Women Suggestions Needed - Moving Giant from Pit to Real Bars when gymmie has fears

[LizzieLac]

As most of you know, my DD made a tremendous comeback from a broken tibia and fibula. She has had a great 1/2 season and has all of her level 7 skills back. She is even doing tsuk drills, which I thought she would NEVER do.

However, about 10 months ago while she was in the midst of recovering, she developed a HUGE fear of giants, including baby giants. It started with a simple slipping of the hand and a giant gone awry. From then on out, she was paralyzed with fear and could not even attempt a baby giant. This lasted for months.

But SHE OVERCAME this! Gradually, over the course of months, on the pit bar only, she worked that baby giant back up and now it is a beautiful multi-giant pit bar workout. She did this all by herself, as her coaches literally never asked her to work baby giants or anything in that 9 month period.

NOW...she needs to bring them to the uneven bars or even our single rail that dismounts to the floor. She says she can't, too afraid because when she moves them to a new environment (meaning looking at different walls and a floor rather than a pit) she cannot make herself do them.

Do any coaches have tips for to get past this last stumbling block? Or parents whose kids have had similar experiences? I don't blame her one bit for having any fear after how she broke her leg...I am amazed she is still doing gymnastics. But she wants this so bad and feels like she doesn't know how to work though this phase. Appreciate any suggestions!!

 

[munchkin3]

I AM NO COACH!!! LOL......
Start small....back to, tap swings?
Then add a little at a time....maybe some spotted baby giants or just Long Hang pullovers?
everything spotted....a little at a time to build confidence?
then slowly do hollow overs and end in handstand (spotted)??
Little by Little???
Maybe she can keep doing the pit work in between to keep everything fresh?

I dont know......just a thought. I have 2 gymmies and i know that returning after injury is very difficult so I really respect your DD for gaining her L7 skills and tsuk after such a big injury!!!
I have found that sometimes when the coaches re-introduce skills at a very slow pace, this kids get antsy and WANT to go for it....My DD is not the type of kid that can be rushed into something....she thinks too much so the step by step approach is better. how about yours?
Maybe some one on one time would be good here?
Good luck to her!!! She sounds like a very tenacious athlete and I am positive she WILL be able to do it!!!

 

[eucoach]

Time and patience.....

Mats under the pit bar, giants into the opposite direction, different mats under the pit bar, rope at the same distance from the pit bar as the low bar would be on the real set.
At the same time build them up the same way over the real bars as she did over the pit bar.

Her coaches seem to know how to deal with it. If you want to make sure, ask them to be as patient with her on this next hurdle as they have been until now.

I have a gymnast like that (I'm a coach) who has the worst fears and blocks. Pressure makes the problems worse. If I just let her be and work it out by herself, she always eventually does the skill. F. ex. it took her 2 years to take her bhs onto the high beam although she's been doing them correctly and consistently on the low beam with mats. She just moved it up last week without ever going to the medium beam or asking for a spot. It's going to be fine.

 

[flippingtogether]

Time and patience.....

Mats under the pit bar, giants into the opposite direction, different mats under the pit bar, rope at the same distance from the pit bar as the low bar would be on the real set.
At the same time build them up the same way over the real bars as she did over the pit bar.

Her coaches seem to know how to deal with it. If you want to make sure, ask them to be as patient with her on this next hurdle as they have been until now.

I have a gymnast like that (I'm a coach) who has the worst fears and blocks. Pressure makes the problems worse. If I just let her be and work it out by herself, she always eventually does the skill. F. ex. it took her 2 years to take her bhs onto the high beam although she's been doing them correctly and consistently on the low beam with mats. She just moved it up last week without ever going to the medium beam or asking for a spot. It's going to be fine.

This sounds like awesome advice......My DD is having major fear issues on giants as well - and her coaches have been very patient and she is slowly working her way to competing them someday (we hope??!!) in the future. Patience, patience patience all the way, and letting the gymmie really want it. So to the OP - my DD is on the same path as your DD (though mine is a bit behind yours) - keep remembering it WILL come! It WILL!

My DD took 2 years to get the BHS on the high beam. I thought it would never come - but it did and she competed it for a full year now. So happy to hear about coaches like you, @eucoach, who let time work its magic........

 

[LizzieLac]

Thanks for the responses. DD and I chatted about this the other day. She feels that it is all on her alone to get over this fear. I think she'll do it in time, although I have no idea when. But I told her very simply that I believe she will. She got her giant back all be herself on the pit bar, no coaches or anything. So she has the fortitude. When she is ready she will make it happen.

I just feel badly for her because she feels like it is all on her. :-(

 

[flippingtogether]

Thanks for the responses. DD and I chatted about this the other day. She feels that it is all on her alone to get over this fear. I think she'll do it in time, although I have no idea when. But I told her very simply that I believe she will. She got her giant back all be herself on the pit bar, no coaches or anything. So she has the fortitude. When she is ready she will make it happen.

I just feel badly for her because she feels like it is all on her. :-(

I found some great audio tapes for my DD that have helped her a lot - they explain why some gymnasts are fearful, and what they can do about it with some tools they can actually use. Importantly it has helped reassure my DD know she isn't alone with fears, and has given her a more positive attitude that she WILL overcome it, baby step by baby step. (there is a great track for coaches and parents, as well). I can message you with info if you are interested in the info.