Has any other parents or coaches experience kids that go through tumbling blocks? Which I am sure you have but how do you handle it? Say a tumbler that can do standing tucks, layouts, standing series, etc just all of a sudden stops tumbling. Even to the extreme of not even being able to do a standing back handspring without a spot. What do you do? This also didnt occur after a big fall, it just happened out of the blue. Do you just not say anything and continue to spot them over and over and just pray they will work through it on their own? Or is there some helpful tips?
This is a good question. I think every gym has its share of "tumbling blocks" every year, but I know that some might deal with it differently. In my opinion when a child in our program stops tumbling you have to sit down with the child and ask if everything is okay. Most of the time tumlbing blocks, again in my opinion, are due to a lot of stress that the child might be going through at that time. It could be a relative just passing away, handling homework, school, a job, and cheer, it could be a 5th grader going into 6th grade, or they feel too much is expected from them. So when I am confronted with this issue I always try to be the positive person/coach. So when they are around you you are not another stressful addition to their life. As frustrating as it might be keep trying to move them on but let them pick their pace. Eventually when they start feeling less stressed about cheer and life outside of cheer they will come around. Just give it time, and don't rush. I hope that helps a little, and again this is just my opinion and how I have personally confronted this issue. If you would like more suggestions feel free to e-mai me at angie@cheergyms.com.
This is a good question. I think every gym has its share of "tumbling blocks" every year, but I know that some might deal with it differently. In my opinion when a child in our program stops tumbling you have to sit down with the child and ask if everything is okay. Most of the time tumlbing blocks, again in my opinion, are due to a lot of stress that the child might be going through at that time. It could be a relative just passing away, handling homework, school, a job, and cheer, it could be a 5th grader going into 6th grade, or they feel too much is expected from them. So when I am confronted with this issue I always try to be the positive person/coach. So when they are around you you are not another stressful addition to their life. As frustrating as it might be keep trying to move them on but let them pick their pace. Eventually when they start feeling less stressed about cheer and life outside of cheer they will come around. Just give it time, and don't rush. I hope that helps a little, and again this is just my opinion and how I have personally confronted this issue. If you would like more suggestions feel free to e-mai me at angie@cheergyms.com.
I 100% agree being positive can really work wonders. My daughter had a tumbling block last year. She got her layout at age 8 and her full followed at nine she did it for the first time at cheer camp so she was 8 1/2 but after that she just could not for the life of her get up to the double full and her full started getting sloppy. She would pop it everytime she had practice, but when she was at her gymnastics class she was fine. We sat down and talked and I found out she was mortified to do it on front of her team. She just could not do it she was afraid with all the pressure they were putting on her and she thought that if they knew she could do it they would make her do it in the routine.
So her big thing was she was stressed out and scared. Now that she is not cheering her double fulls by themselves are gorgeous. She is working cross passes with her gymanstics coach now. I am so proud of her she just learned to group together a Front tuck roundoff backhandspring whip backhandsping full. She hasn't quite been able to get around on her double full. It will come in time. She is now only at the gym 2 days a week vs almost 6 last year. Sometimes taking to many classes contribute to tumbling blocks as well.
I totally agree i had a huge tumbling block at one time in tumbling i couldn't thourgh my full or anything except 4 tuck but that waz last year and i hadn't have any so far
I agree 100% with what you said as well. I think that when kids are pushed in to 3 tumbling classes a week, 2 privates a week, on top of their 2 practices a week it's just too much. I rather see a kid with a "block" come in for one tumbling OR private and work his/her tail off and leave feelingeven a tad more confident, then leave the gym every day of the week feeling like they have not succeeded once again. Good point cheer mama.
I agree 100% with what you said as well. I think that when kids are pushed in to 3 tumbling classes a week, 2 privates a week, on top of their 2 practices a week it's just too much. I rather see a kid with a "block" come in for one tumbling OR private and work his/her tail off and leave feelingeven a tad more confident, then leave the gym every day of the week feeling like they have not succeeded once again. Good point cheer mama.
It just makes me smile when I see her working these amazing passes. She has no pressure any more she is now doing it for herself, she is no longer worrying about what type of cross pass she can get in the routine. She is working out a total of 3 hours a week now, Last year she practices with her team 6 hours a week plus 3 tumbling classes and an occasional private here and there when her coach would tell her "You need to get that double or your pass is out" and she would ask for me to get her a private just so she could puch that skill. i am rather enjoying this early retirement from Level 5. There is really no pressure on my step daughters Level 2 team.
As an Elite Gymnastics coach I deal with this all the time. Mental blocks are part of the game. I simply take them back to basics. Some people think this is a waist of time and feel that girls like this should be pushed. Ya well whatever! There is a time and place for that! However, when someone has a brain fade that is not the time to push them into doing something that puts them in danger... Safety Comes First. :) Good luck. Hopefully she has an understanding coach who believes in teaching the basics.
As an Elite Gymnastics coach I deal with this all the time. Mental blocks are part of the game. I simply take them back to basics. Some people think this is a waist of time and feel that girls like this should be pushed. Ya well whatever! There is a time and place for that! However, when someone has a brain fade that is not the time to push them into doing something that puts them in danger... Safety Comes First. :) Good luck. Hopefully she has an understanding coach who believes in teaching the basics.
Where are you an Elite Gymnastics coach? Are you in Northern California?
I've had for sure had my fair share of "tumbling blocks". My longest one was about two years, but I worked through it by taking my time. The staff that works with me understood and helped me by not adding pressure to anything I felt I coudln't do. I currently have a small one at the moment. I got it right at camp this year and we were lucky enough to have a WONDERFUL woman help me out. I sat down with her and she gave me some tips to hlep me get over them and here they are:
1. Admit it's okay. 2. Stay in shape: Condition 3 times a wekk for at least 30 minutes working on the following: Balance/Stability, Plyometric, Cardio, Upper Body, Lower body, and Core. 3. Do the skills you know you can do 20 times, 3 days a week. 4. Visualize the skill you're afraid of 20 times before you go to sleep. 5. Write out the skills you're afraid of using short verbs for each skill. 6. Have a box in your house located in an area where you pass by a lot. Make sure pen and paper is by this box and every time you walk by it, say something positive about your tumbling and after a couple of days read it to yourself to boost self-confidence. 7. Keep a journal of short range goals and plan on how to reach those goals. Also write your thoughts as well as a record of your conditioning. 8. Have a focus word that you can say to yourself before you tumble so you can keep your mind on the word and not the skill you are doing.
I hope this helps to anyone who has a "tumbling block". I have already achieved some of my skills back and this has helped me a lot quicker than my last block.
Has any other parents or coaches experience kids that go through tumbling blocks? Which I am sure you have but how do you handle it? Say a tumbler that can do standing tucks, layouts, standing series, etc just all of a sudden stops tumbling. Even to the extreme of not even being able to do a standing back handspring without a spot. What do you do? This also didnt occur after a big fall, it just happened out of the blue. Do you just not say anything and continue to spot them over and over and just pray they will work through it on their own? Or is there some helpful tips?
My daughter is just coming back from her 2nd tumbling block. She was refusing to throw a back handspring but would throw tucks and layouts on the track. The first time I didn't understand it but after talking to her I found out some stresses going on her life that I did not know were affecting her. Sometimes things we don't think will affect them do. She was depressed becuase my brother was moving to Texas. He moved the day before tryouts. She was so upset she could not concentrate. Never in my wildest dreams did I think something like that would bother her that much. Sometimes you need to talk and find out what the real issue is. I knew what skills my daughter was capable of throwing so I knew something else must be wrong. My daughter also saw one of her best friends break her arm after doing a back handspring, before her uncle moved. She was maybe 10 feet away. It traumatized her for a long time. I think enviornment is very important that you encourage them not to give up. The gym we are at is very encouraging. Coach Cella is amazing. She has boosted her confidence 10 fold.
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Our daughter has had alot of those types of experiences. Its surprising how much their lives effect their performance or lack there of. She stresses about alot of little things you wouldnt think would bother most people then I forget they are only teenagers and they are not the same as us and they do let little things get in their way from doing things it even effects their school work what I found out is pay attention to your child their actions speak louder then words!!!
and she would ask for me to get her a private just so she could puch that skill. i am rather enjoying this early retirement from Level 5. There is really no pressure on my step daughters Level 2 team.
