Parents Ongoing Mental Block...

[floridagirl]

Hi. I've read a lot of threads, but still wanted to post. My daughter is almost 10 and has been battling a mental block for 6 months. She had her ROBHS for 2 years and then lost the ability to connect it, which led to further fears of going backward on the floor. She almost overcame it and then it happened again 3 weeks ago!! She can do standing BHS but will not connect two or connect with a RO. She wants to do it but says her head won't let her. She's frustrated and to the point of tears. It seems to have also affected her other skills…she's less aggressive and has declined overall. It's also beginning to negatively affect her life outside of the gym. I've seen an increase in anxiety overall and it breaks my heart. She's tried visualizing, breaking down the skills, not doing it for a short time, etc…. Her coaches are trying to be supportive but are now at a loss. I'm concerned that if she doesn't beat this fear/block, it will have a negative affect on her self confidence overall. Any suggestions, thoughts, insights anyone has would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

[SignHere]

We tried everything, Doc Ali, etc. when DDs anxiety started affected life outside the gym, that was enough for me . I too her to a therapist for anxiety.

Talking to the therapist really helped her deal with her anxiety , I felt like I was doing something , and things started to improve .

 

[SignHere]

Sorry ... Forgot to mention DD had a backwards tumbling block. If you do a search on it, you'll find that it is often vestibular and coaches should work drills with the girls. However , focusing on the block will just make your daughter anxious .

 

[JoyAvenueMom]

Try to hide any anxiety or disappointment you may feel. If she did it before, she will do it again...maybe tomorrow, maybe 3 months from now. If you are rock solid in your confidence in her, she can "borrow" some of that to face her fears. Great suggestion above about researching vestibular. My dd "lost" her cartwheel on the beam for 4 months, after doing it for nearly a year. I was convinced she was done with this sport. If she was scared of cartwheels, how would she ever learn to do back walkovers on beam. Fast forward 18 months, and she is has a beautiful back handspring on beam. In hindsight, it was "just a blip".

 

[floridagirl]

Sorry ... Forgot to mention DD had a backwards tumbling block. If you do a search on it, you'll find that it is often vestibular and coaches should work drills with the girls. However , focusing on the block will just make your daughter anxious .

Thanks! I did research vestibular, but it seems like it would have improved by now. I don't ask about her tumbling and mostly try to ask if she had fun, because that is ultimately why she does this sport I just thought by now, she would have been past it as it seems most girls (at least what I've read) get past it within 3 months time. We are in competition season, so hopefully that will motivate her. Time will tell...

 

[floridagirl]

Try to hide any anxiety or disappointment you may feel. If she did it before, she will do it again...maybe tomorrow, maybe 3 months from now. If you are rock solid in your confidence in her, she can "borrow" some of that to face her fears. Great suggestion above about researching vestibular. My dd "lost" her cartwheel on the beam for 4 months, after doing it for nearly a year. I was convinced she was done with this sport. If she was scared of cartwheels, how would she ever learn to do back walkovers on beam. Fast forward 18 months, and she is has a beautiful back handspring on beam. In hindsight, it was "just a blip".

Great advice! Thanks for the reminder to be her "rock"… Love how your dd overcame and continued to achieve!!! Patience is tough, especially now that meet season has begun, but this too shall pass…hopefully soon.

 

[raenndrops]

I just thought by now, she would have been past it as it seems most girls (at least what I've read) get past it within 3 months time.

I know several girls that have had back tumbling blocks that took longer than 3 months to overcome.
OG is still working through a block that began on Feb. 26, 2012. She was 10.
She is getting better (can sometimes do a back tuck, but only going in ONE DIRECTION on the floor... from the front left corner to the back right corner on our floor... can't do it coming back and can't do it from the other corners)... and she can do a layout on the air track... but all of this is a LONG time coming and the fear is still there quite often. Her other blocks still haven't gone away, but we are working through them too.
Good luck.

 

[MaryA]

It happens. It sucks. I've seen people try all sorts of things, from private lessons to sports therapists to hypnosis and there doesn't seem to be any magic bullet. In the end, I think your DD just has to be more stubborn than the fear. But if it starts really taking over her life... causing her anxiety and/or feelings of inadequacy outside of the gym, you've really got to evaluate if it's worth it.

For what it's worth, I have seen gymnasts with back tumbling fears power through to optionals... doing beautiful floor routines all the way up to the end and the ending with standing BHS (and even a standing BT) rather than connected. Kills their floor scores, of course, but if they're strong in other events, they can still score out. Once they get to optionals they mainly do front tumbling while continuing to chip away at the back tumbling issues.

If Xcel is an option, that would be another way your daughter could have success at meets and hopefully build up her self-confidence without having to conform to strict requirements as to the skills she needs to have.

Good luck!

 

[sportsmommy]

3 years is how long my dd had a block on her cw on beam. She tried everything! So did her coaches. Finally she went to xcel and the anxiety lessened. She is now doing a cw cw in her routine but she isnt wanting to even attempt any new acro skill on beam. She used to cry over it. I was to the point i wanted her to quit. I never said anything to her because i wanted the choice to be hers. She wanted to continue. She never quit loving gymnastics. She is content competing the cw series and improving on the events.

 

[SignHere]

Vestibular absolutely can last more than 3 months ! I know it is hard, but you cannot let it show that you are worried or stressed about it. You must be your DDs low key rock as others have said! Repeat after me, " you have done it before, you will do it again. I'm not concerned . I have fAith in you. Don't you be concerned." Want to do something other than gymnastics?"

That's the best thing you can do for her. We did archery, figure skating, 4 wheeling, and gardening. It was fabulous . Oh, and rollercoasters !

 

[floridagirl]

It happens. It sucks. I've seen people try all sorts of things, from private lessons to sports therapists to hypnosis and there doesn't seem to be any magic bullet. In the end, I think your DD just has to be more stubborn than the fear. But if it starts really taking over her life... causing her anxiety and/or feelings of inadequacy outside of the gym, you've really got to evaluate if it's worth it.

For what it's worth, I have seen gymnasts with back tumbling fears power through to optionals... doing beautiful floor routines all the way up to the end and the ending with standing BHS (and even a standing BT) rather than connected. Kills their floor scores, of course, but if they're strong in other events, they can still score out. Once they get to optionals they mainly do front tumbling while continuing to chip away at the back tumbling issues.

If Xcel is an option, that would be another way your daughter could have success at meets and hopefully build up her self-confidence without having to conform to strict requirements as to the skills she needs to have.

Good luck!

They are trying to improve the Xcel program in our gym. I love the idea of Xcel, but she doesn't…at least at this point. She is slowly working to build her self-confidence. Time will tell. At this point she's mostly happy competing the other three events and as long as she's happy, I will support her because that's ultimately what matters to me. Thank you so much for your comments!!

 

[floridagirl]

Vestibular absolutely can last more than 3 months ! I know it is hard, but you cannot let it show that you are worried or stressed about it. You must be your DDs low key rock as others have said! Repeat after me, " you have done it before, you will do it again. I'm not concerned . I have fAith in you. Don't you be concerned." Want to do something other than gymnastics?"

That's the best thing you can do for her. We did archery, figure skating, 4 wheeling, and gardening. It was fabulous . Oh, and rollercoasters !

She loves rollercoasters!!!! And I am having her do other "fun" things in her spare time….dance club at school and anything art related. Thanks for the quote!! Have said something similar and will continue to do so….