Gymnastics is undoubtedly one of many hardest sports activities there’s. However I would additionally argue that not solely is gymnastics a tough sport, gymnasts (as a inhabitants) are extremely powerful on themselves as effectively.
When you cannot be inside your gymnast’s thoughts and assume for her, there are some issues you are able to do to assist your gymnast be extra compassionate in direction of herself.
Issues You Can Do To Assist Your Gymnast Be Much less Robust On Herself
1. Reward your gymnast for who she IS and never what she does.
Gymnasts usually get wrapped up within the id of being a “gymnast.” This may make issues difficult for them once they aren’t doing effectively in gymnastics. If they are going by means of a very powerful season or battling a psychological block, they will start to affiliate their lack of abilities with a scarcity of self-worth. And that is unlucky as a result of everyone knows {that a} 12 yr previous gymnast is SO far more than simply a gymnast.
One of many methods you may assist your gymnast is to recollect to reward her for qualities she has that transcend her gymnastics skills. Is she sort to her mates or teammates? Is she useful round the home? Is she a caring large or little sister? Does she work onerous in class? Is she an awesome artist or inventive in different areas of her life?
Take into consideration traits that describe who your gymnast is as an individual and bear in mind to go with her on these traits. As a substitute of claiming “That was an awesome again handspring” give attention to her efforts as an alternative. You would possibly say “I noticed you working onerous in your again handspring.” This teaches your gymnast to choose up on her innate qualities of being a tough employee versus feeling her value is tied into with the ability to do a talent in gymnastics.
2. Be a job mannequin in your gymnast.
As her mother or father, do you present her how you’re compassionate in direction of your self? Or are you all the time beating your personal self up or saying damaging issues out loud that your gymnast can hear?
When you won’t notice, your gymnast will decide up on the phrases and actions you exhibit in direction of your personal self. In truth, a research by Dove achieved a few years in the past confirmed that younger women usually have the identical physique insecurities as their mothers, even when they’re actually younger. For instance, a mother who says she hates her legs or purposely would not put on skirts due to how her legs look will usually have a daughter who hates her personal legs, even when her daughter has no motive to hate them. There’s a lot energy in the way in which you deal with your personal self as her mother.
Due to this fact, the way you deal with your self issues! Your gymnast sees and hears all of it. And subconsciously she adapts your personal demeanors as her personal.
3. Write your gymnast a letter
As a enjoyable shock, write your gymnast a letter telling her how proud you’re of her. Remind her of all her superb qualities that make her stand out as a gymnast. Is she tall? Remind her how her top makes individuals discover her lengthy traces. Is she sleek? Inform her how the way in which she strikes is so stunning and makes her coronary heart shine.
Too usually we talk about the issues that may be improved with our gymnasts as an alternative of specializing in all of the positives. By writing a letter, you may put all of it out onto paper and your gymnast can learn it again to herself when she wants a lift of fine emotions.
Should you’re a gymnast, listed here are some issues you are able to do to be much less powerful on your self:
1. Deal with your self such as you would your finest buddy
One of many hardest issues about being a gymnast is feeling like you should be onerous on your self with a view to achieve success. This sense would possibly come from the kind of teaching you get. Or it would come from your personal assumptions that you just have to be important of your self with a view to get higher. Understanding that each tenth counts can put loads of strain on you too. And being “yelled” at in follow or continuously corrected can take its toll.
Because of this, most gymnasts I work with are usually hypercritical of themselves, particularly once they make errors. And with each mistake comes extra damaging ideas comparable to “I am such a nasty gymnast” or “I can not do something” or “I am going to by no means get this proper” or “Coach would not care about me.”
These ideas are sometimes harsh and but most gymnasts I do know proceed to permit themselves to have interaction in these ideas after they’ve made errors or struggled to study a talent.
One of many greatest suggestions I give my gymnasts is to speak to your self such as you would your finest buddy. In case your finest buddy was having a tricky day on beam or making mistake after mistake, you would not go as much as her and yell at her extra. You would not inform her she’s a horrible gymnast or that she ought to simply give up. And also you definitely would not say something that will make her really feel worse. As a substitute you’d do your finest to construct her up. You’d encourage her. You’d say good issues to her. You’d let her know that you’ve got confidence in her and her skills and that she will do it.
That’s how gymnasts ought to follow talking to themselves. But once I inform gymnasts to do that it is like some overseas language they’re unaccustomed to! Most do not know what it is wish to be sort to themselves. But it surely’s so necessary to a gymnast’s vanity and resilience to really feel like she has somebody (even when it is herself) who builds her up.
2. Embrace errors
Whereas errors are frowned upon in gymnastics competitors, they’re definitely mandatory in follow (and even in competitors) with a view to study new abilities or discover ways to alter to new conditions.
Once I ask gymnasts to consider how lengthy it took them to study their kip or giants or again handspring on beam or some other talent that usually takes a very long time, most need to overlook about that lengthy journey. And but, with each flip they took and have been unsuccessful, they got here nearer and nearer to studying that talent.
Errors are info. Errors are necessary. You study what to do and what to not do whenever you make errors. This lets you alter and get higher at what you are doing.
And but most gymnasts I discuss to cringe once they consider the errors they’ve made. They have an inclination to see this failure as ultimate as an alternative of a step alongside the way in which to the highest of the staircase.
Due to this fact, I encourage gymnasts to embrace their errors and have a look at them as helpful info. What are you able to study from these errors? What’s not working? What can you’re employed to enhance on? What would possibly you be doing unsuitable?
3. Bear in mind all of the stuff you love about gymnastics
One strategy to keep constructive and be ok with your gymnastics is to recollect why you’re keen on doing it. Alongside the way in which, it is easy to overlook why you’re keen on gymnastics a lot. If you’re placing within the effort and all that onerous work, you would possibly overlook that you just’re doing it as a result of it is one thing you like to do.
One strategy to bear in mind all of the stuff you love about gymnastics is to create a “What I Love About Gymnastics” board. That is just like a imaginative and prescient board, however it has causes that you just love gymnastics on it. Possibly you assume it is enjoyable otherwise you love flipping and studying new methods. Or perhaps you might have a slight obsession with leotards! Maybe you want competing or hanging out along with your fitness center mates.
Regardless of the causes, you should definitely put them in your board by slicing out pictures, phrases, or pictures that characterize these emotions of pleasure about gymnastics. Then glue these items onto your board, add numerous glitter or decorations, and grasp it up in your room. Having this as a reminder is an effective way to recollect the completely happy elements of gymnastics. If you hold this in thoughts, you will be extra compassionate in direction of your self as a result of you are doing gymnastics since you like it.
As a gymnast, it is necessary that you just work onerous but in addition do not lose sight of all that you have achieved. Whereas all of us need to do higher, being “powerful” on your self just isn’t all the time one of the simplest ways. If you’re powerful, your mind truly learns to belief you much less and due to this fact pushes again. As a substitute attempt to do not forget that your mind is simply as delicate as your finest buddy and that it’s essential to deal with it kindly and with respect.
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Should you or your gymnast wants help, along with the sources beneath I additionally supply one-on-one teaching classes through Zoom.
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