If that’s the case, discover out among the explanation why this occurs and what your gymnast can do to get via this irritating scenario.
This time of season when many gymnasts are on the point of compete, I get very busy as a gymnastics psychological coach! It is as a result of gymnasts are gearing up for his or her meet season however are beginning to wrestle massive time and nobody is aware of what to do about it.
Why does my gymnast freeze up on abilities proper earlier than meets?
As everyone knows, proper earlier than competitors season begins (and even within the meet week main as much as meets), your gymnast is probably going feeling a LOT of strain.
This could possibly be strain to do sure abilities with out a spot or mats, or to place her abilities on a tough floor. For a gymnast, the considered having to do a ability by herself when she hasn’t been doing it alone is a really scary concept. And her fight-flight-or-freeze mode usually kicks in.
Then there’s additionally the strain to compete properly this season that many gymnasts really feel. Perhaps it is a massive yr and your gymnast actually must hit her routines to point out schools that she’s worthy of a spot on a collegiate workforce. Or perhaps your gymnast had a extremely nice season the yr earlier than and now feels this inside strain to repeat her success at a distinct stage. That strain to must do properly may trigger her freeze mode to activate.
One other strain that comes up is a worry of embarrassment. Many gymnasts do not need to go to a meet and look dangerous in entrance of everybody else. Whether or not they’re nervous about what their coaches will suppose or what different gymnasts or spectators may suppose, embarrassment is a strain that may shut your gymnast down.
So strain main into meet season and every week main into meets can actually take a toll in your gymnast’s mindset. As I at all times say, strain equals hazard to your gymnast’s mind. And when her mind is sensing hazard, it would go into freeze mode in gymnastics.
One other factor that occurs this time of season is that gymnasts go into panic mode as a result of they do not really feel prepared. Usually they’ve an concept of their head of the place they SHOULD be at this level within the season. For a lot of, they need to be perfecting their routines and abilities and placing on the ending touches. When, as an alternative, they’re nonetheless struggling to get abilities, this causes a panic that may maintain the freeze mode activated for for much longer than it must be.
Consequently, your gymnast begins to match herself to the place she thinks she ought to be this time of season, feels disillusioned or embarrassed that she’s not additional alongside, after which dwells on this truth.
That, mixed with the strain she is feeling, will doubtless trigger her to freeze up on vital abilities she wants with the intention to compete.
So what do you do to assist your gymnast who’s freezing up on abilities earlier than meets?
This is usually a devastating scenario for gymnasts, coaches, and fogeys. One as a result of everybody feels helpless and second as a result of your gymnast is in main misery and it is not getting higher.
1. Encourage your gymnast to deal with every day at a time.
The “what ifs” (what if I do not get my ability in time, what if I embarrass myself, what if I am unable to compete) may cause your gymnast’s head to enter a complete head spin and make her not suppose clearly. When she focuses on the current second and what she will be able to work on in that second, it helps her keep out of panic mode.
If she does not have already got a Expertise/Confidence Ladder mapped out that she will be able to use to information her exercises, create one. This offers her a plan for what she will be able to work on every apply to construct belief again up along with her mind on the ability she is freezing on.
2. Work out a plan for what your gymnast CAN do throughout competitors.
If it is getting near competitors season and your gymnast cannot do her again tumbling go however can substitute it with one thing else, begin engaged on a distinct tumbling go. Whereas you do not need your gymnast to keep away from the ability she’s freezing up on, you DO need to ease her thoughts. And having a again up go or totally different ability that your gymnast can compete as an alternative might help alleviate the strain she is feeling.
3. Have a dialog along with her coach concerning the scenario.
One of many scariest issues to your gymnast shouldn’t be figuring out what will occur. Sitting down along with her coach and discussing the scenario may be very useful to your gymnast’s mind. Speak to teach about what occurs if she will be able to’t get her ability in time. Will she scratch that occasion utterly or substitute a distinct ability?
Many coaches do not talk about this stuff with gymnasts and the uncertainty can maintain your gymnast’s mind in peril mode. Open communication is essential.
4. Remind your gymnast that she’s overcome one thing like this previously.
In case your gymnast is like most who freeze up on abilities pre-competition season, she’s doubtless gone via this previously. Perhaps final season she was in an analogous scenario. Remind her that she bought via it then and that she’ll get via it now.
Going via worst case eventualities can be useful to your gymnast. Ask her “what’s the worst that may occur?” The reply is often that she’ll must scratch an occasion. And whereas that is not what your gymnast desires to do, it is not the top of the world. She’s robust sufficient to make it via a scenario like that.
5. Assist your gymnast deal with what she will be able to CONTROL.
Strain stems from a deal with issues which can be outdoors your gymnast’s management. Will she get a ability in time? Will coach be disillusioned? What is going to occur sooner or later? These are all ideas which can be outdoors her management.
Encourage your gymnast to deal with what she does have management over – her effort, what she’s targeted on as she works on her ability, her perspective, if she works to alter her destructive ideas into extra impartial ones…something that is not final result primarily based.
When she brings her focus onto issues she CAN management, her mind eases out of hazard mode and feels extra in management. This can permit her to do her frozen abilities extra of the time, thereby permitting her confidence to rise once more.
Backside line, strain is a doozy for some gymnasts. I particularly see this affecting gymnasts who’ve excessive expectations for themselves and are perfectionists. These are those who do not permit themselves the grace to go at a slower tempo or to have “dangerous” days. Once they put that strain on themselves and might’t handle it, their brains go into hazard mode and abilities get frozen.
By studying find out how to deal with what your gymnast can management, by having a plan for what to do within the occasion that abilities do not unfreeze in time, and by staying within the current second and taking every day because it comes as an alternative of worrying concerning the future, your gymnast can slowly work via her frozen abilities.
For some gymnasts this takes time to work via. For others, generally getting that first meet out of the way in which helps their mind really feel extra relaxed and abilities come again extra shortly.
Persistence is essential. Even (and particularly) when the clock is ticking and meet season is quick approaching, it is vital to your gymnast to permit herself the additional time to get into competitors mindset mode.
In case your gymnast is struggling and meet season is approaching, attain out to me! See extra info beneath.
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For those who or your gymnast wants help, along with the assets beneath I additionally provide one-on-one teaching classes by way of Zoom.
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