Major fear ???????help please

[gym-monkey]

today our gym had our xmas partynd we got an air track 4 du day .........i was doing front handsprings nd front tucks no problem but when i asked my coach elaine to spot me with another gymnast i was so freaked out i was just petrifyed of going backwards then when the other gymnast left i chanced it (so nervous at this point) and my coach lifted me through it nd it worked.........but then i didnt get another go when i did them with any other coach i turned sideways 2 reach the ground ..............i only trust elaine my coach to support me on a trampoline or a air track ..............what if i have to do it on floor ........with another coach !!!!!!!what am i going to do ?????I JUST CANT GET OVER MY FEAR !!!!!!!!!!!HELP MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE PLEASE
XXXXX

 

[ryantroop]

If I got what you said right... youre having trouble with a round-off flip-flop.

That fear comes from being uneasy about moving backwards. Totally understandable. Something about doing that just scares you. It scares most people. So.. relax.

Start getting used to that motion, and start trusting your body.

Start by doing back walkovers whenever you have a free moment.

When those get too easy, start doing carthwheel back walkover combination.

When that gets easy, start doing cartwheel flip flop stepout combinations.

By that time, roundoff flipflops should be normal. And, you have a handy dandy progression for tumbling on beam!

The more that you do, safely, the easier those difficult skills become.


Best of luck to you!!
Be safe, and be aware!


Ryan

 

[Aussie_coach]

Fear is a common thing when you start going backwards but remember that going backwards is generally easier and safer than going forward because you can spot the landing.

Doing lots of backwards things can help, backward rolls, back walkovers, back limbers. Do back drops on the trampoline. And practise standing in fromt of 1 or two think mats and jamps backwards to your back. You might even be able to find a big shape at your gym (an octagon or a cylinder) to go backwards on to help yourself feel comfortable.

As for trusting your coaches remember that they have spotted hundreds or maybe thousands of back handsprings, and I bet none of their gymnasts have died yet.

Try visualising yoourself doing the skill and then go for it. It can also help to watch others doing it as this helps you visualise it better.

But in the long run what will get you your BHS is when you make the desicion yourself to do it. There are two things you are feeling about this skill - desire to do it and fear of it. Right now the fear of this skill is stronger than your desire to do it. You must find a way to make your desire to do the skill stronger than your fear of it.

 

[ffliwt]

Everyone has this fear when they first learn it (unless they're a dare devil ) but if you're learning it on an air track or trampoline there's very little chance that you can hurt yourself.
As for only trusting one coach - i only trust my one coach too. Maybe if you really don't trust the others, learn it with the coach you trust most until you don't need a spot - then you won't have to be spotted by anyone atal

Before you know it you'll be doing them easily and wondering what you were ever scared of

 

[GymBay4]

I know how you feel! I just started doing roundoff Backhandsprings by myself on Tumble Trac and floor.
Its Scary but just know that Your coach will spot you!
I just recently went to Flip Fest a Gymnastics Camp in Tennessee.
I was TOTALLY scared because I didnt have my BHS yet and so i was afraid they would not know how to spot me.
I always did a Roundoff stop BHS till my coach said "The Worst thing that could happen is me jump back into his arms" and I did my first Roundoff-Backhandspring conected with a spot!
and now I am doing them on the Floor!!!
The Point is Trust your coach and Practice Jump Backs onto your bed (if its big enough) or on Your mom and Dads Bed (if they let you) also later once you start doing them on air Trac with other coaches if you arnt Pulling your arms back do them with weights but make sure they have a foam cover over them!'
Have Fun!
Bailey