Fear of back tuck

[juliasmom]

My daughter has been doing a round off, back handspring, back tuck for almost a year now, but since December she has been going through phases where she's scared to do the back tuck. Lately, she will not do it at all without a spot and often stops after her back handspring which is making her develop a bad habit. She has not been injured or anything like that. I don't know where the fear is coming from.Is it common for something like this to happen all of a sudden even after a gymnast has the skill? What can be done to help her? Her coach gets frustrated, but is trying to work with her. He is letting her do 3-4 at every practice with him spotting her. She only has fear of back tumbling with no hands. She will still do back handsprings all the way across the floor. She will also do a back walkover on beam.

 

[canadiangymnast_eh]

Yes this is VERY common. Here is a link to a thread that has a big explanation and suggestions as to how you can help.

http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/question-answer/31302-back-tumbling-fear-issues-help-please.html

 

[juliasmom]

I read that post and all the replies. So, I guess the answer is to just be patient and hope it works itself out. I just hate to see her so upset about it. She loves gym and does not want to quit, but I just hate all the tears. She has been crying about this for months now, and I can't help her. She wants to do it so bad but chickens out. She has no idea why she's scared and that's what makes it so frustrating for her.

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

Daughter has gone through this like I stated before. Does your daughter need it to compete soon if not just be patient let the coaches work with her. As a parent the best advice I could give is do not make a big deal out of it or even bring it up unless she does. Quitting over one skill seems silly ecspecailly sice she had it before if she is enjoying gymnastics let her take the time to get the skill back again. This worked for my daughter she even scratched floor at a meet and the next meet her coaches told her she was doing floor last minute at the meet. Recently she was afraid again her coaches stepped back and let her not do it for a few weeks then told her she needs to do it for States she got again and I was unaware that she stopped doing it until she told me after she started doing them again. Good luck

 

[juliasmom]

Thanks for the reply... I would never suggest she quit over one skill. However, I do not enjoy her crying everyday. I do not ever bring it up. She is the one that tells me. I just don't think it's healthy to cry for an hour or more after gym every night. Sometimes I become frustrated with the crying and think it's just not worth all this. By the way, she is only level 5 and does not even need the skill right now.

 

[bogwoppit]

It might be good if the coach took the skill away from her for a while. Just stick to BHS and maybe BT prep drills. Maybe she will get back to it once the pressure is off.

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

I agree with bog it did help when the coaches gave her a break from doing them eventhough she had to scratch floor. I am sorry your daughter is crying my daughter did not cry but would get quiet and a few times told me she wanted to quit.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

It might be good if the coach took the skill away from her for a while. Just stick to BHS and maybe BT prep drills. Maybe she will get back to it once the pressure is off.

this is what a prudent coach would do...

 

[gymnast1guppy]

I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM! I finally went in for a private and then I jsut did reallly really high back handsprings untill i did it with no hands and then eventually i just started setting and tucking and now I have it... I could not get it for like a year... then that was all i had to so so I hope that helps

 

[han_<3_fcgc]

im in level 5 too, and i totally get this. I actually have a fear of tumbling with hands on the ground i guess i figure nothing bad can happen in the air....even if thats not true, i just feel a lot safer.
As for the crying, dealing with a mental block too, i can understand this, have too pinch the inside of my cheeks so i dont cry, when my coach tells me she 'doesn't know what to do' its frustrating, upsetting, and im usually like ' but im not scared of it', but usually you get into a pattern of chickening out and getting angry at yourself. I found (some one has probably suggested this) doc. ali's site very interesting and i plan to use some of those techniques when im at gym next (im on hols for now)

As a parent make sure you re-assure her that yeah of course she can do it, and if she doesn't get it , hey its not the end of the world yes it extremely frustrating, upsetting, humiliating and scary, but i mean she's a gymnast right? she can do AMAZING things! so she can overcome this )))))))))))))) (smiley faces with beards and double chins)