Mental Blocks???

[Gymgrl111]

I am pretty sure I am having a mental block with my back tumbling!!! I have always been iffy-iffy with it, but now its competition season and i can't afford to have it.....so I was wondering if any of you{gymnasts} have overcomed a mental block....{or you have kids that have etc..} and what you did to overcome it?

 

[bogwoppit]

YOu are not alone by any stretch of the imagination. Just type mental blocks into the search bar and you will find pages of threads on the issue and tons of good, practical advice as well.

Check out Dr Ali's advice it pops up often on the CB and you can search for it as well.

 

[gymnast12560]

I had a mental block on my backhandspring for the longest time. i would do it with a spot but not by myself. does your gym have a tumble track? what i did to overcome my mental block on backhadsprings was to go on tumble trak and go for my roundoff bhs. good luck i hope you get your back tumbling in your competitions!!!!!

 

[Aussie_coach]

Dealing with mental blocks

Step 1 - Check your thinking. It can be a as simple as just thinking "oh no I can't do this" that could be causing your mental block. Make sure you are thinking posititvely before you go for your tumble. If you tell yyourself you can't do it you won't be able too.

Step 2 - Visualise, see yourself doing the skills perfectly in your mind before you do them. Sometimes it can help if you watch others do the skills well and easily.

Step 3 - break it down, go back to the last way you can do the skill easily and work back through the drills, as soon as you hit a mental block go back one step and work back up.

Step 4 - What will make it easier? Adding an extra mat? Your coach standing in?

Step 5 - Ask for help. Perhaps from a different coach or a senior gymnasts, they may be able to see something others haven't seen or putt an idea into words that work for you.

Step 6 - Walk away, try again in 5 or 10 minutes or try again tomorrow.

Step 7 - have a back up plan. Don't let the mental block destroy your gymnastics. If you can't flic on beam find an alternative to work on as well like a front handspring or a round off. Have an alternative tumbling pass for floor or even just realise its only 1 apparatus and you can score well on others.