Parents Pressure helps?

[Jenn's Jam]

So my DD (11) recently joined team (Around march-ish) -Side note, september will be her first year taking gymnastics classes in general yay! - and we also recently got a trampoline. So we have camera's on our front porch , back yard & facing the trampoline in case the kids get hurt. So she called me from inside to show me a trick she has been working on, (Back Layout Half Twist) and she landed it pretty good! But the camera was on for the trampoline area inside on the TV and she landed ( most the times ) them, but they were alot worse then the ones she showed me and she took like long breaks after one! But why that suprises me is because she was doing about 5 of them and she didn't stop and sit at all...

I also noticed that in gym when she is doing Roundoff Backhandspring backtucks (RO BHS Is on floor the back tuck goes into a porta pit ) they are pretty good but its just a lil sloppy. But then she asks her coach to watch and all of a sudden there basically perfect! This also happens when they are working on some easier skills, sometimes she doesnt connect the 2nd BHS in RO Double BHS because she either gets tired or nervous. Her coach watches her and she does them mighty-fine!

And one more time (Just so I know she isnt a cheater and just does well under pressure ) One time she was doing RO BHS in the yard-- She is quite scared of doing them in the yard for some reason but at the gym there nothing to her! Anyways so she would either hurdle and bail or attempt a roundoff and do more of a cart wheel thing by accident so she came up to me since I was watering and was like "Mom I can't land any of my Round off Back Handsrpings.. I'm not sure why" Then I asked to see and she did them like she was doing them at the gym! And she stopped and was like "What the heck! I was struggling with that for like 15 minutes!"

So my question is... Does your gymmies do better under pressure? Or is this not normal? Haha or am I being a bit to dramatic over this.

 

[raenndrops]

Some do better under pressure... but I would caution against back yard gymnastics.

 

[wallinbl]

In my completely amateur opinion formed by a small sample size, pressure helps some kids focus. These kids sometimes have problems focusing when the pressure is off, which might be something to work on. These same kids have careless mistakes on homework, and nail tests.

 

[sce]

Yes, many kids will do better when the coach or someone is watching. But I agree that the backyard gymnastics you describe us a bad idea. If she is scared to do something on the grease, then she shouldn't do it. New tricks on trampoline should be learned in the gym, from her coaches.

 

[Mamabear123]

Sounds like she will do great in competitions. Because the pressure there is intense.

 

[MeetDirector]

Jenn's Jam -

From a parent of a gymnast that went all the way thru level 10 in this sport - DO NOT add any artificial or parent-induced pressure to your daughter; this sport brings with it enough pressure on its own. You will come to see the entire spectrum of handling pressure if your dd sticks it out in the sport. A gymnast rises to the occasion on their own via their own motivation.

Now, the more concerning part of your post - STOP the at-home tumbling skill practice. A backyard trampoline is no place to be learning or practicing skills; this should only be done in a facility equipped with the appropriate safety equipment and trained coaches. The only thing she will do if she continues is to learn bad habits that will have to be un-learned at the gym (or injure herself). When she asks you to "watch her do something" reply that she is not at the gym and the backyard is not the appropriate place to be doing that.

Good Luck.

 

[Jenn's Jam]

Yes, many kids will do better when the coach or someone is watching. But I agree that the backyard gymnastics you describe us a bad idea. If she is scared to do something on the grease, then she shouldn't do it. New tricks on trampoline should be learned in the gym, from her coaches.

She started working on them on the trampoline at the gym, so yes she did learn them at the gym so I gave her the OK to do them on the tramp.. Thats why I had the security camera on the TV for the trampoline, haha.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

She started working on them on the trampoline at the gym, so yes she did learn them at the gym so I gave her the OK to do them on the tramp.. Thats why I had the security camera on the TV for the trampoline, haha.

Gymnastics needs to be left in the gym, where a coach is nearby to spot and give corrections.

The camera will not spot her or give her corrections. All the camera will do is let you see her when she gets hurt.

 

[3rd_time_around]

She started working on them on the trampoline at the gym, so yes she did learn them at the gym so I gave her the OK to do them on the tramp.. Thats why I had the security camera on the TV for the trampoline, haha.

Just don't let her do these higher skills in the yard and on the trampoline at home. As was said, bad case is she learns bad habits that are hard to break. Worst case is that she is the one that breaks--something. As a gym mom who's daughter was college ready in 9th grade but injuries ended her dream, it's not worth the risk. Most gyms do not allow gymnastics as home. Its even in our handbook. And yes, some kids practice terrible but when it's time to perform they suddenly are the amazing.

 

[FloMoGymMom]

Not my kid. She has an impeccable work ethic regardless of who is watching. When she knows someone important is watching like me, my Mom, or our gym owner she cracks under the pressure, balks, falls, etc. She tries too hard, instead of doing it just like normal. Judges are fine and she competes well.

If my kid were screwing around unless a coach was watching, I'll pull her out. I am way too invested in her gymnastics financially, time, travel, volunteering, etc for her to goof off. She is a L8 and trains 24h/wk and uses online schooling. Huge commitment from the family to allow her this opportunity.

 

[sce]

Not my kid. She has an impeccable work ethic regardless of who is watching. When she knows someone important is watching like me, my Mom, or our gym owner she cracks under the pressure, balks, falls, etc. She tries too hard, instead of doing it just like normal. Judges are fine and she competes well.

If my kid were screwing around unless a coach was watching, I'll pull her out. I am way too invested in her gymnastics financially, time, travel, volunteering, etc for her to goof off. She is a L8 and trains 24h/wk and uses online schooling. Huge commitment from the family to allow her this opportunity.

There is a difference between screwing around at practice and the kid who does okay at practice but performs better when watched. Not all kids do it, but enough donthat coaches know it. My Ds is notorious for doing better, being tighter at meets. His teammate is more like your dd and cracks under pressure.

 

[sce]

Also, for both types of kids it might not even be something they are conscious of.

 

[Gymmom0824]

My DD is opposite she will do a skill perfectly until her coach watches then crumbles under pressure. She gets really into her head.

 

[e'smum]

there is a girl at our gym and her mom told me she does great at the gym but then has a hard time at meets.

not every kid does well under pressure. my kid did not do well this pre-season under added pressure from her coaches. she fell apart. it was awful to watch. i am hoping we are past all that now and that it's been a good learning experience for her.

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

Yup, my kid is always 100x better when it's a competition or "show off" situation.

 

[duyetanh]

My kid is famous for going 3 for 4. It is almost a given, unless she goes 2 for 4 (which has been rare, but does still happen). 3 for 4 is awesome! What impresses me is she rallies from the bungled event and does well on the next one....and the bungled event thus far (knock wood) has never been the last one.

 

[JessSyd]

If my kid were screwing around unless a coach was watching, I'll pull her out. .

A child who performs better under pressure is not necessarily screwing around in training any more than a child who crumbles in competitions is screwing around in the competition. It all comes down to how they are wired; their personality and neurochemistry. Some children genuinely feel a little sharper when they are a little overstimulated (relative to their usual state). So they are doing their best in training, but still manage to do a bit better in competition when they are 'hyped up'. Other children go to pieces when they are overstimulated and it shows in great training form but trouble competing.

 

[raenndrops]

My kid is famous for going 3 for 4. It is almost a given, unless she goes 2 for 4 (which has been rare, but does still happen). 3 for 4 is awesome! What impresses me is she rallies from the bungled event and does well on the next one....and the bungled event thus far (knock wood) has never been the last one.

Lol, at Regionals, OG ripped in Bars warm ups.... couldnt connect ANYTHING... scored her worst of the season by 0.200 (and placed 23rd/26). The next event - Beam, she had her 2nd HIGHEST score of the season, placed in the top 12 and medaled!

 

[Randomactsofcheer]

My DD is famously inconsistent. Sometimes she will ask her coach for help on a skill she is flopping on and do it several times perfectly in front of the coach. Then as soon as the coach turns around, she can't replicate it again. Or she will perform a skill perfectly several times, ask her coach to watch so she can move on to the next skill, only to not be able to do the skill with anywhere near the amount of precision as before. Sometimes, these are pretty easy skills that she has had mastered for a while. The same goes for competitions. At State, she got the lowest score of the meet on the first three events, but got her highest score of the season on the last event, bars (the one event she struggled on all season). I will say that DD's inconsistency depends on the day. She will be on her A game for weeks and then have one or two practices where her coach comes out shaking her head.

I'd also advise against backyard gymnastics, especially if your DD is bailing out of tumbling. My DD has landed on her neck twice when doing a round-off backhandspring back tuck at her gym. Once was on the spring floor two years ago where her coach was luckily able to catch her and cushion her fall. Even though she didn't get hurt, it took her a long time to get past the fear from that fall. And then two weeks ago, she did the exact same thing! Only time will tell how it will affect her, but this time she is experiencing some back pain from it. My point is, these things happened to her in the gym where her trained coaches were able to pinpoint what went wrong and help her work through it. Grass in the backyard provides nowhere near the amount of cushioning that a spring floor does, and it is filled with hidden holes and soft/hard spots. And it sounds like she is doing "tricks" on the trampoline that are more advanced than what she is working on at the gym under the guidance of her coach.

I highly recommend asking your DD's coach for guidance on what your DD should and should not be doing on her trampoline at home.

 

[caligymdad]

I'm cautious to attribute it to 'pressure' as much as a desire to please their coaches or parents and accomplish their own goals. I see my DD try harder when she knows her coach is watching. The same coach went to her at the state meet after a bad first vault and told her straight out she had to score well or she might miss regionals. She had her best vault score of the season. Now was it that she responded to pressure or that she didn't succumb to pressure? I guess my point will echo some earlier sentiments around not adding pressure on your DD because you might feel she performs better under pressure. With your DD's late start she will feel enough pressure to 'catch-up' already. As your DD gets more into the sport she will need a super supportive, no pressure or stress involved person in her life to provide balance. I also recommend not doing home gymnastics. Without fail, most of the injuries in our gym happen outside of the gym!