Parents How to deal with dd's tumbling mental block?

[petersam]

My poor dd age 10 is dealing with this at the moment (very recent issue) she can still do her bhs but apparently freezes when doing her back tuck. Although I did see her doing a double back (spotted) into the pit on Monday night. Also flick on beam seems to have gone. Im so upset for her. I don't know of anything that happened in gym to trigger this. She did fall backwards off one of those hover boards recently and got a fright. Not sure if that was a trigger? Anything I can do to help her? Has anyone's dc been through this, did they over come it and how long did it take? To be honest I was totally shocked when the coach (not her usual coach) told me as it was the morning after I saw her doing the double back. Coach is back to spotting her and if she stops get's her do a conditioning exercise. I think I am also scared as it happened to one of the top gymnasts in the club over a year ago and she hasn't tumbled since and therefore can't compete. Any advice would be much appreciated. Tia

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Yes. Tell her it's normal, not to worry, keep working and it will come back.

Don't talk about unless she wants too, then see above.

Let her and her coaches work through it.

 

[Aussie_coach]

It is not uncommon for kids to become afraid of one backwards skill and then have the fear spread to their other backwards skills. It often continues until all backwards skills are affected.

Often the kids can do it with a spot (hence doing the double back). But when the coach steps away they freeze.

In the early stages these fears are best dealt with in the gym. Getting extra spot, going back to drills, visualising etc.

However, if this fear has already spread to other skills then it is no longer in the early stages. Once it starts to spread like this, especially if their is no seemingly logical cause for it, it often means that the fear has become deep seated in the subconscious.

There is a limit to what the coach can do here. The coach can try to motivate her, recoach her on the skill etc. But the problem is not a result of lack of motivation or training. I would suggest she see a psychologist and/or consider hypnotherapy to get to the root cause and often this will solve the problem.

 

[petersam]

Thanks for replies. I'm a bit confused Aussie Coach, you say that its common to spread to other backwards skills but then you say if it has spread to other skills it's deep seated in the subconscious. Do you mean skills other than backward skills? Thanks

 

[gymdoc]

YDD started with a mental block on BHS on beam. We let it be and the coach worked with her. Unfortunately, over a 6 month period it spread to BWO on beam, then BT on floor, then RO-BHS on floor, then standing BHS on floor and then to fly away on bars and the coach was no longer helpful. YDD saw a sports hypotherapist at that time, because it was clear it was not a coaching or training issue. That helped immensely and she "got" all her skills back. She still blocks when she is stressed or during transition periods in her life (start of summer, start of school, testing time, etc), but now has some mind techniques to combat it

 

[Natasha]

You said it is a very recent issue? As in a week? If it has just occurred, it could easily resolve itself. It really is not uncommon or a concern when gymnasts have a temporary block that can be associated with any change (i.e. school just starting- being tired from adjusting to school and gym). I would honestly just not be worried (and let your dd know you are not worried) unless it continues for a while. My dd over the years has had a few days at a time periodically when she feels like she "just can't make herself go." For her it is a signal that she needs extra rest or it means she is feeling stressed (sometimes not even gym related stress- sometimes tests at school, etc.)

 

[petersam]

Yes that did cross my mind gymtigermom, she just started back at school 2 weeks ago and is stressed and tired (has had a good few frustration/exhaustion fueled tantrums at home poor pet) school and 20hrs of gym at 10 i suppose who wouldn't be [emoji53]

 

[momstrong]

Keep us updated @petersam. I'll be thinking good thoughts for her! These kids are really so amazing dealing with so much at their young age.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Thanks for replies. I'm a bit confused Aussie Coach, you say that its common to spread to other backwards skills but then you say if it has spread to other skills it's deep seated in the subconscious. Do you mean skills other than backward skills? Thanks

Hi. I meant that once it's has spread to other backwards skills it has become deep seated.

 

[petersam]

Thanks momstrong. Dd still hasn't mentioned that she is having issues with tumbling and I don't want to bring it up as i feel i would be highlighting it/making an issue of it. It's so hard I havent seen her do any tumbling in gym since as i only see her for few mins b4 training ends. I'm dwelling on it morning noon and night it's ridiculous. The coach hasn't given me any update or feedback and I dont expect her too but it's so difficult not to ask about it after every training session. It also doesnt help that I see the other girl training and she still can't do any tumbling, it''s over a year now and it's so sad as she was so good. Also some of the replies here have me worried, I know I did ask so have to expect the bad with the good. Sorry for my moany post

 

[momstrong]

Thanks momstrong. Dd still hasn't mentioned that she is having issues with tumbling and I don't want to bring it up as i feel i would be highlighting it/making an issue of it. It's so hard I havent seen her do any tumbling in gym since as i only see her for few mins b4 training ends. I'm dwelling on it morning noon and night it's ridiculous. The coach hasn't given me any update or feedback and I dont expect her too but it's so difficult not to ask about it after every training session. It also doesnt help that I see the other girl training and she still can't do any tumbling, it''s over a year now and it's so sad as she was so good. Also some of the replies here have me worried, I know I did ask so have to expect the bad with the good. Sorry for my moany post

Don't apologize! This sport is so tough on us parents because we feel our kiddos pain and anxiety I think sometimes more than they do. I just barely started down this JO path (dd switched from rec in January and had her first meet yesterday!) and am so full of anxiety and worry for her. I know I've got to chill and I"m trying to keep all of my worry away from her. I really just want her to have fun and be happy in her training, but we do have to step in and communicate with coaches at least occasionally.

Good luck again!

 

[petersam]

Today was the first tty time dd mentioned anything to me about her trouble with tumbling. We were in the car going to gymnastics and herself and her friend were discussing the schedule for the day. Then dd saI'd, Im so happy there's no tumbling today I hate tumbling. I just said, really why? And she said I just don't like going backwards. I didnt discuss it anymore after that as her friend was in the car. I thought by ignoring the situation it might have been getting better but that just brought all home, she always loved tumbling it was even her strong point. So hearing her say she hated it was a real eye opener that we could have a problem.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Yes. Tell her it's normal, not to worry, keep working and it will come back.

Don't talk about unless she wants too, then see above.

Let her and her coaches work through it.

This, and I will add that YOU cannot be upset about it. Even if you think you are masking it, your kids can read right through you. You must treat this like a sprain, and accept that nothing can be done but time and healing.

 

[petersam]

Thank you so much for all the replies. I really appreciate them. I am upset for her of course but I do not let her see that, I am trying to be super positive and bright and have never brought up 'the obvious' I never will unless she brings it up and even then I will only be positive and reassuring. This place is my outlet at the moment I know most people here will get the situation and emotions that go with it unfortunately you are all seeing the crazy gym mom in me that I can't show the outside world

 

[petersam]

Small update I was down in gym tonight collecting dd, I saw her do loads of standing back tucks off beam and on floor and a straight back off beam no spotting on any of them. I was super excited. We got into the car and I told her I saw her doing great stuff when I was waiting. She was proud and asked did I see her straight back off beam I said I did. She then went on to say she hates doing her tumbling sequence on floor, she's scared so needs spotting at tuck back. I told her that was fine and it might help to imagine herself doing it step by step and not to worry it will come eventually. Fingers crossed.

 

[petersam]

Another update. I was collecting dd last night and when I went into the waiting room one of the mums told me she saw dd do her floor sequence on her own, I asked was she sure no one was spotting dd and she said she yes she was sure The mom also told me saw saw dd do fab yurchenko sp? Into the pit but landing them really well. Then while waiting I watched her on the tumble track and she was doing her sequence on her own and finishing it off with a beautifully formed straight back (which is a new skill for dd, I think they are also known as layouts?)

Gymtigermom I think you could have been right and she just needed to adjust to her new routine of school and gym.

I still feel a bit uneasy as I think I need to see her sequence on the floor for myself but definitely things look ALOT more positive now than a few days ago. I'm still taken a back with this whole mental block issue, how easily it can happen and how difficult it can be to overcome. You never know when it's going to strike and you have no guarantee that it's not going to happen again.

Hope you don't mind all my updates but I would like to give others hope as when I was researching mental blocks I came across alot of horror stories which totally freaked me out

Thanks everyone. X

 

[petersam]

Just as I feared she's still not out of the woods. I was talking to the coach over the past couple of days and she said dd still needs help on floor. She is fine on softer surfaces at the moment but still struggling on floor. She said her main priority now is to prevent it getting worse. So she is still working hard with dd on floor. Fingers crossed things will workout.

 

[profmom]

Sounds like your coach is handling this well. Be aware that getting through backwards stuff can take some time, but as long as everyone is patient, it will work out. The most important thing is to keep the stakes low and the pressure off. Skills may come and go for a while as she is working through, but at some point, you'll realize it's all in the rear view mirror.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Just as I feared she's still not out of the woods. I was talking to the coach over the past couple of days and she said dd still needs help on floor. She is fine on softer surfaces at the moment but still struggling on floor. She said her main priority now is to prevent it getting worse. So she is still working hard with dd on floor. Fingers crossed things will workout.

I know a gymmie who won't backwards tumble on floor. No prob on beam. No prob on front tumbling or standing BT. ThE backward stuff. Freaks her out. She does FHS and FTs.

They are having her do other stuff in her passes.

 

[amiandjim]

Just be patient, give it time, and let the coaches handle it (as long as they are handling appropriately, which they seem to be). I know a junior elite who didn't tumble backward for over a year! Blocks are totally normal.