fears!

[storms06]

i am a level 5 trying to move up to level 6. i have had my backwalkover on beam before but will not currently go for it after falling several times. i will not go for it without a mat and a coach's spot right now. any suggestions on how to get over this fear?

 

[sunshinegymnast]

I'm going through the same thing! I'm on the low beam again getting really comfortable with them and my coach tries to encourage me by saying if I didn't think you could do it, I wouldn't put you up there. It helped a bit but I still want her there to spot! Tomorrow's a new gym day so I think I'm gonna go for it...They way I do mine; the worst I could do is land on the side which isn't too bad.

Keep me updated

 

[GymnastAlice]

1: You should try getting your back walkover PERFECT on floor.
2: Move up to a foam floor beam and try doing a nice back walkover on there. Make sure your hands are in a "butterfly" position, your legs are straight and do NOT bend your arms.
3: Move up to a wooden suede beam preferably with a beam mat on top of it so your hands do not slip, and have mats on each side of the beam to raise confidence and keep on practicing to really lift your confidence so you are prepared for a bigger challenge.
4: Next, go to a slightly more raised beam with a thick crash mat underneath in case you fall or slip, and also lay a beam mat on top for your hands and try getting your backwalkover really good on the wooden floor beam before you attempt this.
5: try on a high beam with your coach spotting you and depending on the height of the beam have 1-2 crash mats underneath the beam with a beam mat on top.
6: Once you have tried all of these steps and are really confident, believe in yourself and just remember you have done this before and you will never get better if you sit on the sidelines. I hope my answer helped you and just remember beams can't hurt you!

 

[iwannacoach]

Do a back walk-over on the floor and compare it to the ones you've done on beam....are they the same? If you were to do your "beam" back walk-over on the floor would it be as "easy" as the floor back walk-over, on the floor?......Be honest, aren't you doing a "version" of your back walk-over when you try it on beam, just to be safe.....Answer this question, If the easiest way to do a back walk-over is what you do on floor, how can the "harder version" that you do only on beam be safer????


In other words, do it the easy way, not the hard way. If it works on the floor line 95 out of 100 times with the 5 "bad ones" just a bit off, it will work fine on the beam if you just let it happen. Spotting's fine if you need it to keep your beam technique the same as your floor technique, but you'd be better off staying on the floor until you're "bored crazy and you just can't take it any more I'll do anything to make myself move on, nuts in the head" Until then use your time working lots of repititions while concentrating on going straight over the top and moving through the skill with enough speed that it "flows" continuously from beginning to end. Balance beam isn't hard unless you make it that way!

 

[Esoteric]

Sometimes with a growth spurt- even a little one- you can be standing on beam and somehow notice or "feel" that you are further away from the floor. I remember this feeling distinctly. Take it back to basics, as the other posters have said. Once you are up on beam- try incorporating the bwo into the level 6 routine so you don't have time to stand there and "psych" yourself out. Do the leap, do the bent knee and kick, do the scoop arm up thing, then the dip and arm back up thing- you're in position- take a breath and say to yourself- "arms by my ears, look at my hands, everything tight, trust my body" lift your leg, and go for it! Your body knows what to do. It is your mind that is fouling things up. try positive self talk and visualization on the floor and as you progress from low beam up to high beam. Keep it as part of a routine and not the individual skill. I have all the faith in the world in your ability to go for, and stick that back walk over. As soon as YOU have faith- it will come. Best of luck, and keep us posted!