What motivates you?

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Every now and then in gymnastics, a coach says or does something that really clicks and gets you motivated. Sometimes just saying the right thing can make a skill so much more fun and make you want to work so much harder on it.

So gymnasts, if something like this happens with you, post about it here. We coaches would LOVE to hear about it. If your coach says or does something that really clicks and works especially well for you, or makes you work harder on a skill or have more fun on a certain event, please share it with us.

I'll share one of my own stories from when I was just starting to compete. My old coach had a board up where he kept track of everybody's records on mushroom and pommel horse (ie consecutive circles, consecutive scissors, etc). Because of that, I was always eager to go to mushroom and try to bump my record up.

 

[I-Heart-Beam]

Mines is a bit embarrassing but I'll post anyway. Does anyone remember the Adidas ad with Nastia Liukin? It was years ago...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqLRoXUu3Sg

I love it. I also love just watching any gymnastics competition and seeing how happy everyone is when they'e just hit their routine perfectly. Like when the American team won at Worlds the other week, and they were all crying.

 

[gracefulone]

The question you're asking is something that a coach says....?

If so, when my coach says, "Get Gutsy" I am so ready to go for new/difficult skills.

 

[I-Heart-Beam]

whoops sorry I just realised I just realised I didn't read your question properly
Sorry!

At our gym we have a big white board in the reception area. When you get a new skill you write it up with your name and anyone going past can write little messages on it!
My coach says "PAIN IS TEMPORARY PRIDE IS PERMANENT!" all the time, that is really inspiring.
My friend gave me this one, and it's about swimming but it applies to all sports a little bit...

"For myself, losing is not coming second. It's getting out of the water knowing you could have done better. For myself, I have won every race I've been in. "

Sorry again for not reading properly!

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

"For myself, losing is not coming second. It's getting out of the water knowing you could have done better. For myself, I have won every race I've been in. "

This is brilliant.

 

[GymnastRaeRae87]

I love it when my coaches tell me I did a good job and how I improved. I like it when they say what I did nicely, it shows how much they notice you. I also like when after you do something cool or better or new you can tell your coach is proud of you. I like it when they smile at me or nod or high-five me too!

 

[gracefulone]

The other thing I love is when you think your coach isn't watching you at all and then she's like, "That was really nice, let's see it again" That's how my full turn with leg at horizontal right to a split 1/2 got added to my routine. I was just working stuff out.

 

[I-Heart-Beam]

My coach kept coming out with things like that today!

Jump off the Beam
Flip off the Bars
Follow Your Dreams
And Reach For The Stars (the poster in reception)

One girl was training a double back and she was really nervous. Coach came out with : "Tuck and pray Julie"

Another girl brought in a leo catalogue to get her new comp one approved (our gyms weird with things like that) but it was actually repulsive IMO. It was entirely covered in bright green sequins . Response was "There's no need to blind them with sequins if you can dazzle them with your routine."

 

[GymnastRaeRae87]

question

The other thing I love is when you think your coach isn't watching you at all and then she's like, "That was really nice, let's see it again" That's how my full turn with leg at horizontal right to a split 1/2 got added to my routine. I was just working stuff out.

Why do you like it when they do that? It really bothers me when my coach says they'll watch and then they don't.

 

[gracefulone]

I meant that I thought she wasn't watching me, but she saw what I was doing and noticed it was good.

 

[GymnastRaeRae87]

I meant that I thought she wasn't watching me, but she saw what I was doing and noticed it was good.

O gotcha! Thanks for clarifying!! I just got a little confused lol, but I get it now!

 

[cccam]

the head coach at my gym sometimes coaches the level 6's and i usually practice at the same time they do.
when he is totally focused in the level 6's and i grab his attention with something i do, that inspires me

 

[gymnasticsbabie]

if your a coach PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not try to motivate a gymnast with things like "your too scared to do this" or "why are you being such a baby" and "do it our get out" ect. you get the point. but those type of things DO NOT motivate. all they make you want to do is crawl up in a ball and cry. most of your gymnast are working really hard to try to make your corrections. they are not being a baby.

what really helps me get motivated is watching people who are better than me. i think, if they can do it... then why can't i? and i just work that much harder.

gymnast love it when they get compliments. its such a relief to know that you just did something right. and they are so eager to get that magical "that was much better" from the coaches. compliments

me and my teamates also get pumped up from listening to really loud music while we are warming up, specifically on floor. it just gets your energy going.

 

[KBT]

I agree, gymnasticsbabie. Positive motivation works much, much better than negative.

This isn't something my coach told me, but I live by "No regrets". If I don't want to do one more, I remind myself that I'll never regret trying one more time, but I may regret not trying one more time. I'll never have any regrets if I put in 100% effort, but I may have regrets if I don't.

 

[tumbler807]

i always love going on youtube and watching videos and montages of gymnastics. it always gets me motivated because i realize how hard they must have worked to get that good.

 

[blondegymnastxo]

I try to think of something that will get me under pressure because i do soooo much better then when i'm not.(well thats just my opinion)

 

[gymgymgymnast08]

ha i think like when im totally messin up a skill if i see someone else do it then im like i cant let them do it and me not be able to!