For a lot of gymnasts, it’s the season of upgrades!
Gymnasts are studying new, more durable expertise throughout this low season and checking off the record of the abilities they want so as to transfer as much as the subsequent stage.
For some gymnasts, it may be a very enjoyable time of 12 months (minus the additional conditioning) and not using a ton of strain that is typically there throughout competitors season.
Gymnasts are flipping and twisting new expertise into the pit and progressively engaged on touchdown these expertise on mats. And most days convey numerous enjoyable as your gymnast is keen to maintain getting higher at these new expertise.
However for some gymnasts, improve season is one among wrestle. They could be watching their teammates be taught new expertise sooner than them. Perhaps they get caught on sure expertise that really feel more durable for them and it makes them shine a light-weight on the comparability that exists between them and their teammates’ ability stage.
This will result in your gymnast feeling damaging about herself throughout improve season. And that may, sadly, lead her to enter her new season as an underdog.
So what do you do in case you have a gymnast who’s on the wrestle bus throughout improve season? How do you assist her keep extra optimistic?
1. Do not evaluate your gymnast to her teammates.
This goes with out saying however be sure you aren’t making references to your gymnast’s teammates. Your gymnast is absolutely conscious of what the opposite gymnasts in her health club can do and he or she does not must really feel in comparison with them anymore than she’s already evaluating herself.
Even when a teammate is struggling too, it does not assist to level that out or remind her that she’s not the one one. No matter what number of gymnasts could be struggling, there are nonetheless gymnasts who’re NOT struggling. And people are the gymnasts she notices and compares herself to.
So keep away from any comparisons to different teammates. As an alternative, deal with how your gymnast is on her personal journey and the way everybody’s journey is exclusive. A very good film to look at is Full Out which highlights the lifetime of Ariana Berlin. Your gymnast can see how setbacks brought about Ariana to discover a totally different means again to the game she cherished and in the end reaching the result she had at all times dreamed of.
2. Work on fostering a progress mindset.
Throughout improve season, having a progress mindset goes to assist your gymnast bounce again from powerful practices. A progress mindset is when your gymnast can have a look at a scenario that’s arduous and keep in mind that she will proceed to enhance. This differs from a hard and fast mindset by which your gymnast would possibly resolve she does not have the power to be taught a brand new ability and that her expertise is already determined for her.
Some gymnasts are naturally higher at a progress mindset than others. But when your gymnast is one who has a hard and fast mindset, there’s hope. A method I like to point out gymnasts that they’ll be taught extra expertise is by reminding them of all the abilities they as soon as didn’t know the way to do and now can do. It is simple for gymnasts to overlook how far they’ve come of their journey.
I exploit a Guide of Proof (free printable) to have gymnasts write down each ability they’ve realized thus far in gymnastics. It is a wonderful means for them to remain hopeful and keep in mind that expertise they as soon as struggled on are simple for them now.
If you have not already, obtain my Development Mindset Jar printable as effectively.
3. Assist your gymnast set course of targets.
Throughout improve season, your gymnast typically units targets which can be based mostly on the result of what occurs. In different phrases, she is working in direction of a particular ability. This implies she is targeted on the result, which is studying that ability.
Nonetheless, in case your gymnast is barely targeted on getting her expertise, she’ll be discouraged for a lot of the low season since she’ll be taught lots of her expertise after months of coaching (and never originally of improve season).
And being discouraged means she possible will not attempt as arduous and can get caught on the truth that she does not have her expertise. It will decrease her confidence and in some instances, de-motivate her.
As an alternative, it is necessary that your gymnast create course of targets alongside the way in which. Course of targets deal with the method of her studying new expertise. Examples of course of targets could be doing a sure variety of drills every day (that can assist her be taught the abilities she’s engaged on). She will maintain observe of whether or not she does these drills and that can assist her really feel success alongside the way in which.
Course of targets may also embody doing a sure variety of makes an attempt at a ability every follow. Once more, the main target is on the method of making an attempt the ability and never on whether or not she achieved the ability purpose or not.
Whereas this would possibly appear to be a refined distinction, it makes a BIG distinction in how gymnasts really feel about their talents when studying new expertise.
Once more, improve season can really feel like an thrilling time of 12 months. However it can be a very arduous one for some gymnasts. In case your gymnast is among the ones who’s struggling via improve season or is evaluating herself to her teammates, she would possibly undergo a whole low season the place her confidence plummets. Be sure to aren’t making comparisons between her and her teammates (even when the comparability is an efficient one). Assist your gymnast discover a progress mindset by reminding her of how far she’s come and of how her earlier struggles led to her studying new expertise. And at last, assist your gymnast set course of targets as an alternative of consequence targets so she will construct up some confidence alongside the way in which.
—–
For those who or your gymnast wants assist, along with the sources beneath I additionally provide one-on-one teaching periods by way of Zoom.
Useful Hyperlinks:
