WAG Standing Back Tuck Fear

[bestcoachever]

So first of all I coach a group of xcel gymnasts. One of my girls is 11 years old, really strong, about 4ft. 11in. tall, and she is extremely afraid of standing back tucks. I try doing them into the pit off a block, but she won't through it because she thinks she will hit her head. She used to be fearless, she was doing them by herself off a panel mat until one day she was having a bad practice, she landed flat on her head/neck, she was totally okay and acted like nothing happened. So she got back up to do it again, she landed on her head/neck again. I don't know how she didn't get hurt from this, but she hasn't thrown one since- and that was about 2 months ago. She knows the skill and how to do it correctly, and she can do a nice round-off back handspring back tuck, and a really nice 1 bounce back tuck on the tramp, but she won't do a standing on the tramp, even with a huge spot. I am beginning to loose ideas, nobody else on her team is like that, and half of them are working them on a line on the floor for beam. Everyday after we stretch we do back tuck warm ups. She just sits there and watches. When I ask her to come up and try it even with a double spot she won't go, she will just stand there with her arms by her ears. She is a really great gymnast, always listens to corrections, never cheats on conditioning, never misses practice, she is really dedicated to this sport and she wants to get far, but this skill is just in the way. Thanks if you read all of this, if you have any ideas or drills or something that I can do with her I really appreciate, thanks.

 

[Redford]

You can't change it now but for the next time: Falls like this are scary but they happen. Make sure to spot the first few tries after the fall even if the gymnast doesn't request it, just to make sure this doesn't happen. Sometimes just thinking of what we could do wrong can take us there.
This fear needs to e treated like every other fear. Take the pressure off and take her back to the point where she's comfortable. Don't let her sit and watch when the others do BTs, send her to do rebound back tuck rebound back tuck rebound back tuck... on the trampoline. I'm pretty positive she will eventually feel confident enough to gradually reduce the rebound.
Good luck!

 

[bestcoachever]

Thanks! I guess I could do that, and about how long do you think it will take for her to gradually get over this fear? Thanks again

 

[Redford]

( I really should write a prototype copy paste answer to that question)

You know your gymnast best.
It will approx. take as long as it will take.

 

[raenndrops]

My OG fell on a RO BHS BT warming up for a competition on Feb. 26, 2012. She would not throw one even with a spot. She did have a coach "flip her into and out of the tuck" (all the coach... nothing from her) for a mock meet when she was trying to qualify for Nationals (March 21, 2012). She didn't qualify. She didn't even attempt another tuck for quite a while. Every time she would consider it, she would freeze. Then that coach moved away. She still wouldn't do it. Finally, this past summer (almost 18 months later) she could do a back tuck on the trampoline after several bounces... then she was able to do them with only one rebound in between. Then she was able to connect to a RO BHS on a tumbltrak... then she was doing them on an air track. Was getting INCREDIBLE height. Then she would go to floor. Wanted a spot, so she was just doing RO2 while waiting, but had so much height, she accidentally missed putting her hands down and landed. The next one, she intentionally went for the tuck. She got it. Now, it is either there or it's not... but she is in Xcel Gold... so no big deal.

So to answer to question of how long, it depends on the girl