As mother and father, you’re employed onerous to offer your gymnast the help she wants.
You drive her backwards and forwards to observe, you pay hundreds of {dollars} for gymnastics bills all through her season, you sacrifice your weekends for meets, you feed her meals at odd occasions, you are taking her to medical doctors and specialists, you rent gymnastics psychological coaches, you purchase many (usually pointless however enjoyable) leotards…and the listing goes on and on.
On the coronary heart of it, you need to do no matter you’ll be able to to assist your gymnast achieve success and discover confidence and pleasure in herself and her skills.
So this is the kicker…
Typically what you suppose your gymnast wants is just not really what she desires from you!
You would possibly really feel such as you’re doing what’s “greatest” for her. Clearly that is why you do what you do.
However with out realizing it, you is perhaps inflicting extra hurt than good.
An ideal instance of that is your actions in terms of competitions. Meets could be a very hectic scenario for lots of gymnasts. So it is necessary that you’re doing issues that may assist your gymnast compete her greatest slightly than make it tougher for her.
Some mother and father ponder whether they need to bribe their gymnasts with a candy deal with to get her to attain greater?
Others surprise if they need to be attempting to encourage their gymnasts indirectly to fireplace them up in order that they’ll compete higher?
Mother and father ask if they need to be giving corrections or ideas earlier than the meet begins or when discussing the meet afterwards?
On this weblog, I will offer you some ideas. However trace…the reply to the above questions isn’t any!
Listed here are some ideas for what you are able to do and say earlier than, throughout, and after your gymnast’s meet:
Earlier than/On The Means To Your Gymnast’s Meet
Proper earlier than a meet, you would possibly suppose it’s good to remind your gymnast of all of the corrections and the correct method she must concentrate on with the intention to rating excessive at her meet. You would possibly give her reminders like “Keep in mind to concentrate on kind. Squeeze your legs collectively and level your toes.” Otherwise you would possibly say “Simply keep in mind to smile and exhibit your character!”
Whilst you suppose your gymnast wants to listen to this stuff, the suitable time is certainly not earlier than she’s on the point of compete.
{And I’d argue that these ideas and corrections are issues her coaches must be telling her and never you. It is onerous to recollect your function is being her dad or mum whenever you’re so invested in seeing her succeed.}
As well as, your gymnast is possible nervous earlier than her meet. She is perhaps in fight-or-flight mode with racing ideas, butterflies in her tummy, or tense muscle groups. Giving her corrections or ideas proper earlier than her meet is sufficient to ship her mind into overdrive, which isn’t useful for her.
As an alternative, earlier than your gymnast’s meet is a good time to assist your gymnast get centered and centered. One wonderful means to do that is thru deep respiratory. You need her to take sluggish, deep breaths that may assist to calm her nerves and deactivate her fight-or-flight response. Whereas telling her to do that would possibly backfire, you’ll be able to mannequin this for her by taking your personal deep (and loud – so she will be able to hear) breaths. Via co-regulation, your gymnast will begin to breath the identical method herself. Plus, in the event you’re in any respect anxious for this meet, you may calm your personal nerves down too.
Some gymnasts who really feel actually tense earlier than competing would possibly must get out of their heads and into their our bodies extra. If you happen to’re having conversations about her teammates or mentioning issues her coach informed her, it is perhaps an excessive amount of for her to course of in that second.
As an alternative, take into consideration how one can assist your gymnast have some enjoyable. A technique to do that is by lightening up the temper by having a dance get together both in her resort room or within the automotive on the best way to the meet. Or in case your gymnast is not the dancing kind, attempt listening to her favourite playlist within the automotive. Most gymnasts have songs they wish to take heed to that assist to get them into the suitable mindset to compete. Ask your gymnast if she desires to take heed to these songs. It is attainable your gymnast likes the quiet too. If that is the case, maintain the music off.
Once more, the objective is to assist your gymnast cease overthinking and discover methods to calm her nerves. Each gymnast is completely different however as a common rule, it is best to keep away from giving her ideas for learn how to do effectively and never have interaction in plenty of dialog. Then concentrate on modeling deep respiratory and probably lightening the temper by dancing it out or listening to music so your gymnast can get out of her head and into her physique extra.
Throughout Your Gymnast’s Meet
Whereas your gymnast is competing, there’s not a lot you are able to do at that time so far as serving to her. You may’t run down onto the ground and calm your gymnast down if she had a foul routine or is crying. You may’t compete her routines for her. It may be a really helpless and nerve racking feeling as a dad or mum. Simply think about how your gymnast is perhaps feeling!
However when you can not help her, there are stuff you would possibly do that may have an effect on your gymnast in a adverse method. A kind of huge issues is cheering. Each gymnast is completely different and wishes a special kind of help at her meet. Some wish to get motivated and listen to the group cheering them on. Different’s favor to suppose nobody is watching them, particularly in the event that they get stage fright or really feel uncomfortable within the highlight.
One of the best factor you are able to do?
Ask your gymnast forward of time what she likes you to do whereas she competes. She is the most effective gauge of what she wants throughout her meet and she will be able to inform you what helps her throughout her meet and what makes her really feel uncomfortable.
Then, even when her reply is completely different than the way you’d wish to help her, do what she desires and wishes. Keep in mind that is about her and never you! Nobody will suppose you are an unsupportive dad or mum in the event you aren’t screaming on the prime of your lungs when your gymnast will get as much as compete!
As well as, in the event you get actually nervous whereas your gymnast competes, discover methods to calm your personal nerves down so your gymnast does not sense your nervous vitality when she appears to be like at you within the crowd. Keep in mind to name on that deep respiratory you probably did earlier than your gymnast’s meet to assist calm you and her down. That is additionally helpful so that you can do throughout her meet so she does not see a nervous Nelly hanging out within the stands.
Additionally, most gymnasts wish to have their routines recorded. So one technique to distract your self is to concentrate on capturing her routines on video as if you’re the sports activities videographer. It’s also possible to maintain busy by writing down scores and watching her teammates compete. If you recognize you get tremendous nervous, you would possibly deliver a crossword puzzle or a e book or discover one thing to do when you’re ready in between routines.
The objective, after all, is to not do something that’s going to distract your gymnast from what she must concentrate on at her meet, whereas additionally calming your personal nerves down so your gymnast does not choose up in your nervous vitality.
After Your Gymnast’s Meet
When your gymnast has completed competing, it is time to put her meet to relaxation. Positive, there are stuff you would possibly need to inform her or discuss however it’s greatest to permit your gymnast to take the lead right here.
Some gymnasts wish to gab straight away about all of the issues that occurred throughout their meets. Whereas others get actually silent and retreat (very true in the event that they’ve had poor routines at their meet).
Whilst you would possibly suppose it’s good to pull out each final emotion and thought out of your gymnast after her meet, the reality is that it is higher to let her have a while to course of what occurred. Most of the time, gymnasts will need to discuss their meets later that day or the following day after they’ve had an opportunity to decompress from the thrilling however hectic competitors.
Whereas this could have been talked about earlier than, it is necessary that you just give your gymnast one thing to stay up for for after her meet. So earlier than she will get to her competitors, you’ll be able to determine on what you would possibly do after the meet. It is perhaps going for ice cream or dinner. It is perhaps going residence and watching a household film. No matter what it’s, having a plan for after the meet permits your gymnast to not really feel a lot stress at her meet as a result of she is aware of that no matter what occurs, there are plans for what to do after her meet.
One other necessary tip is to not give her corrections at this level both. You would possibly need to share some observations you had like how her kind was sloppy on ground and the way she may have earned just a few further tenths if she simply straightened her legs. Otherwise you would possibly need to discuss a lovely routine you noticed her teammate do or the proper 10 {that a} gymnast from one other group earned at that meet.
However belief me, now is just not the time for it. Once more, so far as corrections are involved, you’ll be able to depart that for her coaches. Or on the very least, your gymnast will possible watch again her routines in some unspecified time in the future and can discover these errors herself. It is higher that these “ideas” do not come from you.
Lastly, keep in mind that some gymnasts course of disappointment otherwise. Whereas some would possibly cry, others get silent. Understanding your personal gymnast’s emotional response is necessary so you know the way to consolation her. More often than not the most effective response is to offer her a hug and inform her you’re keen on her. Telling her that it “wasn’t that unhealthy” or that she “should not be disenchanted” solely invalidates the sentiments she’s having. Enable her to have these emotions in a secure house by not deciding how she SHOULD really feel and giving her time to really feel these feelings of disappointment.
Being a dad or mum of a gymnast is a tricky job as it’s. However parenting by means of competitions may be its personal beast! Keep in mind to remain in your lane so far as parenting is worried – your job is to be her dad or mum and never her coach. You are there for help and to assist your gymnast discover her best “zone” for competing her greatest proper earlier than her meet, throughout, and after. When unsure, ask your gymnast what she wants after which give her what that’s. She’s the most effective gauge of what helps her really feel assured and ready for her gymnastics meets.
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If you happen to or your gymnast wants help, along with the sources under I additionally supply one-on-one teaching classes through Zoom.
Useful Hyperlinks:
- Free Downloads: Get free gymnastics downloads to assist your gymnast work on her psychological abilities in gymnastics.
- Stick It Woman Academy: Enroll your gymnast in my membership group the place she will be able to be taught completely different psychological coaching methods and get on a weekly LIVE name with myself and different aggressive gymnasts.
- Free Fb Group for Mothers of Gymnasts: Be a part of this group to talk with different gymnastics mothers and get ideas for learn how to assist your gymnast navigate by means of the psychological ups and downs of gymnastics
