backhands

[beamqueen40]

My daughter used to be a gymnast, but now she's joining cheerleading, and she uded to have her backhandspring. Now though she lost her backhand spring. She won't do it with out a coach spotting her, and there really good. Any tips on what to tell my daughter to do to get over her mental block

 

[Jamie]

SHe'll have to start doing with with the coach, with the coach giving her less and less spotting as she goes on.

For some gymnasts, even the slight touch of a hand is comforting for them even though a hand on the lower back might not actually contribute anything.

She will eventually have to go for it herself, maybe trying it on a crash mat or softer floor mat. She'll have to remember to keep her shape as with a lot of gymnasts as they go to do back handsprings by themselves for the first time, they close in their body shape, bend their arms and legs and end up flipping on their head...and then it becomes a vicious circle as they won't do it by themselves in fear of getting hurt.

Encourage her as much as you can, and so should the coach

 

[Doubleback360]

Jamie's right. I compete and teach my team. The girls learning their back handsprings sometimes still need someone kneeling beside them after they've achieved it.

It's false safety coping. They know the can't have someone walk them through it, so they grasp for the next best thing.

Back handsprings are one of the first blind elements kids learn and it's scary. It takes time and MOTIVATION! once she gets her back handspring, back-tucks and other blind elements won't be as much as a problem. Though you'll experience the exact same thing when she learns her back walk-over on beam! Now that's a fear that some kids never get over.

 

[gymnast695]

I agree with Jamie..just have the coach spot her less and less until she is feeling safe that she can do it!