Women Round off Back Handspring frustrations

[meganliz77]

My daughter is having a heck of a time getting this skill. She just started gymnastics one year ago and she is competing at a Level 3. She has been working so hard to get her ROBH and is often landing on her head she's definitely strong enough -- that's not the issue at all. I wish that I could help her! She did a private ( not normally offered at our gym) last weekend and HC said she thinks she was just rushed into the skill and she has developed some bad habits (arms too far apart and not bringing then up after her round off like she should) She also said it she has a ton of natural ability and it can be really frustrating for kids like her when they do struggle with a skill and it doesn't come as easy as others. Most frustrating is that she is the only girl who doesn't have it yet.

Any advice on how to help her? And how have you helped your child get through those times when the skill is a challenge to get?! She's so close but I'm afraid she is getting very discouraged!

 

[bogwoppit]

More time is what she needs and steady coaching to fix the bad habits. There is no magic fix, just consistent coaching,

This is just the first of many skills she will get frustrated by, gymnastics is full of them. Just wait until the kip shows up!

 

[meganliz77]

Sometimes I need to just remember she started this all one year ago. But there is an (unintended I think) pressure for her to get it and keep pace with the others. She has advanced so quickly it's frustrating to see her get stuck. Yes, I hear the kip can be challenging! She hasn't started training that yet!

She has a meet on Sunday and was hoping to have the ROBH then, but she'll have to shoot for the March meet

Best feeling in the world is to see her succeed at something... Most frustrating is seeing her struggle!

 

[gymdog]

Can she do a standing BHS?

 

[iwannacoach]

I'm getting the impression she's quite young, and did you say she first started gymnastics? team? back handspring work? a year ago?.......

Not knowing the complete story I can only guess that she learns fast because her mental ability to figure out skills, and physical gifts surpass those of most kids. So what would you suppose happens when her knack for understanding a skill goes awry....... well she gets stuck and everyone gets their britches in a twist because of the apparent glitch in her "system."

I'd suggest there's no glitch at all, and the solution is to go back and review, mentally and physically, the entire skill from square one. That process may reveal where she's contributing something from her mind that messes up the skill, or make apparent a misunderstanding between what she thinks she's heard and what the coach has said.

Consider this...... I was working with a 4 year old who wouldn't put her hands down to the floor to start a forward roll. Really, her head would get to the floor ahead of her hands no matter how many times I told her to put her hands on the floor first. Well guess what...... there's no floor any where close to our work area..... because there's nothing but CARPET as far as the eye can see. So she's thinking, floor? What floor? This coach doesn't make sense...... and come to think of it, she was absolutely right!

 

[meganliz77]

She's six... She went to one recreational practice last Feb. and they called me to invite her to fast-track class (coach invite only).... After 4 months moved to team. There are other 6 yr olds on her level also, but most have been in tumbling/gymnastics since they were 3 or 4.

That's exactly what the coach did during the private... Broke the skill down step by step. And it seemed like it was coming together really well. The moment she puts it all together with the floor routine, she reverts. She really wanted to do it at the meet tomorrow but she won't be able to.

She can do a standing BHS and the ROBH with a spot. The minute the spot goes away, something gets funky.

I don't even discuss it with her because she can be sensitive and will almost immediately believe I doubt her abilities... Learned right away to let the coaches handle it. But after she continued to struggle I emailed the coach because I didn't think they were spending much time on the skill because the other girls had it. My DD had gotten it a time or 2, then fell on her head, and didn't want to practice it anymore during open gym opportunities.. She'd tell me "I got it mom" that's where the private came in.

 

[iwannacoach]

She's six... She went to one recreational practice last Feb. and they called me to invite her to fast-track class....... The minute the spot goes away, something gets funky.

Things often change when the coach tells kids to try it on their own, so figure it's all within the curve for a quick learner.

...... I didn't think they were spending much time on the skill because the other girls had it.

This is a case of less being more. If the coach starts beating the robhs drum she's likely to experience more frequent and frustrating trials, and the message she'll beat into herself is the skills is much harder than it really is. Figure it like this: The only consolation of "failure" is knowing, rightly so or not, that the odds are against success..... or the skill is so hard that no matter how badly you want it to happen, you couldn't possibly be ready to comfortably do it on a consistent basis.

 

[meganliz77]

That makes a lot is sense... Thank you!! This is all very new to both of us

One good thing was the coach acknowledged that she wasn't even sure where she was at before the one on one since she has been the primary coach on bars the last few weeks.... She said she is very close.

 

[iwannacoach]

Well then, I'd say this will all come together at 4:49pm this Thursday.....

 

[gracyomalley]

It'll come - being patient is the hardest as a parent! my DDs gym doesn't even let them anywhere near doing it alone until they are FAR past the "back headspring" stage, so the first time I saw one at a meet I was shocked...until my youngest DS was allowed to learn them that way at his gym...in any case sounds like she's moved fast and is young - much better to relax and take a year or 2 at this level but move on with solid/safe skills than "chuck it" at age 6....

Good luck to your little one and enjoy....lots of time ahead!

 

[billise]

I completely agree with gracyomalley! My DD just finished her first competitive season as a 6 year old level 3 (our compulsories compete in the fall only). She had all of her other skills but she needed a light spot on her ROBHS at every competition. I would have loved for her to have gotten it but I had trust what her coaches said... "The skill will come when it comes." Now, 2 months after the season she can do them fairly consistently, but much like your DD, things still tend to go a bit crazy when the coach moves her hand away. I've come to realize that DD may not be ahead of the curve for a future Olympian but I'm not expecting her to be an Olympian. As a just turned 7 year old, she is ahead of the curve for your average club gymnast so to me it's an opportunity to just sit back and enjoy, without feeling any pressure for her to "catch up". She will be repeating level 3 next season but because most of her level 3 skills are pretty good she is being given the opportunity to train level 4 skills including her kip, squat on and cartwheel on beam. She's able to get a jump on her level 4 skills while tightening up her level 3 skills! Best wishes to you and your little gymmie!

 

[meganliz77]

So an update-- she had a meet today. She told the coach during warm ups she wanted to do the ROBH with her spot... Went great...really almost no assistance at all... Then came her floor routine. Right before she went out she told the coach she wanted the spot and to do the skill -- our HC hadn't offered to do that before bit she saw other girls and wanted to give it a try! I was so proud that SHE decided to do that on her own.... BUT.. The timing was not quite right and she tripped a bit on HC foot. She paused and looked at me as we all were giving a little 'gasp' and I didn't know what to do! I mouthed "it's okay".. Well that stinker mouthed back to me "stop it" and if looks could kill!!!??!? Right in the middle of her routine! Couldn't believe it! Lol... BUT she tried it. She now knows it's not the end of the world. AND still managed to squeak out an 8.5 on her routine...

Thanks for all the feedback it truly is appreciated!!