desperategymmom

[ahoymalloy5@gmail.]

I'm going to cut right to the chase...
My daughter is in her first year at level 6 and has really been doing well. She has had a tuff time with her back handspring backtuck. Sometimes she gets it but most time not...same with a coach spotting-sometimes yes sometimes no. She did it all by herself at the first meet this year but has bailed since. She has never gotten injured and says she has a hard time connecting from her backhandspring to backtuck. It's just plain FEAR I think. She's getting very frustrated and mad which doesn't help. I try not to nag and critique so much but can't stand to watch her struggle anf flounder with this. I am in desperate need of some advice and what to do to help her. Her coach works with her but I am grasping at anything to get her through this. Please somebody help us!!!!!!

 

[Galadriel]

Hi there,

Welcome to CB! I cant help you i am sorry, but am sure that someone knowledgeable will be along soon to advise.

I've not been a member long myself, but know that there are a lot of caring and helpful folk on this board.

Best wishes x

 

[lilgymmie7]

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but a lot of gymnasts go through this. Currently we have a second year level 6 at the gym going through a difficult time connecting the back tuck. She is an awesome gymnast, but something is also in her head right know about the backwards tumbling.
On a personal level, my older DD went through the same thing after level 6. Her story was a poor coach telling her something that allowed fear to creep in and fester. All it takes is a small comment, and the kid is scared until someone intervenes for the better. This happened for DD when an experienced coach at a new gym began to work with her. He let her work her front tumbling skills as well as up train. She learned the front full before she began flipping backwards again. I don't know if this in itself was the trick or not.
If fear isn't an issue, then maybe a step in the connection is fuzzy for your DD. Perhaps a private lesson so that her coach can break up the skill for her on a one-on-one basis is needed. I really hope she gets through it. Sometimes things just click with the kids and other times the pressure of competition works for the child and they just do it. Fingers crossed this happens to your DD! Good luck!!
BTW don't give her any indication that you yourself are worried for her. That can really put undue pressure on her. Reassure her that, " You got this....!" Just like her teammates would.

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

I can totally relate. My DD also developed back tumbling fears, even quit gymnastics for a year (went to a rec. team) and then finally decided to try L7 this year. She is working with a great coach who has rejiggered the tumbling passes so that she's mostly doing front tumbling....

The funny thing is, she can do a great backtuck or layout directly from the roundoff... she can do a great standing backhandspring.... but she just won't connect the RO BHS BT or LO. So we're not going to worry about it this year.

Unfortunately, at L6, you HAVE to do that RO BHS BT!!! All the other advice you have received is great. Esp. about the part of putting NO pressure on her!!!

 

[Dezi]

My daughter went through the same thing this year with a fear. She is a level 4 and she messed up her beam dismount and split the beam she took a huge amount of skin off her leg. She then refused to do the dismount or would cry when trying to do it and fail. This was a skill she had done about 300 times smoothly, for two months she refused to do it. We started competition this year knowing she would not do it. Her coach told us to NEVER mention it to her and she would handle it. Her coach was very patient and made her do it with a spot and when she would get frustrated they would stop and move to another skill it took two months but she did it at the meet this weekend and it was beautiful! The coach said talking about it at home in car after practice ect. made her focus on the skill more so not to say anything! Sorry so long!

 

[gymnut1]

My daughter went through the same thing this year with a fear. She is a level 4 and she messed up her beam dismount and split the beam she took a huge amount of skin off her leg. She then refused to do the dismount or would cry when trying to do it and fail. This was a skill she had done about 300 times smoothly, for two months she refused to do it. We started competition this year knowing she would not do it. Her coach told us to NEVER mention it to her and she would handle it. Her coach was very patient and made her do it with a spot and when she would get frustrated they would stop and move to another skill it took two months but she did it at the meet this weekend and it was beautiful! The coach said talking about it at home in car after practice ect. made her focus on the skill more so not to say anything! Sorry so long!

wow your coach is awesome! She handled it so well and bingo she is moving on. Brilliant and congratulations to her.

Hope the OP has the same success with her dd.

 

[ZZMom]

The funny thing is, she can do a great backtuck or layout directly from the roundoff... she can do a great standing backhandspring.... but she just won't connect the RO BHS BT or LO. So we're not going to worry about it this year.!

Sorry to in any way highjack this thread but to Tumblequeensmom, have you considered having your daughter do a roundoff whip LO, etc.? My older DD had problems with the backhandspring due to problems with her back (she was about a level 8 when the back trouble started). She found that a whip produced the same results as a bhs related to power, etc. Just something to consider since you mentioned that she isn't afraid to do a layout out of her roundoff.

Best Wishes,

ZZMom

 

[ZZMom]

Ahoymalloy,

What we have found worked with fear is to back off to the skill progression prior to the one she is having trouble with. In this case, could she go back to doing a LOT of robhbh for a while and then start over with therobhbt?

I know this can be frustrating!

Edited to add: I'm a parent not a coach. Sorry. I know you are looking for expert advice.

Best Wishes,

ZZMom

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

Sorry to in any way highjack this thread but to Tumblequeensmom, have you considered having your daughter do a roundoff whip LO, etc.? My older DD had problems with the backhandspring due to problems with her back (she was about a level 8 when the back trouble started). She found that a whip produced the same results as a bhs related to power, etc. Just something to consider since you mentioned that she isn't afraid to do a layout out of her roundoff.

Best Wishes,

ZZMom

Thanks for the suggestion!!! I think her coach may be thinking of that for next year (L8). She's just a L7 this year, she hasn't even started trying to do anything like that yet! Her coach did tell her that there are all kinds of tumbling skills that she can do that do not involve the RO BHS... so we'll see what happens!