sounds like you do not know how to fall properly, it is something that you have to learn. You also said that you are scared of falling wierd, so learn to fall properly. Ask your coach they should be able help you.

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

I know, I've asked coaches to teach me how to fall properly {they show me on the low beam/floor beam} but I fail, every time. One time I almost whacked my head on the beam. 0.e So now I'm scared of learning how to fall properly...eeek!

 

[gymluvr33]

I know, I've asked coaches to teach me how to fall properly {they show me on the low beam/floor beam} but I fail, every time. One time I almost whacked my head on the beam. 0.e So now I'm scared of learning how to fall properly...eeek!

Well, I'd say that that would be the first step. Once you learn how to fall properly, it become a lot less scary to go hard for skills because you know what to do if you fall over. Just like with skills, I'd start learning how to fall on the floor, then a line on the floor, then a floor beam, etc. Good luck!

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

Okay, thanks!