I've done my backhandspring for the past three days, but now I can't do it?!

[GymnastSwag]

I've had it for the past year, but a cheerleader tripped me up when I did it so I was scared to do it by myself. Well I went to a gymnastics camp and got it back, with no spot. I've been doing it for three days now. Yesterday, (the camp ended yesterday) and I messed up on it. So I came home and pulled down an old mattress. I threw it and could do it. I was exhausted, but I could still walk up and feel like throwing it, but I wouldn't let myself. My mom told me to stop and go to sleep, and that I would be able to do it today. Well today, I can't do it. At all. It's not that I'm scared, it just doesn't feel right, and it's almost like I can't remember how to swing my arms and sit. But I can do it on the trampoline.. but I have to force myself. And when I go to do it, my body doesn't "feel" like throwing it like yesterday.
And also when I look at backhandspring videos I don't think "Oh that's so easy I can do that." And then go throw it anymore. It's hard to explain!
Also, I going to another gym (the one where I went to the gymnastics camp) and I can't join till August 1st. And theres no open gym open any time soon where I live!
I feel like giving up, and just quitting gymnastics. It's been a year and I've had 7 private lessons, two practices every week, and went to this camp and I can't do it!

 

[Brandon]

Well first off, quiting over such a small setback would be definitly be regretful down the line.

Anyway, it sounds like it's a bit of a mental block. You've done it many times before, so just relax and do it. If you over think it, you'll mess up. Or if you don't mess it up, you'll 'find' something wrong with it. So my advie would be to go in the gym or get out your matress, chill, and just throw it.
Good luck

 

[GymnastSwag]

Well first off, quiting over such a small setback would be definitly be regretful down the line.

Anyway, it sounds like it's a bit of a mental block. You've done it many times before, so just relax and do it. If you over think it, you'll mess up. Or if you don't mess it up, you'll 'find' something wrong with it. So my advie would be to go in the gym or get out your matress, chill, and just throw it.
Good luck

Thanks! I figured out it is a mental block. And that I am scared, I am scared I will hit my head. I'm probably just going to wait until I can go to a gym and get spotted, on the first week of August (All it will take is one spot and I'll get my confidence back, then I'll be able to do it by myself) . Unless I get the courage to throw it before then. Then I will do it 3 times. Take a break and do it three more times. So that I get confident in it.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

how old are you?

 

[GymnastSwag]

how old are you?

I am 14. What does that have to do with anything? Ha.

 

[SuperGirlmlm]

That brings back memories! It took me 5 years to get my back hand spring. Since I was in a once a week class then, we had long 3 week breaks for various things, and so, I'd get it, then lose it again and by the time I get it again, we go on break and I lose it before it's confident. And, since I was so scared of it, I'd never try it without someone spotting me on my trampoline at home. And, on the third year of working on it, I broke my wrist doing my BHS, and so then, my fear got bigger until my coach made me take a some private lessons, and we did them over and over. That's the key with fears, repetition. Even now, I'll go to an open gym and hang out on floor, tumble track or trampoline and throw BHS's over and over.

 

[gymnasticky]

It took me a long time to get over fear of mine as well. About 4 years or something. Eventually, falling on my back took up too much energy, and I just got over it recently.
It sounds like this is not the case with you. Do you have your round-off back handspring (or could you try it?). This way, you don't have time to think about it, and you will naturally do your back handspring better when you don't have momentum from the round-off because you will be used to more power and put more into it (I'm not actually sure if this is true or not, but it sounds logical in my mind ). It would be a win-win situation.
Good luck!

 

[teena82]

You said you can do it on your trampoline but have to force yourself to do it. I was just like that. I found that going out there every day and even a few times a day and doing ten or so of them helped the fear go away. I agree with the previous poster. It's all about repetition.

 

[GymnastSwag]

Thanks everyone! My mom made me go outside look at the trampoline and think why I could do it and what scared me. I told her I could do it because I had done it alot, and was scared because it's old and wobbles when I do it, and it doesn't have a net because it ripped so I was scared I would fall off. (But at a gym I do it easily)Then she made me go look at the mattress, I told her I could do it because I've been trained but scared because it's close to the ceiling, and I'm scared I'll hit it and fall, and because it's too short and I'm scared I'm going to lengthen it too much and my feet will hit my hardwood floor wrong, and the mattress slide. And my mom found an open gym, and toke me to it and I did it easily because I trusted in the equipment. It wasn't me that I didn't trust it was the trampoline and mattress at my house.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I am 14. What does that have to do with anything? Ha.

because it changes my suggestion depending on the age for issues that become age appropriate so, 14. you should be able to work thru this independently with a trampoline, tumbl trak, rod floor, etc; at your age you should know your not going to kill yourself doing a flip flop.

and, it looks like you're already learning how to problem solve. you stated "do 3 times, take a break and do it 3 times". this is good that you thought that concept out. the rest you can handle.