Can Learning Skills Too Fast Put You At Risk For Mental Blocks?

[Aunie]

My 10 yr old is only in her 2nd year of cheer. No previous gymnastic or dance experience. When she started her last season, she could barely do a cartwheel. Her tumbling coach actually had to spend her first 3 lessons teaching her how to do a proper front roll. And then things started happening very quickly. By the end of her first season (level 1), she had front/back walkovers, all handspring skills including combos, and even managed to teach herself both standing and running tuck! We were shocked, but thrilled that we seemed to finally find her 'thing'. And then it happened, a complete fluke on a trampoline where someone distracted her and she bailed on a handspring and landed on her neck. I am sure she thought she had broken her neck for a second, although she was perfectly fine. She was pretty shaken up by it, and went into a complete back tumbling mental block the next day. We are now entering month 4 of her still struggling just to throw a standing handspring. Forget running tumbling....she won't even attempt it. Although we know the fall was the trigger, I think that learning too fast put her at a much higher risk of blocking. Anyone else have a fast learner who struggled with blocks? I just think her mind may not have been as ready to do this stuff as her body was, and the very first time she had a fall, it freaked. I have seen other girls break bones tumbling, and not block when they return.

 

[Keep_Believing]

It can happen for different reasons.
Debbie Love is a good resource: Mental Blocks Archives - For the Love of Tumbling

 

[cupieqt]

@Aunie I watch the kids that progress faster than most more closely because I do believe they're more susceptible to blocks after a fall.

It's only a theory that I've developed from my own experiences but it typically happens at the "tuck stage" too. I think there are several reasons at play, one being that I think kids that learn tumbling skills quickly obviously have lots of natural ability and coordination. Because of this I don't think they've taken the falls and the busts that most people experience while learning at a typical/slower pace. So when they DO bust their butt (or in most cases, land on their back or neck) it freaks them out more than someone that landed all wonky a few times on their path to learning how to hurl themselves backwards.

That's it in a very simplified nutshell lol. And like I said, it's my theory based on my own experiences. I hope it makes sense!


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[Aunie]

We have tried some of Debbie's methods, but some of the things on her list just make my daughter feel pressured. For example, doing visualizing 20 -30 times every day. My daughter is a bit young to think to do this on her own, however when I suggest it to her she just takes it as me pressuring her.

 

[cupieqt]

We have tried some of Debbie's methods, but some of the things on her list just make my daughter feel pressured. For example, doing visualizing 20 -30 times every day. My daughter is a bit young to think to do this on her own, however when I suggest it to her she just takes it as me pressuring her.

The key to mental blocks is to ignore it. It's their problem, they're the only ones that can work through it. When I'm coaching a kid through a mental block the first thing I tell them is "I don't care if you ever tumble again. But if you want to, I'm here to help you learn and I've got all sorts of techniques and drills to teach you."

I have a pretty good success rate but there have been a few that refuse to go backwards ever again. I just make them amazing front tumblers. They love it.


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[Keep_Believing]

@cupieqt "there have been a few that refuse to go backwards ever again. I just make them amazing front tumblers. They love it. "

I love that!

 

[Aunie]

@Aunie I watch the kids that progress faster than most more closely because I do believe they're more susceptible to blocks after a fall.

It's only a theory that I've developed from my own experiences but it typically happens at the "tuck stage" too. I think there are several reasons at play, one being that I think kids that learn tumbling skills quickly obviously have lots of natural ability and coordination. Because of this I don't think they've taken the falls and the busts that most people experience while learning at a typical/slower pace. So when they DO bust their butt (or in most cases, land on their back or neck) it freaks them out more than someone that landed all wonky a few times on their path to learning how to hurl themselves backwards.

That's it in a very simplified nutshell lol. And like I said, it's my theory based on my own experiences. I hope it makes sense!


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That is exactly what I was thinking! I see lots of girls landing on their heads constantly while learning a BHS....they seem to become desensitized to it after a while. She never once did this...not once. The first time she ever fell was the fall on her neck, and I think it really shook her confidence. I just wish I knew what to do to help her...,if anything. Her coaches seem to think the best thing us for everyone to just back off....she taught herself this stuff once, she can do it again. I just feel badly for her. She is on a level 2 team this year, and nuggeting is really hurting her pride.

 

[cupieqt]

@cupieqt "there have been a few that refuse to go backwards ever again. I just make them amazing front tumblers. They love it. "

I love that!

I do too. It gives them back their confidence. One of my front tumblers even has a specialty pass this season. She's really excited. If she ever starts blocking on that then my only other option is sideways [emoji23]


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[Keep_Believing]

I knew a very talented girl who quit because of an ongoing mental block. I wonder if she would have focused on front tumbling instead, if she would still be cheering.

 

[cupieqt]

That is exactly what I was thinking! I see lots of girls landing on their heads constantly while learning a BHS....they seem to become desensitized to it after a while. She never once did this...not once. The first time she ever fell was the fall on her neck, and I think it really shook her confidence. I just wish I knew what to do to help her...,if anything. Her coaches seem to think the best thing us for everyone to just back off....she taught herself this stuff once, she can do it again. I just feel badly for her. She is on a level 2 team this year, and nuggeting is really hurting her pride.

Her coaches are right! Trust them on this one. It may take awhile but let her cry it out to you and just say "I know you'll work through this and you'll be stronger because of it. All great success isn't without struggle. If you ever want private lessons or extra strength training let me know and I'll set that up for you." And that's that. She's going to whine to you a LOT but you can't fix it and the only help you can give is to be silently supportive.


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[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

The key to mental blocks is to ignore it. It's their problem, they're the only ones that can work through it. When I'm coaching a kid through a mental block the first thing I tell them is "I don't care if you ever tumble again. But if you want to, I'm here to help you learn and I've got all sorts of techniques and drills to teach you."

I have a pretty good success rate but there have been a few that refuse to go backwards ever again. I just make them amazing front tumblers. They love it.


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^^^^YES. Although my biggest "learned too fast and now I'm blocked" kids were about to start twisting (working halves, fulls) and had a bad fall at that point.

I find that the fast learners get frustrated with mental blocks much faster and are more likely to quit because they feel like "Hey, I have been picking up skills super fast and have never had a problem! Now I can't throw anything and it makes no sense so that's it I QUIT CHEER."

The best thing for you to do as a mom is take a step back.

Watching a kid go through a block is HARD. Especially when you have no clue how to help.

You have to sit back and just BE THERE. Your child needs you to encourage her. Not push, but genuinely believe in her and let her work through this at her own pace.

Go to her privates and practices, say "good job" or "I believe in you." Stop asking "Did you throw it?" or asking her to visualize. Just BE THERE for her when she eventually does. Let her work at her own pace. If she's crying and upset, let her be done. Heck, change the subject and don't even talk about cheer at ALL if it is upsetting her.

Nuggeting hurts, but you need to be the PROUDEST MAMA of a nugget on the face of this planet right now and show no sign of "Omg. My kid is a nugget and why am I even sitting here?" that some folks have. Be proud of her non-tumbling moments in the routine and make it a point to show it. (ex: "Gosh you did a really good job basing that opening stunt.")

That's what she needs right now! Good luck to you!

 

[cupieqt]

I knew a very talented girl who quit because of an ongoing mental block. I wonder if she would have focused on front tumbling instead, if she would still be cheering.

Maybe so. I know my one with the specialty pass would have. I had to do something. She's too good everywhere else.

It was time to make the lemonade.


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[Aunie]

She will do her BHS and tucks on my bed (thank god for cathedral ceilings!), so I am trying to see it as a positive sign that she will at least tumble backward on some surfaces.....in addition, oddly enough, she did throw her standing handspring and walkover handspring at her first comp a couple of weeks ago, which shocked her coach and I, but went back to being scared the next day. Adrenaline is a funny thing......

 

[cupieqt]

^^^^YES. Although my biggest "learned too fast and now I'm blocked" kids were about to start twisting (working halves, fulls) and had a bad fall at that point.

I find that the fast learners get frustrated with mental blocks much faster and are more likely to quit because they feel like "Hey, I have been picking up skills super fast and have never had a problem! Now I can't throw anything and it makes no sense so that's it I QUIT CHEER."

The best thing for you to do as a mom is take a step back.

Watching a kid go through a block is HARD. Especially when you have no clue how to help.

You have to sit back and just BE THERE. Your child needs you to encourage her. Not push, but genuinely believe in her and let her work through this at her own pace.

Go to her privates and practices, say "good job" or "I believe in you." Stop asking "Did you throw it?" or asking her to visualize. Just BE THERE for her when she eventually does. Let her work at her own pace. If she's crying and upset, let her be done. Heck, change the subject and don't even talk about cheer at ALL if it is upsetting her.

Nuggeting hurts, but you need to be the PROUDEST MAMA of a nugget on the face of this planet right now and show no sign of "Omg. My kid is a nugget and why am I even sitting here?" that some folks have.

That's what she needs right now! Good luck to you!

I haven't had any trouble with my twisters. But we take elite level skills very slow, I don't care how fast they learn. Lots of drills and crash mats and months of building up to it. By the time they're twisting on the floor they've been twisting for at least 6 months onto soft surfaces and are landing it every time on the 8". I'm super cautious though so I know that's not the norm.


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[Aunie]

I actually stopped the privates for now because they seemed to cause her more anxiety. I wish now that her coach had considered working on front tumbling with her for a while as an alternative. She is dying to get her punch front, but nobody has ever tried to teach it to her. Maybe a new front skill would give her the confidence boost she needs? She started landing aerials recently and that boosted her confidence a bit. Unfortunately, there is no place for aerials in a level 2 cheer routine....