Mental fear issues?! ((ahhh!))

[gymnastjaiderz1106]

I am soooo frustrated! I have never really been scared, but now..I feel like everything scares me!

Back walkovers on beam, I can do it absolutely just fine on low beam, medium beam, and high beam with 2 mats under it... But once its done to that last mat, I just tell myself, "GO!" and I start to arch back, but I go no where... My mind and body just stops!

Flyaways, I try to let go...But I dont, I just again: stop!

Back handsprings on LOW BEAM with panel mats raised completely to the sides (no way to fall!) that scares me!

Its SOOOOO frustrating, because I want to do it SO badly, and I believe I can..But it doesn't happen: HELP?!

P.s. I feel like I should quit gym because I cant do anything because of this!

 

[gymnastbeth]

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Don't quit gym just because you're having trouble! Everyone has fear once in awhile, it's how you deal with it that matters. Just take a deep breath, and realize that you CAN do it!

As for the BHS on the low beam, do one NOT worrying about putting your hands on the beam. Do it just as you would on the floor. Once you get that, you should have some idea where the beam is when your going back. Then do some on the floor, with your hands together, like you are on the beam. Do lots up to mats with regular hand placement. Once you've done all that and you feel confident, go back to the low beam and do an attempt at putting your hands on the beam. If that still scares you, take some steps backwards, and take your time. It might help if you put something over the beam, so it seems like there's not even a beam there at first, just to help you gain confidence. I used a bathmat when I was learning, but you can use a sting mat, or any other thin mat.

Those are ALL skills that a lot of people have trouble with! I still get scared when I do flyaways, but I can do them. Goodluck!

 

[gymnasticsfreak]

I've had most of these problems before. Don't quit, I know from experience! For me I had to do hundreds on small beams and on the floor, and then all of a sudden I wasn't scared anymore.Good Luck

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

Aw, don't quit! You're 100 times better than me, and I'm not quitting. And I have my fears, too.

I've been doing cartwheels and handstands on beam for a year and I haven't done them yet on high beam. I have the exact same fear as you. I can do them on low beam. I can do them on medium beam, if I'm feeling really brave that day. But I CANNOT do it on high beam without either a bunch of mats underneath me or a coach spotting me.

You just have to take a deep breath and relax. Tell yourself that your coaches wouldn't let you do it if they thought you weren't ready. Ask them to lightly spot you once. Then ask them to stand right next to you but NOT spot you, so if you DO fall (which I highly doubt,) you know they will be there to catch you.

For some reason, every time I do a back walkover on floor, I hesitate for a long time at the beginning. I've done them a thousand times before. They're not scary, and I can't get hurt doing them. But I pause anyway. I'll ask the coach to spot me once if I really feel like I can't do it, for some strange reason. Then they'll watch me do it by myself and I do it fine! You just gotta DO IT!

And here's just a quick story, one time I was practicing mounting the "medium" beam by jumping on a springboard, and I could do it by myself but the coach was there just in case. So I ran, jumped on the springboard, and landed WAY too close to the edge of the beam, and I began to fall backwards. I would have been seriously injured if my coach hadn't been there, but she caught me and I was fine. Your coaches will NOT let you get hurt, remember that! They are professionally trained and know EXACTLY what to do.

 

[rardjds]

DONT QUIT GYM.
PLEASE.
DON'T.

things get better soooooo many people go through this i didnt think so cuz it seemed like i was the only one at my gym but then i saw all the mental fear posts on the chalkbucket and realized how common it was. and everyone said it got better. it was really hard to believe but i promise it may take a week or a month of 6, but it will get better. look to your coach and teammates and family for support. dont avoid the skills you are scared of. take things slow. ​DON'T BEAT UP ON YOURSELF YOU ARE STILL AN AMAZING GYMNAST.

 

[gymgirl1129]

Just like everybody else said, there is no need to quit. I am quite prone to mental blocks and the first few really bad ones I thought that I wanted to wuite, but once I got over the issues I loved being in the gym again.

For back walkovers beam start with the low beam and work your way up to the medium beam, then go to the high beam with the mats stacked under. (When I had mental issues with backhandsprings I used a lot of little mats so I could take them out easily.) Once you can do ten in a row without balking then move the next mat away. Once you are on you last few mats ask a coach to spot or stand there while you take away the last few mats. This is how I got over the fear of backhandsprings on the high beam. For the backhandsprings with the mats. JUST GO! (I don't mean to be harsh or anything but I know what you are dealing with and sometimes tough love, really works (personal experience). You will be ok and sometimes counting 1, 2, 3 might help. If this doesn't, ask a coach to stand there and have, him/her slowly back away, until its all you.

For flyaways, start on the low bar with a spot (even if you can already do a flyaway, try it. It might be good to back track a little, when you are mental.) If you feel fine after a few do some on the low bar without a spot until you a confident. Then put the high bar as low as it can go and do it off there with a spot, then without a spot. Try raising the bar a notch then do the same thing. Keep raising it until you get to where the high bar is usually set. If you ever get to a step where you can no longer do it then back track one step until you are comfortable then move on again.

Always ask a coach for help when going through a mental fear. Eventhough each person, usually solves mental bloks different ways your coaches can support you and maybe have other ideas on how to get past it because they know what kind of person you are and what might help. Try to ask your coach for a private lesson too. For me it was way easier to come in with my one coach then have the all the optionals staring at me while I tried to get skills back and work through mental issues.

4 more important things to remember though:

1. each person is different. What might have worked for a friend may not work for you and thats ok. You need to find a way that you solve these fears.
2. A little fear is ok. I hate to tell you but, you will always be afraid of different skills Some will be easier then others. You need to learn how to not let the fear get the best of you and cause a mental issue, instead try to get rid of the fear of that skill by doing it a lot.
3. A little 'tough love' is sometimes a good thing thing. After about almost a whole season of me being afraid of jumping to the high bar (I am a level 8 so this is pretty bad, haha), my coaches got kinda mad at me and one of them even told me to quit in a round about way and almost told me I couldn't compete etc. Well a month later I completely regained the skill, so if the coahes are being a little harsh don't let it get to you too much.
4. There is no set length of time that it takes to get over a mental block. It may take a season or it may take one weekend. If you don't get something right away, keep working at it because if you put your mind to it you will get over it. Just keep working hard and if its ok with you coaches ask to stay a few minutes after practice or come a bit early to work on it. Plus this shows them you care about all this and when I had issues they always knew it wasn't on purpose or to get attention or anything and it shows them you still deserve to be a part of the team even if you don't have all your skills right at the moment.

Sorry this is kinda long, but I hoped some of it helped. Just work hard, believe in yourself, don't give up, and SMILE !
Good Luck!