Let’s face it. As gymnasts, extra days are robust than they’re simple.
Whether or not you are studying a brand new talent that is difficult or coping with further low season conditioning, you are going to undergo your fair proportion of laborious days. For each gymnast, their definition of laborious is completely different. It could be accidents, psychological blocks, or not studying expertise quick sufficient. Or it could be further conditioning, imply teammates, or waking up early over the summer season.
Whereas laborious days can actually assist you be taught grit and tenacity, they will additionally de-motivate you. Actually, laborious days are these days once you may query whether or not doing gymnastics remains to be value it.
So how do you deal with these robust days (since they WILL be there on occasion)?
Tip 1: Acknowledge when your mindset is reverting again to previous habits.
One of many hardest issues about getting by the robust days in gymnastics is that your mind will robotically revert again to its previous (typically unhelpful) habits. When issues get laborious, your mind typically bails, that means it finds the trail of least resistance which is usually an older behavior of unfavourable pondering.
You have possible labored actually laborious to vary your mindset as a gymnast. However in robust instances your mind naturally goes the place it is snug which is to a spot of negativity. All the time do not forget that your mind is hard-wired to detect hazard. It is going to search out all of the issues that would go incorrect (aka unfavourable ideas) in order that it might determine find out how to shield you from them.
When you can do not forget that your mind needs to hang around in negativity land, you’ll be able to acknowledge that it is simply your primitive mind speaking. And work in these robust moments to vary your mindset round. In robust instances this takes further work nevertheless it’s properly value it.
Tip #2: Do not permit your self to hang around in these unfavourable ideas for too lengthy.
Each thought beneficial properties momentum the longer you suppose it. When you’ve got a unfavourable thought after which dwell in that unfavourable thought, you may end up happening a unfavourable path of resistance. As a substitute, work to exchange these ideas shortly.
This may seem like flipping a thought as quick as you’ll be able to, even when you do not consider the brand new thought but. For instance, “I am unable to do that” shortly turns into “I can hold working.” Or “I am a horrible gymnast” shortly turns into “I am getting higher and higher every day.”
The important thing her is to not overthink it. It’s to suppose the brand new optimistic thought as quick as you’ll be able to so you do not permit your mind time to hang around in negativity land. Once more, you may not consider this new thought but, nevertheless it’s instructing your mind to discover a optimistic thought shortly which is an efficient talent to have in your again pocket.
Tip #3: Discover your spark once more.
When issues get robust it is easy to lose motivation. That is very true when you’ve been working by a psychological block or are caught on studying a brand new talent for a very long time. Over time you begin to lose the spark you as soon as had for gymnastics.
This implies it is time to gentle that fireplace once more and get your spark going. Consider what motivates you? What are some methods you are feeling impressed? Is it listening to upbeat music? Is it watching an inspiring film? Is it studying motivational quotes? Discover the factor that reminds you of your lengthy misplaced motivation.
One good way to do that is to create a motivation board. You possibly can minimize out pictures of various inspirational quotes or phrases that provide you with a carry and paste them onto a small poster board. Embellish it and make it fairly to take a look at. Then put it in a spot that you will see it every day so you will get an immediate enhance of motivation each time you have a look at it.
Tip #4: Take a break.
This may sound counterintuitive however typically a scarcity of motivation (particularly by these robust days) requires a small break from gymnastics. This could be one thing like taking per week off for summer season trip or it could be taking a time without work and going to the seashore! For different gymnasts it is a longer break to check out some new issues earlier than returning to gymnastics.
When you’ll be able to fill your life with pleasure from different locations, it helps you neglect concerning the struggles you are going by in gymnastics and may re-ignite the flame you as soon as had for gymnastics. Additionally, absence could make the guts develop fonder and it offers you an opportunity to see when you actually miss being away from gymnastics.
Don’t fret about shedding expertise or getting behind. Each talent is catch-up-able. The positives you may achieve from that break could also be properly definitely worth the minor setbacks.
Tip #5: Preserve all of it in perspective.
If you get caught on robust days, it is easy to really feel like issues will all the time be robust for you. However keep in mind to maintain it in perspective. Have you ever struggled to be taught different expertise in gymnastics earlier than? Probably the reply is sure. Keep in mind again to these moments once you felt such as you’d by no means get by that impediment and but you probably did!
Do not permit your self to dwell in your laborious. Snap your mindset into a brand new optimistic thought and hold shifting ahead. These robust days will move and you will be stronger for it. However within the meantime, concentrate on the current second, sooner or later at a time. If you let your mind drift into what may not occur sooner or later if you do not get your expertise, you are residing in a spot that you could’t management. And when your mind feels prefer it’s not in management, it’s going to make doing gymnastics even more durable (as a result of that is when your mind takes over and begins placing on the brakes).
So reside within the second. Take it day-to-day. And do what you’ll be able to RIGHT NOW.
Getting by the laborious is a traditional a part of being a gymnast. It is alright to have days once you query why you do that. It is also alright to have days once you simply want a break. Gymnastics is a curler coaster experience so grasp on for the journey! Simply make certain you employ a few of these methods (or different wholesome ones) that will help you get by these robust days.
—–
When you or your gymnast wants help, along with the sources under I additionally provide one-on-one teaching periods by way of Zoom.
Useful Hyperlinks:
