Coaches Help with Level 8 12 year old

[mbphoto]

DD does not seem to have huge fears on anything except her full on floor. Just wondering if any of you have any words of wisdom that I can pass on to her. She has gotten most all of her 8 skills including a pike back and giants on bars, tusk vault, bhs's beam, front tuck, bounder, front tuck on floor. I have very little knowledge when it comes to gymnastics so I am not sure why she has such a block when it comes to her full. I see alot on the internet about training this but I was hoping someone here could give her a little advice. Thanks.

 

[gymdog]

If she throws the full, can she land it consistently, or does she have execution problems with doing the skill?

If she is having problems consistently completing the skill, this can often lead to fear with twisting...it's scary to be out of control. If privates are offered, you might see about arranging a private so that drills tailored just to her "problem" area could be set up...at this point in the season at practice the group is probably using just a few mats, etc, so those gymnasts still struggling might benefit from a little extra time. I'm not a big proponent of privates in general but in some cases like these, halfway into optional season, it can be a positive thing just to go back to whatever drill individually she might need and regain some confidence.

If she can do it, but just doesn't always throw it, she may feel "lost" in the air, making it scary. This was discussed in a recent thread where we also discussed vestibular issues. My opinion in that thread, as someone who gets "lost" in twisting but continued in gymnastics past that level, is that overcoming this takes some work on the basics. And the gymnast must do a lot of work in order to "memorize" the skills. I no longer feel lost in a back full but I can't twist past a back full or a front 1 1/2 without feeling somewhat like...it just happens. But I have learned and competed past a back full. It just took time and effort to learn to trust my body to do it.

In this case privates might also help. She should tell her coach if she is scared because she lacks awareness. And try her best to explain what the problem is (all the way throughout the skill? doesn't see the landing? etc). The more specific she can be in figuring out what her fear is and why rather than just "i'm afraid" will help the coach help her to work on this.

 

[CoachTodd]

Make sure she is spotting the landing in her full. I have a very powerful gymnast who finishes her entire twist while looking at the ceiling. This make the second half of the skill frightening. You can spot the floor throughout the entire twist if it's timed correctly and this makes it less intimidating.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Make sure she is spotting the landing in her full. I have a very powerful gymnast who finishes her entire twist while looking at the ceiling. This make the second half of the skill frightening. You can spot the floor throughout the entire twist if it's timed correctly and this makes it less intimidating.

Agreed completely.

A correctly timed 1/1 is actually far LESS scary than a layout without twisting in my opinion.