From the article: How can I beat a gymnastics mental block?
Almost all gymnasts get mental blocks from time to time on skills. How have you gotten over the fear? Share Your Advice
Get Past a Mental Block
- Springboard and platform divers have this same problem. Coaches will use phrases to help them overcome the mental block such as: "Feel the fear and do the dive anyway". "Think about what to do right and not what could go wrong". "Think about how good you will feel after you overcome this challenge instead of how bad you will feel if it goes wrong again". "Keep dwelling on the positive and not let the negative talk gremlins take over your brain". "Use 'Stupid Smarts' - turn your brain off and let your body do the dive".
- —dastrapp
Even top gymnasts have mental blocks
- A story that might help gymnasts with mental blocks: Chellsie Memmel was once so scared of learning her blind change she tried to quit gymnastics. Her mother told her she could definitely quit if she wanted to...after she learned her blind change. Turns out, after learning it, Chellsie didn't really want to quit. Just know you can get through it!
- —Guest Nicole
Getting past gymnastics fear
- Visualization has really helped me. I just keep doing it over and over again in my head and eventually, your mind remembers that you CAN do it.
- —Guest JackieW
