Parents Sudden fear on beam series

[gym967]

DD is a first year level 9 who got her BHS BT series on beam a few months ago. She has been overall pretty consistent and confident with it, until one day she missed her foot and fell. However, she still competed it at the meet that weekend, but it was definitely not her best, having a pretty rough warmup and falling in her routine. This week at practice she now won't go for it at all, and says she feels "stuck" before she goes, knowing she won't connect it before she even does the BHS. She also tells me her coaches aren't really helping her at all, telling her there is "nothing else they can do for her to help her go for it." She knows she is physically capable of doing it, but just cannot get herself to go for it, and it is stressing her out tremendously. Any tips from anyone who has gone through something similar would be greatly appreciated! She has another meet in a week and a half and really doesn't want to have to scratch beam, however not sure if this is possible.

 

[katrid11]

It sounds like a mental block/fear. She should really go back to some progression skills that feel safe for her. Maybe it's extra mats. lower beam. mats on the sides of the beam etc. She needs to regain trust in her brain that she will connect the skill and land it.

My daughter is going through this. Her coaches are pulling her all the way back to where she is safe and comfortable and taking each step slowly. Telling her brain that it is ok and she is going to land her skill.

rushing it or placing a deadline will not work. Can she compete an alternate series even for a lower SV? Our coaches would have her do that.... it is tougher mentally to know you are scratching an event for a skill you are having a block on. They believe it is better to compete but with an alternate series to keep up the gymnasts confidence.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

^^^^ This, plus extra focus on seeing feet land and foot placement to hopefully prevent this happening again.
I would probably replace with a walkover or HS step down into the back tuck with little thought for ticking requirement boxes as the priority is to get comfortable with landing and connecting to a salto.

 

[TheXcelMom]

My daughter had terrible blocks for months.
The only cure was to start her at the beginning with drills, drills, drills, working her upward until it clicked again.

 

[Momoftwogymniast]

It sounds like a mental block/fear. She should really go back to some progression skills that feel safe for her. Maybe it's extra mats. lower beam. mats on the sides of the beam etc. She needs to regain trust in her brain that she will connect the skill and land it.

My daughter is going through this. Her coaches are pulling her all the way back to where she is safe and comfortable and taking each step slowly. Telling her brain that it is ok and she is going to land her skill.

rushing it or placing a deadline will not work. Can she compete an alternate series even for a lower SV? Our coaches would have her do that.... it is tougher mentally to know you are scratching an event for a skill you are having a block on. They believe it is better to compete but with an alternate series to keep up the gymnasts confidence.

My daughter is struggling with her bhs bhs for l8. She had it and lost it. She does front walkover, straddle jump series, and rounding back tuck off beam. She can do a handstand Backhand-spring but completely scratched to compete without two bhs. I wish there was options for her to do something modified until she gets it back

 

[Susrose]

See if she can mentally she herself doing the skill. Focus on visualizing doing it perfectly.
Sport psycholog do this all the time to help athletes get over mental blocks.

 

[mezzamare]

My daughter is struggling with her bhs bhs for l8. She had it and lost it. She does front walkover, straddle jump series, and rounding back tuck off beam. She can do a handstand Backhand-spring but completely scratched to compete without two bhs. I wish there was options for her to do something modified until she gets it back

I feel for you... my daughter has been working for seven months to get her BHS-BHS back. She doesn't need it for this year, luckily, but that doesn't make it less frustrating for her.

We have two L8 gymnasts competing a cartwheel-roundoff series, and scoring okay with that for now, mostly high 8s/low 9s so far. Not sure if that is an option at your gym.