Am i getting burned out???

[gymfan4ever95]

For about 6 months, I was SO excited to go to EVERY single practice. Everywhere I went i was talking about gymnastics. In less than a year, I have gone from level 5, to level 6, and am now getting ready to compete level 7. I used to set goals for myself for each practice. Before i would go, i would write down everything i hoped to get accomplished for the day, and would check it off after practice. For me, checking off a goal after practice was like getting ice cream for a little kid. It made me so happy, but even then i had bad practices and got really frustrated when something didn't go right.

For about the last month, i haven't even felt like writing my goals down. It just seems like a pain and a waste of my time. And for about the last week, i haven't been super excited to go to practice. I am struggling with fears on floor, but I overcame a fear on vault on Thursday. When my coach could tell that I was close to tears on one day, she sat down with me and we talked for a while and she said that when I get as many new skills as I have gotten in the last six months, they aren't going to be really consistent.

Am i getting burned out or something? Or is this just a phase? I really love and miss how I used to be and how i would be overjoyed to walk into the gym. I still love going there, but once i get there I just don't feel like doing anything some days. Help!!

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

Everyone has ups and downs where they like their sport more or less. Even a period of a couple months where you have fear issues can make you dread practice. I think you might be progressing too fast and need to slow down and perfect the skills you have so you can feel really good about yourself. Take some time and remember why you love(d) gymnastics, instead of making it a frantic race to level 7. Good luck!

Also, don't worry about it. Fear issues are never fun.

 

[Aussie_coach]

I don't think your getting burnt out, just going through the normal ups and downs of gymnastics training. Remember that when you progress in gymnastics it isn't like walking up the stairs, it doesn't happen in a steady paced fashion. You will have times where it feels like you are flying forward, times when it feels more like you are creeping forward, times when it feels like you aren't progressing at all and even times when you feel like you are going backwards. That is completely normal.

Don't get upset about having fear. Fear is a very important thing for a developing gymnast. Its your fear that keeps you safe, it is what makes sure you are ready to do a skill before you do it, a good healthy amount of fear keeps the best gymnasts out of wheelchairs. You will go through stages when you can't handle your fear because you are still learning how to control your fear and listen to it properly. It will take time to develop your understanding of your fear to the point when you can tell the difference between irrational fear and good fear that tells you your body isn't yet ready to do something and needs some more drills first.

Losing skills is also a part of the learning progress. Its like when a baby learns to walk, they take a few steps and then they fall over they don't just get up and walk instantly. When you learn a new skill 9 times out of 10 you will lose the skill and temporarily forget how to do it, but you will get it back. Its all part of the learning process. Most of the time you will find you have to learn each skill 2-3 times before you have it for good.

One thing that could help for you could be keeping a training diary. Perhaps on your computer when you come home from gym. Write down your feelings for the day. How you felt, the skills you achieved, things that you want to work on, funny moments you want to remember. It can really help you work through all your feelings.

 

[Bobby]

I wonder if you just became a bit disenchanted with your personal goal-setting system over time (and it made you feel a bit dispirited rather than uplifted afer some practices) rather than with gym itself??
It sounds like you had a terrifically effective and inspiring system where you made terrificly fast progress in a short period. Well done!!
But maybe your "bad practices" were really good practices where you developed better conditioning, built up some good body memory from practising particular skills, but just didn't achieve anything specifically 'new' that you might have put on your list??
I'm not sure of your age or the particular skills you're working on, but if you rethink your goal-setting system to focus on longer-term goals you may find it starts inspiring you and making you feel good about your practices again??
Eg: Maybe you could start with long term goals for the month/season, and then try writing list of what you'll do at each practice that will help work towards it (eg: what conditioning is required, doing lead up skills, doing a certain number with a spot). At the end of each practise you'll be able to tick off what you did to work towards your goal skills, knowing you've made (building block) progress even if you didn't achieve the 'end goal' yet. Then feel good about that. Instead of measuring your practise by whether you "have" or "got" a skill or not, maybe you could re-write your expectation to allow for the 'three-steps forward, two-back' progress most of us make. Eg: Maybe you could aim for doing a skill 1/10 > 2/10 ... > 10/10 attempts/practices over a period of weeks??
To me personally, it sounds more like you're being a bit too hard on yourself than you've lost the desire.

 

[NYgymfan]

Why don't you just scale back your goals a little bit. Make them more realistic by making them a little easier (easier is not the same as easy) or giving yourself some more time. I am a perfectionist and i get very frustrated if i don't get my goals so i just have to break it up into pieces to keep myself interested.

But definitely don't go quitting on us!

 

[I-Heart-Beam]

Did you just start gym or go back after a long time six months ago? I definitely don't think you're burned out- you'll know if you're burned out, I think you're just maybe a bit tired coming to the end of the year, being back at school etc. Also after six months you've maybe gained all the skills you could gain quickly and the real hard work begins

Take a couple of days off over Christmas, set a couple of New Year goals and good luck xx

 

[Flippers Mom]

Last week on the way home from gym, Flipper announced that she hates going to practice. I was surprised, looked at her and said, "You can quit." No! She explained that she hates working out, but loves being a great gymnast, loves the attention she gets through gymnastics, loves to be able to things most people around her could never dream of doing, loves the friends she has made through gymnastics, loves competing. . . the list goes on. In short - gymnastics is a demanding sport. It demands a huge commitment of time, money, energy - and working that hard isn't always fun - it is WORK! Burned out? Probably not. I think you are just stepping back and accessing the cost. I think you'll find that the rewards of gymnastics are worth your effort.

 

[gymfan4ever95]

Did you just start gym or go back after a long time six months ago? I definitely don't think you're burned out- you'll know if you're burned out, I think you're just maybe a bit tired coming to the end of the year, being back at school etc. Also after six months you've maybe gained all the skills you could gain quickly and the real hard work begins

Take a couple of days off over Christmas, set a couple of New Year goals and good luck xx

No, I started gym 11 years ago, and haven't stopped since

 

[I-Heart-Beam]

No, I started gym 11 years ago, and haven't stopped since

Oops, sorry. Feel free to ignore my post haha! Maybe you're just needing a little break and re-evaluation

 

[gymfan4ever95]

Oops, sorry. Feel free to ignore my post haha! Maybe you're just needing a little break and re-evaluation

I have done better the past couple practices! I have been "happier" while I was there, too! We got a new girl today who is the only one who is better than me. I like having her there because it gives me something to look up to and she is really encouraging (cheering me on, ect.) I think that may have helped too...along with the always wanting to do good when there is a new girl watching!! haha! But I am doing the training diary that was suggested. I think it will help once I get more than 2 of them because I can go back through and read about the good days to help me get through the bad ones and help me realize why i love gymnastics