Parents Mental Block!

[JessMom]

Haven't been around - as usual this is the only place I can think of that I might get some help.

About a month ago DD balked on her back layout in a competition. Just didn't go for it and landed on her tush. Since then, she has been unable to let go of the bar in her flyway. Additionally she will not go for a back tuck if connected to a run / round off. She will do standing back tucks and a back handspring back tuck. She will not do back layouts . . . even with a full spot . . . just won't go.

She HAS done back layouts in competition twice since - not in practice or warm up - only in the actual competition.

I'll add she has no trouble doing anything forward and even got her front full last week. She's been doing back tucks for over 4 years. Breaking my heart to see her so frustrated.

Thoughts? I feel like we've tried everything. We are all frustrated for her. She isn't expressing a fear - hasn't taken a fall - hasn't seen a fall.

thanks in advance for any thoughts

 

[GymBeeMom]

My DD went through this right before this season started. She had her giants and her backhandspring on beam, then just stopped doing them...for THREE months. It was painful for everybody. WHat I learned was that nothing I said changed anything. NOthing her coaches said changed anything. As awful as it was, only time fixed it. She finally wanted it more than she feared it. AND, most important, it had no long term negative effect on her goals as a gymnast. It only made her realize she can overcome anything, in her own time. Good luck and I am sending you lots of patience while you wait this out. It will pass.

 

[iwannacoach]

I could be a lot of things, most of which resolve themselves in a few weeks to a few months. When I see a kid lose a skill, but no similar skills cropping up to cause a problem, my first guess is a growth spurt that's changed their swing dynamics. Gymnasts really like to have things consistent, bars with the "right" amount of chalk crust, balance beams with new covers or slighty over worn....... you get the idea.

The next likely culprit, in my opinion, would be a change in attention to details like leg form or body shapes, or never having it in the first place. Straight legs are invaluable because they do the same thing every time, you know where they are, and where they will go next.

In any case it'll likely blow over with-out to much fuss, and the less you all fuss around with it the better the chances it'll come back on it's own, like a hungry cat.

 

[erindel]

I know how you feel. My daughter had a fear of doing back tucks for about a year. It was horrible. she started last yr as a level six and did her robhsbt only in the first meet, then for the rest of the season she didnt do it. It was unreal. she finally did it the last meet of the year, at states. over the last summer she stopped doing them again out of nowhere and that was even frustrating than before. she did everything forward. she can do her back walkover on beam,and her flyaway on bars, but not that darn back tuck. Believe it or not, tonite she had her first practice at a new gym, training level 7 and what do you know, she was doing her robhsbt! She had confidence and felt so comfortable at her new gym that she just went for it and realized it was not so bad... I hope she sticks with it now and moves on to a layout.
anywho, i wish your daughter good luck, and she will get it back when shes ready, it kind of just happens and it clicks again. I definitely do share with you the frustration though in watching them struggle without it.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

vestibular hits again.

 

[dmytv]

growth spurt? give her time and support. You will look back at this and think "wow, I was worried?"

 

[JessMom]

Thank you all so much. I feel better.

 

[ThaBigCheese]

Yeah...mental blocks....what can you do! My little one is in a constant stuggle with this. So much so, that I'm not sure she'll ever come out of it. Like your dd, mine will do the forward stuff but balks regularly at the backwards stuff. I never talk to her about it, because it's not really my place, but I can see the struggle she has with it. I watched her struggle with it on vault the other day....she just wouldn't do it. I asked her afterwards, what do your coaches say when you can't do it...she said mostly nothing, sometimes "just tuck". That means nothing to me, but those are her words. I think she may eventually give up on the struggle, but I know she loves it. It's been a long struggle, so I'm not sure she'll ever fully come around, but that's ok. I'd rather her not do it, than try to do it with no confidence.