Women Huge Flyaway Mental Block

[gymnasticsluver12!]

Hey fellow Chalkbucketers! I haven't been on in a while, but I'm glad to be back! I am having a great season so far, except for my flyaway. This year I'm an IO which is an AAU prep-op. As of right now on bars I'm competing the level 6 bar routine.. Well I was. I ended up getting a huge mental block after I came back from vacation and I landed on my head. I want to do it so bad, but my coach will not spot me, because I'm bigger/taller than her.. So because of that my dismount right now is a baby giant underswing dismount. Do you guys know any way at all to help me get over this? Or help me get back my flyaway? I know I can do it, I want to do it, but I need a spot.. Which my coach won't do. Thanks guys

 

[bogwoppit]

Maybe a private with a bigger coach? You really cannot train this without someone who is prepared to spot you.

 

[sleeplessinnewyork]

Hi, I hope this will help! You say this is a mental block, so you've done them before, correct? Try to go back one step and focus on having a good tap. Swing and try to make it really good. Then count 1,2,3, and just let your body take over. If you've trained it enough, your body will remember the motion. If this seems too scary perhaps having your coach just STAND there will help?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

find a gym that has a pit that you can use.

 

[wallinbl]

If no pit, does your gym have a harness?

 

[GymBeeMom]

My dd smacked her shins on bars doing a giant, giant flyaway and is now trying get the nerve up to do them again. Coach is doing the giants separate from the flyaway to keep both going while she gets up the nerve to connect them again. SO my best guess would be to step back to the progression you were comfortable with and move forward from there...A coach could probably help more with this one...

 

[gymnastbeth]

The flyaway has been my biggest mental block throughout all the levels. For me, it seems to be a recurring thing. Just when I think I've finally moved past the fear, it comes creeping back. It's a really common fear to block on. You really do need a coach who is willing to spot you. If your coach won't, ask if they can get another, bigger coach to step in just for that skill. The hardest part of getting over the flyaway fear is letting go of the bar. Once you let go of the bar, your muscle memory knows exactly what to do. It's so much easier said than done, but just LET GO!

If you don't have a pit, it's hard to do timers, but you can stack mats on top of a resi and land on your back onto that from a swing. (You do need a coach standing by to make sure you land on the mats...). You can put a cheese mat on top of the stack, with the downhill going towards the bar. When you land on your back on the cheese, do a backwards roll. Once you get comfortable letting go after 3 swings, the only thing you really can do is just have a coach spot you and attempt the flyaway.

Do the timers so much that it's incredibly boring and easy. You should do it so frequently that your body and mind is used to letting go of the bar after 3 swings, you could do it in your sleep.

Good luck! I feel your pain on this mental block, it's always been one of my most frustrating fears.

 

[coachmolly]

How did you learn a flyaway? I'm guessing you did a few progressions besides just being spotted by your coach, so I would recommend going back to those.
As others suggested, try to find a bigger coach who is willing to spot you. If one of those isn't available, are there 2 coaches who might be able to double spot the skill?