If that’s the case, discover out a number of 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 battle huge time and nobody is aware of what to do about it.
Why does my gymnast freeze up on expertise 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 expertise with out a spot or mats, or to place her expertise on a tough floor. For a gymnast, the considered having to do a talent by herself when she hasn’t been doing it alone is a really scary thought. And her fight-flight-or-freeze mode usually kicks in.
Then there’s additionally the strain to compete nicely this season that many gymnasts really feel. Perhaps it is a huge 12 months and your gymnast actually must hit her routines to indicate schools that she’s worthy of a spot on a collegiate workforce. Or perhaps your gymnast had a very nice season the 12 months earlier than and now feels this inside strain to repeat her success at a distinct stage. That strain to should do nicely can even trigger her freeze mode to activate.
One other strain that comes up is a concern of embarrassment. Many gymnasts do not need to go to a meet and look unhealthy in entrance of everybody else. Whether or not they’re fearful 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’s going to 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. Typically they’ve an thought 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 expertise and placing on the ending touches. When, as a substitute, they’re nonetheless struggling to get expertise, this causes a panic that may maintain the freeze mode activated for for much longer than it must be.
In consequence, your gymnast begins to match herself to the place she thinks she needs to be this time of season, feels disillusioned or embarrassed that she’s not additional alongside, after which dwells on this reality.
That, mixed with the strain she is feeling, will possible trigger her to freeze up on vital expertise she wants with a purpose to compete.
So what do you do to assist your gymnast who’s freezing up on expertise earlier than meets?
This could be a devastating scenario for gymnasts, coaches, and oldsters. One as a result of everybody feels helpless and second as a result of your gymnast is in main misery and it isn’t getting higher.
1. Encourage your gymnast to give attention to every day at a time.
The “what ifs” (what if I do not get my talent in time, what if I embarrass myself, what if I am unable to compete) could 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 would not have already got a Abilities/Confidence Ladder mapped out that she will be able to use to information her exercises, create one. This provides her a plan for what she will be able to work on every observe to construct belief again up together with her mind on the talent 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 don’t need your gymnast to keep away from the talent she’s freezing up on, you DO need to ease her thoughts. And having a again up go or totally different talent that your gymnast can compete as a substitute may help alleviate the strain she is feeling.
3. Have a dialog together with her coach in regards to the scenario.
One of many scariest issues to your gymnast will not be understanding what’s going to occur. Sitting down together with her coach and discussing the scenario may be very useful to your gymnast’s mind. Discuss to educate about what occurs if she will be able to’t get her talent in time. Will she scratch that occasion fully or substitute a distinct talent?
Many coaches do not talk about these items with gymnasts and the uncertainty can maintain your gymnast’s mind at risk 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 expertise pre-competition season, she’s possible gone via this previously. Perhaps final season she was in an analogous scenario. Remind her that she received via it then and that she’ll get via it now.
Going via worst case eventualities will also be useful to your gymnast. Ask her “what’s the worst that may occur?” The reply is often that she’ll should scratch an occasion. And whereas that is not what your gymnast desires to do, it isn’t the top of the world. She’s robust sufficient to make it via a scenario like that.
5. Assist your gymnast give attention to what she will be able to CONTROL.
Stress stems from a give attention to issues which are outdoors your gymnast’s management. Will she get a talent in time? Will coach be disillusioned? What is going to occur sooner or later? These are all ideas which are outdoors her management.
Encourage your gymnast to give attention to what she does have management over – her effort, what she’s targeted on as she works on her talent, her perspective, if she works to alter her unfavourable ideas into extra impartial ones…something that is not end 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 expertise 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 “unhealthy” days. Once they put that strain on themselves and might’t handle it, their brains go into hazard mode and expertise get frozen.
By studying give attention to what your gymnast can management, by having a plan for what to do within the occasion that expertise do not unfreeze in time, and by staying within the current second and taking every day because it comes as a substitute of worrying in regards to the future, your gymnast can slowly work via her frozen expertise.
For some gymnasts this takes time to work via. For others, typically getting that first meet out of the best way helps their mind really feel extra relaxed and expertise come again extra rapidly.
Endurance 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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In the event you or your gymnast wants help, along with the assets beneath I additionally supply one-on-one teaching periods by way of Zoom.
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