Fear

[rardjds]

I feel like fear is taking over my gymnastics.
First came floor, where i freaked out about tumbling. That took a while to get over, and it was really frustrating, but i was able to do a roundoff back tuck.
Next came bars. My flyaway. Its a mix of being scared and also falling on almost every handstand (because i can't cast before my flyaway, only handstand...) and therefore not doing a lot of flyaways to boost my confidence.
There is also a BHS on beam that has been giving me trouble. It was a new skill, and for first competition, i was able to get in a FIG hight beam with my coach standing in. I did it fine, but something inside of me screws up if my coach won't stand there.
Acctually, everything seemed to be going well for first qualifier (for provincials.) But shortly after came the break, and i didn't train so much AND my coach was away. Things were going well, and all of a sudden they weren't. now i'm scared of just doing a BHS on FLOOR!!! and roundoff backtuck scared me as well. My coach gets back soon and i feel like she's going to be way disapointed. Also, second qualifier is coming up.
Gymnastics is just getting SO HARD. everythings scarring me and i feel like its not under my control.
i feel like its a massive weight pushing down on me, and really i just want it to stop.
I'm going to quit next year, because its just too hard for me, plus school work. but i still have to get through this year! it has gotten so bad that i have started hoping that i injure myself.
i keep telling myself I CAN DO ANYTHING, and that i'll get over it, just like everything else.
and i know that there's always a thunderstorm before a rainbow and such, but right now it feels like its going to be raining forever.
i also want to talk to my coach about it, because she's really nice and understanding and i know that she could really help. But i'm not that kind of girl... i usually keep emotiosn balled up inside of me until they eventually die down.

so, really, any help? and positive advice or stories about how YOU got over your fear for things? anything to make gymnastics AMAZING again?

thanks.

oh btw i'm level 7 (ontario.)
and sorry i also posted this in the Artistic Gymnast group but i really need help!

 

[tflipz]

You will have your worst days in the gym and your best days in the gym. I think every gymnast goes through a phase where things tend to be a bit frightening, but just keep working hard and eventually it will seem easier. And DONT quit you will regret that day forever. Gymnastics is a sport with a lot of elegance and not many people can do it. You have to have that determination and that drive, and as well talent. I have been doing it for ten years and there were times I was ready to quit without even thinking. Now its like my best friend I love showing up in the gym everyday because its what we do. AND about fear im someetimes scared to do things do a lot of drills and you kind of just do it eventually. And i sometimes have phases where i just chuck new moves and figure out i can do them. Since youare level 7 i dont know if that is optional for girls yet but for guys it isnt. So when you do start optional gymnastics look for skills in your benefit like if you flexible look for flexibility tricks or if your strong looks for strenght elements. hope this helps

 

[Aussie_coach]

I have good news for you, fear is a good thing in many ways. A good strong healthy gymnasts always must have some fear to be successful.

Fear is what keeps you alive, fear is what stops you from walking in the gym and deciding you should just try and throw a double back even though you have never done one before and land on your head. The trick is to get the right balance with fear and this is hard for all gymnasts.

When you are little you don't feel the dear as much because you don't think about consequences and you don't look into the future, you just think about here and now. This is why you may not have had this same fear when you were younger.

But as you get older you start to think differently, you start to be able to foresee possible problems and consider consequences that haven't happened. In most parts of your life this is a good thing. Like we don't let young kids drive because they can't foresee how a car accident can be caused and take steps to prevent it. But you are learning to think like an adult and be able to foresee possible problems before they happen and try to prevent them.

For example now when you do your flyaway you may be thinking about not letting go correctly and hitting your feet on the bar. This may have never happened to you but your new thinking means you can foresee that it might happen.

When you are young (pre teen and teenager) you have not learned to control this thinking yet and it can go too far and you can get fearful even when there is no reason for it. This is normal and as you get used to thinking this way you will get better at controlling it.

Example you are about to do a back handspring on beam.

Young kid thinks "OK here I go"

Pre teen/teen thinks "OMG I might mess this up, I'm gonna land on my head, I can just see it and I'm gonna die"

Older teen/adult thinks "OK, I am a bit scared of this, I might land on my head. But I have done it before many times and I was fine and my coach wouldn't get me to do it if I wasn't ready".

You need a few tricks to try and get your thinking to the next step.

1. When you are doing a skill, check your thinking. Often you are thinking about the bad things that are going to happen and that causes you not to go. Try instead just focussing on the words your coach has said, or even some words you think yourself. Like "OK, tight body, strong push back".

2. Visualize. If you picture yourself doing the skill, and doing it right and well it will be easier for your body to do it. Some kids have trouble visualizing, if you do try watching someone else who does it well do the skill.

3. Ask for help, don't be afraid to ask for help. Most coaches are more than willing to do what they can to help you get confident with the skill. You can ask other gymnasts too, ask them what they think and do to help them with the skill and it may work for you.

4. Break the skills down. Any skill you are afraid of write a list from the very first easiest step to doing the skill up to doing it by yourself. It can be anything from drills, to doing it with mats and spot or on a trampoline. Find where in the list you feel confident and safe and go from there. Working up slowly. If you get stuck go down to where you feel safe and work up again.

5. Don't stress about your coach being disappointed, any coach understands that fear happens and very few gymnasts ever go through their careers about it. Your coach will help you get through.

 

[dancingymnast]

I am/was going through the same thing on floor. I was fine one practice, and then the next practice I wouldn't throw any of my back tumbling. It got really frustrating and I didn't know what else to do. Finally after throwing it a couple times with my coach spotting me, I am slowly getting it back by myself.
What I found was easier, was I would first do just a standing round- off, then I would do a standing back-handspring. Then I would put the 2 of them together, and then I would throw the layout. Breaking it up into steps sometimes can make it easier and less scary, because you know you can do the skills you just have to put them together.
Like Aussie-coach said- If you can see yourself doing it perfectly, you will go for it. My mind is the biggest problem in gymnastics. If I am scared to throw something, I ALWAYS think of the worst. But if I take a deep breath and picture myself doing the skill well I will throw it perfectly.
Hope this somewhat helped?