Need some advice on fear on the bars.

[gym_dad]

Last December my daughter hurt her elbow while trying to jump from the low bar to the high bar. Since this time she has had a fear of making that jump. We have been working with the coaches and at times she has made great progress. However, for every step forward there seems to be another step back after a few days. Like I said this has been going on since December. We are all at our wits end and getting very frustrated. Any advice or words of wisdom?

 

[gym law mom]

What have they tried so far? Have the bars been moved closer together, has a coach been standing there to spot or assist her, have they tried putting mats under the high bar/between bars or taken the skill to the floor and had her practice just the jump?
There are alot of drills they can do and let her build back up to doing the jump. Trying to force the skill or just doing drills for a couple of days then asking her to do that jump will just push her back. Time and patience seems to work best.

 

[gym_dad]

They have done all of that and have really worked with her this past few months. I guess I just wanted to hear that it will be resolved with time.

 

[gym law mom]

They have done all of that and have really worked with her this past few months. I guess I just wanted to hear that it will be resolved with time.

It will---just can't predict when. Sometimes when the whole "issue" is just pushed aside and nobody makes a big deal out of it, they have the break through.

 

[cher062]

unfortunatly ever kid is different and will resolve fear issues in thier own time. It took my DD a whole year to be comfortable with doing her floor layout after a coach walked away from spotting her and she landed on her head. but eventually she did get over it and has more confidence than ever. She had to get to a point where she trusted the coaches wouldn't walk away again and she felt like she really could do this with out issues. She had to take a step back to a back tuck for awhile before she would try it again. Her coaches were getting frustraited at the pace she moved and that was one of the reasons I think we had the issue at the old gym where we had to move from there. But she is confident now and moving on to L8 skills beautifully.

All you can really do is be her supporter and keep her focused on all skills not just the one she is struggling with.

Now I know you don't want to hear this but it also could end up that she just can't get over it. I saw a really talented gymnast fall when she went from low to high bar and ended up with a big bump on her head. It wasn't serious but after the fear of doing that just overwhelmed her and she ended up quiting.

Just be prepared either way to let your DD know it doesn't matter that you still believe in her no matter what ends up happening.

 

[Natasha]

My daughter had a big issue with jumping to the high bar. She does not like heights! The coaches tried bribes, spotting, etc. Their bars were set WAY apart at practices because she had several taller girls on her team. It helped her to have mats stacked up under the high bar to gain confidence. (Funny story actually- she refused to jump to the high bar if the bars were too far apart- she would just consistently "tap" the bar but would not grab on- then when we were putting the gym back together after our home meet, she was playing on the bars and she jumped a bunch of times to the high bar because there was a big stack of mats under the high bar so that there was only about a foot drop from hanging. One of the coaches saw her doing it and informed her after she had already jumped to the bar over and over that she had just jumped on the farthest setting we use as a L10 had just been the last to do her routine.) She had already begun her L5 season when this happened. It's been less than 2 years since she wouldn't jump to the high bar and now she is training giants on the high bar. They do get through it! Now she is trying to work her way back to back handsprings on the high beam after breaking her wrist doing them. I try to just be supportive and encouraging while acknowledging her fear. I also don't ask her about her bhs after practice (except to check to make sure her wrist isn't hurting). I let her bring it up if she wants to talk about it. Sometimes it is hard being patient and letting them work through the fear issues, but I have learned that the best thing for me is to just be supportive and let her work it out with the coaches. She has already talked this week about feeling pressured by coaches to do her BHS on high beam, so I figure I need to be the safe place to talk about it without trying to "solve" her problem...easier said than done though! Good luck!