Parents Lost skills

[Deleted member 10727]

My just turned 8 year old son is a level 5 gymnast. He's always been really quick to pick up skills, and he is a perfectionist, and also takes pride in having skills. He's had his RO-BHS since he was 6, and his RO-double BHS since he was 7. He's done them countless times. He could throw 3 in a row with ease on the tumbl track, and maybe more, idk.

I'd noticed over the last couple of weeks, he suddenly bails out of the BHS part of the RO-BHS, but thought nothing of it, till a couple of days ago when he bailed out of one so bad, he landed with his elbows under him and bounced, causing minor pain in his shoulders. Then I started paying more attn and I saw he was starting to bail out of every single BHS. Yesterday, he could not do a standing BHS on the trampoline. He just stood there, willing himself. It was the saddest thing.

So he had a lesson today and the coach drilled him. He worked his basics again. Progressions. Repeat for an hour. Then he was able to get 3 single BHS with several attempts on the floor out of my DS. We came home and my son wanted to try on our trampoline and he is able to throw one standing BHS, but 2?? No. He does single, bounce, single. It's like he regressed back a year. He also was afraid to do a back tuck on trampoline, which is not like him at all. Nothing has happened. He did not get hurt, witness anyone get hurt, or anything. Finally, he visualized a friend of him doing a back tuck and he could do a couple. He still could not do the beautiful double BHS he has been doing for a year. What happened? I realize this may be a mental block, but this bad? Any tips or tricks to get him his mojo back? He has competitions starting this weekend and every weekend in January. REALLY bad timing.

 

[GymMomXcel]

Has he had a growth spurt?

 

[Deleted member 10727]

Yes, not sure on height, but he gained 4 lbs in 2 months. This is more like some weird fear.

 

[Deleted member 10727]

Doing reading, and I'm concerned about him "developing fears" I read about. This is strange. It's like he was a totally different child who'd never learned BHSBHS.

 

[gymdog]

No more at home, please! Only under supervision of coach who can control situation and progression.

 

[Deleted member 10727]

No more at home, please! Only under supervision of coach who can control situation and progression.

OK. It was his idea to do it. He keeps saying, "I want my BHS back!" I'll suggest he lay off of it at home, but can I ask why?

 

[gymdog]

OK. It was his idea to do it. He keeps saying, "I want my BHS back!" I'll suggest he lay off of it at home, but can I ask why?

He needs to supervised by someone highly trained in recognizing these issues and using the correct progressions to get him back on track. Sometimes the best thing to do is to do nothing at all (by continuing to try and fail the problem gets worse...a break to "forget it" is often helpful). Also, some of the balking you describe is dangerous and he could break his arm. He should only be working under strict supervision and monitoring for safety.

 

[Deleted member 10727]

Thank you for explaining. If I tell him no, he will try to do it more. I will try to tell him to only work at gym with his coach (whom he looks up to). Maybe if I tell him the coach wants him to only work with him, that will have more persuasion. I have also decided I don't want to bring it up at all with my ds after this.

 

[gymdog]

Have his coach tell him not to do it then. Or tell him the coaches told you that.

 

[iwannacoach]

He just turned 8, is a gymnast with a small body, and has added 4 pounds of body weight in a two month span. The kid weighs something like 60 lbs soaking wet, if lucky. Is that about right? if it is, then 4 lbs is a growth spurt unless you can determine his weight gain came in daily increments of .8 pounds over that span of time *and* that weight gain was evenly placed throughout his length and girth.

The point is that he may have gained 2 of those 4 pounds by adding bone, muscle, and length to his arms. That could be a temporary game changer for a small child, so get your hand off the panic button and tell him the same.

You can't change the spots on a leopard.... and once able, means always able as long as you wait for the dips and rises to even out.

 

[Deleted member 10727]

48 lbs soaking wet, and you are right. It's just freaky to watch a kid go from having it with full confidence a week ago to sudden bail outs and frozen.

 

[iwannacoach]

48 lbs soaking wet, and you are right. It's just freaky to watch a kid go from having it with full confidence a week ago to sudden bail outs and frozen.

Well there you go. That 4 pounds represents just over 8% of his body weight...... or about the same as growing half an extra arm. You outta try doing a bhs with with that flopping around out of control.

 

[JoyAvenueMom]

My personal experience is that chalkbucket is magic. Just post about a missing skill, wait a few days, weeks or months...and it comes right back! ;-)

 

[Deleted member D3987]

No more at home, please! Only under supervision of coach who can control situation and progression.

this!^^^

the problem is vestibular. it affects boys too! leave well alone and let his coaches handle it.

 

[Deleted member 10727]

this!^^^

the problem is vestibular. it affects boys too! leave well alone and let his coaches handle it.

Can this cause sudden fear?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

yes, and inexplicably.

 

[Deleted member 10727]

yes, and inexplicably.

OK, taking the pros advice and leaving well enough alone. Thank you all for discussing this with me. It has helped put things into perspective.

 

[Deleted member 10727]

Well there you go. That 4 pounds represents just over 8% of his body weight...... or about the same as growing half an extra arm. You outta try doing a bhs with with that flopping around out of control.

I love that you did the math on this. Being a numbers person, this has resonated all day!

 

[Deleted member 10727]

I spoke with another team parent yesterday, and she has a level 10 gymnast who has always been the star of the gym since he is the only level 10 and the highest level at any given time. I asked the parent, after she said she noticed my son having trouble with RO-BHS, if her son ever had any mental blocks. She said no. I said that the coach thinks my kid is having trouble due to sudden growth, and she said her son (16) has grown 5 or 6 inches in the last year and has had no trouble. She hinted that she has seen kids who get blocks at a young age, and how they never really make it far into the sport (to a level 10). It is true that my son has always been on the cautious side. For example, he will not do handstands on concrete while other boys will. My son lives for gymnastics, so I hope this parent is wrong.

 

[JoyAvenueMom]

...and I thought Kipper's career was over when she suddenly became afraid to do a cartwheel on the high beam. No worries, cartwheel returned and she is now working BWO and BHS on beam. True enough, fear is one factor in the equation that determines how long and how far a kid can go. But learning to deal with the fear, and master it, is a great life lesson. Regardless of what this particular mom said, you will find TONS of posts here about growth spurts and VESTIBULAR maturity that indicate he is probably dealing with changes in his body right now. I think most would agree her son is the exception, and certainly not the only example of athletes who achieve high levels of success.