Help with roundoff back handspring backtuck.

[p123pc]

OK friends - dont really know were to turn too. My DD of 10 is a level 6 gymnast, see has been doing gymnastics for over 6 years. This spring right before her second sectionals see lost her roundoff backhandspring back tuck. She still has not been able to get over the mental hurdle to get it back. Has anyone seen something like this with there children or with themselves? If so how did you help them get over the hump and make it happen. Her coach is 100% dedicated to helping her get it back, however progress has stalled and actually gotten worse. Now she lost her roundoff backhandspring. I am at a loss, she leaves practice every night dejected and dissapointed (sometimes crying) and has such a passion for the sport. She once tried to go to gym with a fever of 101 and didnt tell us she was sick becuase she didnt want to miss gym.

I need help - my poor DD is stuck in a rutt.

P.S. - not sure it helps but she has no problem with standing back tucks, standing handspings on beam, or any other high level skill.

Thanks

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I wouldn't recommend doing anything about it outside of gym. Don't train this stuff at home, don't even bring it up in conversation (though if she brings it up it's fine to discuss it).

As for what I'd do at the gym:

I've usually seen this happen with kids whose development of tumbling power outpaces their development of strong spatial awareness (and it's especially common in gymnasts who are going through a growth spurt). It usually means the gymnast has more powerful than she feels comfortable with. What I've usually found to be the most effective is to attack it from three different angles:

First, I would have her doing roundoffs onto an 8-incher followed by a backhandspring. This way, the power from her roundoff is decreased, and she can connect straight into a backhandspring without fear of losing control.

Second, I would have her train series of two to four backhandsprings in a row, starting from a stand. This is to allow her to practice controlling the backhandspring and getting comfortable with the speed and power of the tumbling pass.

Third, I would have her train lots of back tucks on trampoline.

Once she's comfortable with all three, I'd have her move on to two or more backhandsprings from a roundoff on floor, and connected standing backhandspring-back tuck, either on tumbletrack or on floor, spotted to whatever extent necessary.

Next would be standing two backhandsprings to back tuck.

Then, finally, I'd substitute a fall-step roundoff for the first backhandspring. Once she's comfortable with this, she could gradually do it from a one step run, then two, then three.

The key is patience. It's better to go back a few steps and take extra time to develop comfort than to try to push straight through something she's just going to bail on. After all, if she's just bailing over and over, she's not practicing flipping, she's practicing bailing.

 

[iwannacoach]

^^^^What Geoff says, and.......It seems that these things come and go at will. I've seen this happen on a handfull of occassions, and in the majority of cases, to kids that were learning at uncommonly fast rates. I think there are times when the kids can't wrap their minds around their own progress, kind of like looking down as you climb a rock wall, and realizing you just could slip.....

In that specific instance, they are completely un-aware of what's happened to them, and there is nothing they can do about it but wait for their mind and emotions to catch up with their body's abilities. Geoff has laid out a pretty good course of remedy for the technical aspects. If it goes beyond that, about the only thing you can do is to keep her as productive as possible on everything else until things click back into place.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

vestibular.

 

[p123pc]

Thanks for the kind words Geoff - and your right I would never coach my DD, I know nothing about gymnastics and would just end up getting her hurt if I tried to show her something outside of gym. And to your other point my wife and I have been very mum on the subject - not wanting to draw more attention to it. As far as the growth spurt, i think you may have hit the nail on the head - it seems that everyone who hasnt seen her for a few weeks asks if she has grown. We as parents dont see it because we are with them day in and out. The plan you laid out is very similar to what her coach is doing with her now - so I feel the we are on the right track - thanks for such a quick response.

 

[CapeTownMum]

My DD is also struggling with her RO BT. She is a level 6 (10 yrs) and the mental block seems to be getting worse and worse with each practise! Her coach is not too concerned as she believes "it will come" in time, but until then, the frustration (and tears!) grows. She has a beautiful RO BHS BHS BHS, but then "bails" as soon as it comes to the BT. I'm not sure how to help her with the "mental" side of things - getting past the block. She has never struggled so much with a skill before, so it is quite frustrating!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

also vestibular. ^^^

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

My DD is also struggling with her RO BT. She is a level 6 (10 yrs) and the mental block seems to be getting worse and worse with each practise! Her coach is not too concerned as she believes "it will come" in time, but until then, the frustration (and tears!) grows. She has a beautiful RO BHS BHS BHS, but then "bails" as soon as it comes to the BT. I'm not sure how to help her with the "mental" side of things - getting past the block. She has never struggled so much with a skill before, so it is quite frustrating!

I know it's frustrating, but in my opinion the best way to help her is to ignore it unless she brings it up. When kids (especially girls, and ESPECIALLY 10-13 year old girls) run into a mental block, anything that makes them feel overly pressured is far more likely to make the problem worse than better.

Even asking her about it is a bad idea, because you run the risk of making her feel that she's letting you down by not doing it (I guarantee she already feels like she's letting herself, her coaches, and her team down). If she brings it up and wants to talk about it, you absolutely should be willing to do so, but otherwise a hands-off approach from the parents is best in my opinion.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

spot on, Geoff.