Type A Gymnasts?

[thefellowsmom]

Hi everyone. I was just looking at the schedule for our regional conference (just curious) and I saw they are offering a whole class on "Type A Gymnasts". I know that gymnastics attracts many kids that are naturally focused and determined, but that certainly isn't the only type of kid doing gymnastics.

Just curious what it is about Type A Gymnasts that would warrant a whole class on how to coach them. Any insight would be great.

Thanks!

 

[skfleming255]

I am not a coach, but I am a parent of a type A gymnast. We have been struggling recently with her type A personality. The type A personality makes you want to be a perfectionist (like over the top perfectionist) and causes you to overanalyze everything. My dd is struggling with a 2 skills right now, and she has never really had to struggle for a skill too much. She is, actually, having major anxiety problems. She gets sick at her stomach and gets a headache at practice. She tells me she isn't freaking out about not having them, but the symptoms only happen on bars......where she is struggling. As a parent, who has a type A personality, I recognize the signs. Her coaches, her dad and I are trying to help her work thru this. So, the class may be more of a mental class to help get their minds in the right place. Type A people are really a different breed and are all or nothing. I would assume the class is to help them mentally work thru the over-competitiveness (not that being competitive is a bad thing...type A's just take it to the extreme), perfectionism, over-analyzing and anxiousness.

 

[Faith]

Type A people are really a different breed and are all or nothing. I would assume the class is to help them mentally work thru the over-competitiveness (not that being competitive is a bad thing...type A's just take it to the extreme), perfectionism, over-analyzing and anxiousness.

I clicked on this thread as I had no idea what "Type A" is. I've just posted a totally over analysing, anxious thead about my DD , so it would appear I am one. A type A parent class would be very useful!

From a gymnast's point of view, as Type A it is very difficult. I ended up quitting because I wanted to make the olympics and it seemed unreachable to an 11 year old having a growth spurt. I failed at school because if I couldn't get top marks I didn't see the point trying. I'm not entirely sure on why they warrant a class and others don't, but I think it's always useful to try and get into others heads and see their point of view...

 

[Krystan]

I also have a perfectionist, and it really can make things difficult if it is over the top. Nothing is ever perfect, so she is never satisfied. And she is incredibly hard on herself if she doesn't get a skill right away. In fact, she is generally anxious about trying a new skill, even if she's seen it performed a bunch of times, because she knows it won't be "good enough". She is constantly down on herself about how she is doing in comparison to everyone else. She is always worried she's the "worst" on the team, etc (not true, although she is the newest). She's the type who would probably do better repeating each level, because she never feels like she is "good enough" to move on since her previous skills are not "perfect". Also, she's super competitive, but not in an obvious way. More like debilitating anxiety caused by not being the best. Being a perfectionist can be good in gymnastics (even when she misses a skill, it is "clean" looking), but it is also a tough sport for her.

I can definitely see having a session on how to deal with these gymnasts! Sometimes coaches don't know how to handle my serious, reserved dd - they're used to little dare-devil, fun-loving types and those who just want to get the next new skill.

For those with Type A kiddos, a book I'm reading now that so far I love is "Letting Go of Perfect: Overcoming Perfectionism in Kids".

 

[skfleming255]

Definitely going to check that book out!!!

 

[gymmutti]

Thanks for the book tip! I'm another one with a perfectionist/nothing is ever good enough/anxious kid. We just started back up on her medicine for IBS as the start of school next year and the change in her routine has previously caused a lot of stress. I'm hoping we can head it off at the pass this year.

 

[coachmolly]

I think Type A personalities often are the ones that seem to excel in the gym and make it to the higher levels, it can be a really desirable quality in athletes. But, like anything else in life, there can be a problem when those "Type A" personality traits are taken to an extreme and negatively impacting a child either in or out of the gym. So I think this particular class is probably for those kids who might take these traits a little too far, really causing themselves great anxiety which potentially runs over into other aspects of their lives- kind of like some of the other parents have mentioned. In these types of children, it's much more than a desire to succeed and do your best ore perfectionism, but really an entire way of thinking that can consume them.
I was this type of person, it extends beyond the gym, but it was really detrimental to my gymnastics, especially because many coaches were just totally unprepared to deal with the types of issues it provoked. I was regarded as hard to deal with, emotional, "attitude problem", all kinds of negative terms because I was so hard on myself, all things which ultimately just added to the stress and led me to essentially self destruct, especially in high stress environments. So I think it's really helpful that they are holding such a class to inform coaches and parents on the ways to best deal with these kids in productive ways, because they often have a lot to offer!
Thanks for the book recommendation up thread, I don't have children of my own but am getting a masters in counseling, hoping to work with children in the future, in addition to coaching, so it might come in handy.

 

[thefellowsmom]

Thanks for the great insight everyone and the book recommendation. It seems like one of those teeter totter things, as so many things in life are. In moderation these traits serve them well, but in extremes they can be detrimental. I guess as parents and coaches we need to help them to find balance. I think any time they are trying to help coaches deal with kids as individuals and working with their strengths and weaknesses is a great thing.

In light of this conversation, I read a few little articles on traits of a type A. It sounds a lot like me, although I have never considered myself so. The fellows is pretty young to know for sure. She tends to be more rigid and structured and definitely likes to get things right, but for now she has incredible self esteem and the drive to keep trying so that seems to balance that. I guess we'll just hope that sticks around and try to foster it, but I know as we approach adolescence it will become much more complicated

 

[cher062]

I think every team gymnast that makes it to the upper levels are all type A personalities.

 

[sportyspice]

Sorry, I disagree, in my experience its the type A gymnasts who burn out the quickest - my daughter was 'the odd one out' in a group of 4 as she was the only one not type "A". And she is now the only one still doing gymnastics 18 months later.

DD's coach loved the other girls, they would repeat a skill over and over until it was perfect, put pressure on themselves at competitions (and quite often benefitted from this) BUT had a hard time learning new skills (it had to be something that could be perfect straight away), far preferred to do the same thing over and over, liked winning (one girl stayed in the same level 3 years as she would win every year!).

My DD, by comparison, is a very different gymnast, she loves learning new skills, is an awesome all rounder and is very relaxed in competitions. After 4 years of competing she worked out that she quite liked winning and could use that as a focus for her gymnastics as well as having fun. She is now a senior gymnast (equivalent USAG Level 8), and although physically talented, she does not have the 'type A attributes' which her coach so highly prizes of 'perfectionism'......and is undervalued because of it.

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

Sorry, I disagree, in my experience its the type A gymnasts who burn out the quickest - my daughter was 'the odd one out' in a group of 4 as she was the only one not type "A". And she is now the only one still doing gymnastics 18 months later.

DD's coach loved the other girls, they would repeat a skill over and over until it was perfect, put pressure on themselves at competitions (and quite often benefitted from this) BUT had a hard time learning new skills (it had to be something that could be perfect straight away), far preferred to do the same thing over and over, liked winning (one girl stayed in the same level 3 years as she would win every year!).

My DD, by comparison, is a very different gymnast, she loves learning new skills, is an awesome all rounder and is very relaxed in competitions. After 4 years of competing she worked out that she quite liked winning and could use that as a focus for her gymnastics as well as having fun. She is now a senior gymnast (equivalent USAG Level 8), and although physically talented, she does not have the 'type A attributes' which her coach so highly prizes of 'perfectionism'......and is undervalued because of it.

My DD is also more laid back in that she is not concerned about being perfect. She never worries about placements or if a skill looks perfect she just likes doing gymnastics. She would like to get a college scholarship but knows that it may not happen and is ok with that.
There are a few Type A personalities at her gym and I see them burning out way before my DD. They cry alot at meets when they do not score well or fall on an event. They are very hard on themselves. It seems that they are not enjoying themselves.

 

[Krystan]

My DD is also more laid back in that she is not concerned about being perfect. She never worries about placements or if a skill looks perfect she just likes doing gymnastics. She would like to get a college scholarship but knows that it may not happen and is ok with that.
There are a few Type A personalities at her gym and I see them burning out way before my DD. They cry alot at meets when they do not score well or fall on an event. They are very hard on themselves. It seems that they are not enjoying themselves.

I agree, and I definitely have a perfectionist on my hands. I can absolutely see her burning out early, and that's why I'm trying to help her deal with this now. I think that in the early levels, it really pays to be fearless so they can get the skills. A little perfectionism is a good thing, but not so much she's beating herself up over it, or afraid to try something new.

 

[coachmolly]

I think it can go both ways. There are tons of upper level gymnasts who fit the "Type A" bill perfectly, their ability to focus on details and strive for improvement really benefitting their performance. However, I think these kids are different from the more over the top Type A kids mentioned up thread, as they strive for perfection, but maintain at least some level of confidence in their abilities. This is in contrast to the more over the top Type A kids mentioned up thread who really allow any mistakes, lapses in progress, or other difficulties really get to them, nagging at their self esteem and causing constantly building internal pressure and anxiety. It's these kids who often burn out or just totally self destruct.
Lots of Type A attributes can be beneficial in the gym, just like some attributes of more laid back kids can be really great at helping them succeed or compete well under pressure, but either personality, taken to an extreme can be a problem. For the laid back kids, too much of that attitude can lead to nothing getting done. With Type A kids, taken too far it can be really destructive. It's really all about balance, at least in my opinion.