Mind blockss GRR!

[eeyoretumbles]

Lately I've been having lots of mind blocks. I think they are the worst things possible, because they are so frustrating. You have a skill for the longest time then all of a sudden its gone! Now I'm really afraid that I'll be at a meet, and I'll get a mind block their. That's what I'm scared of. Any advice?! HELP

[k-dawg72]

i lost my balk walk over on the high beam and im also scared!i usually think to myself i know i will eventually get it. try challenging urself. once my friend said ill bye u this if u do three back walkovers on the high beam! and i did it it helped! just dont worry about it. if u do it will make u more scared. thats wat happened to me.

[MdGymMom01]

UGH!! Yes--mid blocks can be very frustrating! My dd who is now 9 had one all last year with her BHS. She is doing better now, learning to control the fear which is often the underlying cause of the block.

Mind blocks are often fear getting the best of you. You mentioned that you are now afraid that you will be in a competition and unable to do the skill. You are starting to worry too much about it. Competition season hasn't even started and your "fear" is getting the best of you.

It's okay to be afraid but understand that you can CONTROL it. Once you get scared you start to think of ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that can go wrong. Learn to stop this thinking. Try and go back to square one and regain the confidence that you had doing the skill. If it is a back walk over on beam, then practice them on the floor on a line. Then practice them on a low beam and gradually move up to the high beam.

A good book to read is Games Girls Play by Caroline Silby. She is a sports pyshologist that works with a lot of gymnasts getting over fear.

Good luck and I hope this helps a bit! Hang in there...you can overcome this!!!!

[Shawn]

There is also a lot to be said for positive visualization. Imagine yourself doing the skill safely, perfectly, beautifully. Really imagine it. See every detail in your mind, feel yourself doing it. Do this over and over and you'll improve your knowledge of the skill as well as your confidence that you can do it.

[gymnasticcoach]

Every athlete, every person goes through peaks and valleys in life, and mind blocks can be some of the most frustrating.

IMAGERY...this is something you do in all training at all levels and with any skill or routine and can be extended to school work or anything else in life. Close your eyes and see yourself performing the skill without error. When you can see that image in your mind open your eyes and perform the skill without hesitation. Caution though, always have someone there to give a safety spot just in case.

BACK TO BASICS...as the previous member mentioned, go back to basics and do the progressions that got you to the place you are now.

Remember, "you have nothing to fear but fear itself", you are S.T.B. (Simply The Best), you can do anything you put your mind to, Go For It, Just Do it.

Good Luck

Don

[Drowning123gone]

Mind blocks are annoying, I can remember when I went from 2 and 1/2 and triple twists to not being able to twist at all. Just start from the being drills and work your way up.

I would suggest that when you get a block, go into the gym on your own time if you are allowed and work on that particular skill. You won't have any pressure from teammates or your coaches and you can stack mats or whatever you need to help yourself through it. Unfortunately mental blocks is just one of those things that comes with gymnastics. You just have to figure out your own way of working around it.

[MoonKid]

I also have issues with mental blocks. In my case, I find that the threat of some extra light conditioning (like 10 pike-ups or something) works wonders. For example, I'm afraid to go over the vault (I'll go over something that is the exact same size and height as the vault, but won't go over the vault) and it isn't that I can't do it . One of the coaches I've had has a rule that if I chicken out and do a straight jump or a squat on I have to do 10 pike-ups. After doing the pike-ups once I usually smarten up and go for it, and once I do it once I'm fine.

[gracefulone]

Here's a post you might find useful:

Head Games: Breaking Down the Block!