Parents Needing some commiseration

[AlexandraU16]

I’m posting here hoping for BTDT folks to give me a pep talk. It’s about the one skill that has become such a road block for my daughter and I’m feeling a lot of uncertainty and frustration that I don’t want to unload on her so I’m coming here instead.

My daughter is 7 and has always picked up skills quickly. Beam is the only event that is typically a bit behind for her and I can’t figure out if it’s poor technique, purely mental/confidence, or a combo.
She has all level 4 skills, most level 5, and a handful of level 6.

But the beam back walkover has been her absolute kryptonite. She first got it maybe six months ago and since then it’s been such a roller coaster. Some practices she will land 20 (often landing 5-10 reps in a row) and other times it’s like she’s never done one before and hips are way off to the side or second foot can’t find the beam etc. It was a skill that made her incredibly nervous to do on her own and now she does it but it’s clear she’s still very worried. She has sufficient shoulder and back flexibility but is definitely not a bendy gymnast- she is a very muscular, powerful type. She has said she thinks she’d rather work BHS on beam than these.

She has five more months before her next meet and considering she hasn’t made much progress in the last five months I’m worried. She can do a back walkover on a line but isn’t even consistent on our home floor beam a lot of days. Other days they’re confident and lovely.

Is this a common stumble for otherwise fast progressing, very fast twitch kids?
Any reassurances or advice welcome. I only have footage of her home floor beam reps but I can provide if that would be helpful.

 

[BusyMomof2]

Is she competing 5 or 6? If 6, she doesn't actually need it (although my daughter is back competing it in 7 as part of a series). I am not a fan of this skill because it's so hard on her back. I am sure coaches have more insight than I do, but I see lots of kids miss this skill in practice, frequently, including those that have many more advanced skills. So I would think it's relatively normal?

 

[AlexandraU16]

Is she competing 5 or 6? If 6, she doesn't actually need it (although my daughter is back competing it in 7 as part of a series). I am not a fan of this skill because it's so hard on her back. I am sure coaches have more insight than I do, but I see lots of kids miss this skill in practice, frequently, including those that have many more advanced skills. So I would

Is she competing 5 or 6? If 6, she doesn't actually need it (although my daughter is back competing it in 7 as part of a series). I am not a fan of this skill because it's so hard on her back. I am sure coaches have more insight than I do, but I see lots of kids miss this skill in practice, frequently, including those that have many more advanced skills. So I would think it's relatively normal?

Our gym does bronze-gold in place of compulsories. She did silver last season. Levels for next season aren’t finalized yet but her coach already told her she will be competing it next season regardless. That may be part of the problem- she may be feeling pressure and may be building it up as a big scary have-to in her mind. I’m not entirely certain.

 

[GymnastMomX2]

My now level 10 struggled SO bad with the stupid backwalkover. Seriously. She never, ever got it consistently. She fell at so many level 7 meets. Beam has been much better since she learned bhs+bhs and now bhs+layout series.

 

[raenndrops]

If she would rather work the BHS, is there anyway to convince the coach to let her do that.
We have girls that prefer the BHS on beam over the BWO (L5-6 and Xcel Gold-Platinum).

 

[AlexandraU16]

My now level 10 struggled SO bad with the stupid backwalkover. Seriously. She never, ever got it consistently. She fell at so many level 7 meets. Beam has been much better since she learned bhs+bhs and now bhs+layout series.

That makes me feel so much better. I’ll tell her too. Might just have to get through this phase and take the .5 deduction more often than not. Although she said she landed 5 on high beam today but tomorrow may be a different story

 

[AlexandraU16]

If she would rather work the BHS, is there anyway to convince the coach to let her do that.
We have girls that prefer the BHS on beam over the BWO (L5-6 and Xcel Gold-Platinum).

I don’t think so. She’s dabbling with them on floor and low beam but the back walkover is highly emphasized in her gym. Like it’s a huge gatekeeper skill to gold for them for some reason. She said she had a good practice today and was able to do several unspotted on high beam so I guess we just keep persevering. It’s a skill I’m sure she will love to see the back of.

 

[AlexandraU16]

If she would rather work the BHS, is there anyway to convince the coach to let her do that.
We have girls that prefer the BHS on beam over the BWO (L5-6 and Xcel Gold-Platinum).

I don’t think so. She’s dabbling with them on floor and low beam but the back walkover is highly emphasized in her gym. Like it’s a huge gatekeeper skill to gold for them for some reason. She said she had a good practice today and was able to do several unspotted on high beam so I guess we just keep persevering. It’s a skill I’m sure she will love to see the back of.

 

[Dahlialover]

What you describe is perfectly normal for this sport. Every gymnast has skills like this. My advice is to never ask your daughter how it is going with that skill (encouragement can feel like pressure) and, if she brings it up, just reassure her that she is doing great and that she has plenty of time to build up her consistency. Don’t dwell on it: the less she thinks about it the better. Good luck!

P.S. As soon as she gets through this, there probably will be a new pesky fear-skill to grapple with. Every skill has a physical component and a mental component and those two things develop at different rates. That’s normal and okay.

 

[AlexandraU16]

Thanks. I definitely try not to ask her; she came cheerfully out of practice yesterday volunteering the information about her triumphs on high beam .
I came here wondering if this skill specifically is a common hang up; at our gym it seems to be one most girls grasp fairly quickly. I know there is a pantheon of skills that are notorious for being elusive and inconsistent (the kip of course comes to mind) and I wasn’t sure if the beam back walkover is one of those or if it is just a big hurdle for my daughter’s for her own reasons.
It’s encouraging to hear she will likely move through this (and onto other struggles ).

 

[Carly]

What you describe is perfectly normal for this sport. Every gymnast has skills like this. My advice is to never ask your daughter how it is going with that skill (encouragement can feel like pressure) and, if she brings it up, just reassure her that she is doing great and that she has plenty of time to build up her consistency. Don’t dwell on it: the less she thinks about it the better. Good luck!

P.S. As soon as she gets through this, there probably will be a new pesky fear-skill to grapple with. Every skill has a physical component and a mental component and those two things develop at different rates. That’s normal and okay.

100% agree with this reply and also wanted to say that I would not encourage her to do it at home. That could be reinforcing a bad technique.

 

[AlexandraU16]

Thanks! I don’t. She does them on her floor beam when she wants to and I don’t discourage her but maybe I should.