I thought it would be cool to talk about a fear you might have had that you managed to overcome. I know I deal w/ fear issues where physically I can do a skill but the fear gets in the way. Not only is it motivating to see that others have overcome a fear, but we also may be able to pick up ideas on how to cope.
I will do one--I had a fear of cartwheel back tuck dismounts off beam. When I was learning this when I was 15 my foot slipped once and I fell on my head. I didn't work the skill again until 10 years later, partly because of the fall and partly out of fear that I would hit my head on the beam.
My new coach wanted me to have it and I considered just going for it (we don't get spots on beam) but I was way too nervous. After a few months about feeling bad for not even working it (I thought there was no hope) I started doing cartwheel back handspring off a low beam w/ mats on the sides, did cartwheel jump and then standing back tuck off beam w/ the cartwheel foot in front, did handstand stepdown into back tuck, then cartwheel tuck off pad beam, then cartwheel tucks and pikes off low beam into the pit, and finally did it off the beam. This was like a 4 month process.
When I was 15 I had a spot and never ended up getting it alone; this way I did get it on my own. There were certain days I wasn't feeling good about jumping to the next stage and on those days I just repeated the drills I had been working.
I swore I would never do this skill but after learning the baby step progressions I got to the point I could throw it. I still get nervous and occasionally feel too 'off' to do it, but it feels good to have conquered my fear.
I will do one--I had a fear of cartwheel back tuck dismounts off beam. When I was learning this when I was 15 my foot slipped once and I fell on my head. I didn't work the skill again until 10 years later, partly because of the fall and partly out of fear that I would hit my head on the beam.
My new coach wanted me to have it and I considered just going for it (we don't get spots on beam) but I was way too nervous. After a few months about feeling bad for not even working it (I thought there was no hope) I started doing cartwheel back handspring off a low beam w/ mats on the sides, did cartwheel jump and then standing back tuck off beam w/ the cartwheel foot in front, did handstand stepdown into back tuck, then cartwheel tuck off pad beam, then cartwheel tucks and pikes off low beam into the pit, and finally did it off the beam. This was like a 4 month process.
When I was 15 I had a spot and never ended up getting it alone; this way I did get it on my own. There were certain days I wasn't feeling good about jumping to the next stage and on those days I just repeated the drills I had been working.
I swore I would never do this skill but after learning the baby step progressions I got to the point I could throw it. I still get nervous and occasionally feel too 'off' to do it, but it feels good to have conquered my fear.