Successful Skills Bribes/rewards

[Level5Mom]

I am curious what a work out at home might look like / consist of?

Thanks,
Kristi

In the short of it: 5 minutes of plyos, 5 minutes of strength training, 5 minutes of stretching and another 5 pulling body positions :D.

 

[Keep_Believing]

Thanks!

 

[Cheer Cougar]

I have worked the "chart" concept for years. Are you ready cause I'm about to go cheer mom psycho on you all ;).

Each season (summer, fall, winter, etc) I would sit down with her and set a bunch of goals. These goals could be anything from achieving a new tumbling skill (her goals), to not taking a single step out of her triple toe back, to landing a double down all the way around with toes pointed and feet together. In otherwords, it could be skill based, or technique based (my goals lol). If she had obtained a new skill she would get a "star" for each time she threw that new skill each day. If it was an old skill that wasn't looking so good lately, I would reward stars when I saw it thrown correctly. Each day that she worked out at home she got stars for that. If she landed a new skill for the first time, I might reward 5 stars for it for a few days. If the coaches gave her goals they went on the chart. We used it for everything related to cheer. The chart was adjusted as needed.

We would determine how much money she would earn for 100 stars. This amount of money dropped lower and lower as the seasons rolled by. I think the last time we did this (last summer) she would earn $20 and it would take anywhere from 10 days to 3 weeks. This system worked great for us because (1) she is extremely motivated by keeping track and watching progress on a chart (2) she is so busy in the school year I don't require her to do chores so this is her way to earn herself some spending dough, and (3) I make her buy everything herself except clothing and necessary items. She would actually make the chart and really looked forward to making the "new" chart each quarter. Her summer chart was VERY skill driven, and her fall chart was based on technique and consistency. Her winter chart actually included rewards for pefect full out routines. I never rewarded for hitting clean in competition though hahaha. That reward was intrinsic!!

How would I monitor this? I watch most practices and tumbling classes. But she was great at self-monitoring most of the time and was honest with me when I wasn't there (I hope ;) ). We haven't used a chart now in about a year (mostly because we got too busy to keep track with her double teaming last year). I do highly recommend it for athletes who are driven by monitored progress. It REALLY motivated her. This system does not motivate everyone though - it never worked for my son :).

That's amazing... not psycho at all! LOL
OK, so how does your chart look? Are you just using poster board with lines?? This might be our plan. :cheering:

 

[Level5Mom]

She would use one of those small poster boards and make the chart with a ruler. Across the top she divided it into 3 months, then subdivided it into weeks and further subdivided it into days. On the side she would have the goals, leaving some blank just in case the coach gave her a new goal, or she needed some work on an old skill before the quarter was up. We bought those shiny foil stars from the drug store. Eventually she got tired of using stars and just started writing down the number of stars she earned each day.

When she reached 100 we would get a big black marker and draw a line from top to bottom separating the chart so we knew where to begin counting for the next round.

BTW, this turned out to be really handy to monitor her progress in some areas. She was able to look back and say "wow I haven't stuck a toe full in 3 weeks" and maybe go get some extra help on that skill, etc. Good luck with the chart!

 

[CXAnna]

I currently have a mental block, and my mum has offered me $10 per skill I get back, and also I can get my belly button pierced with a ro bhs tuck, but it really doesn't change much because I can't do it until I feel comfortable to do it.

 

[tucknduck]

One of the things I learned over the years when it comes to athletes getting the most out of their abilities is all the bribes in the world aren't gonna work unless they're driven themselves and want to do it for themselves only. Nobody else. If they want to learn a skill bad enough, they will be bugging you to get to a gym, go to privates and even offer to pay if you don't have the loot that day to send them off to privates. My CP at one time was working on some advanced skills that took her a year to nail down. She was frustrated in the beginning but was determined to nail the skills so she could cheer at the highest level. She went thru all the mental blocks many cheerleader speak of and was extremely frustrating for her. She just decided she was gonna do whatever she has to to get past it so she busted her tail in the gym for hours over a year until she nailed down those skills. By time the tryouts came around, she threw the moves and that in itself was her reward. When she came home, she was extremely proud and the hard work paid off by getting on a Level 5 team. I could've thrown all the money her way but in the end, it had to come from her and found whatever it was inside her head that she needed and she did it.

 

[Lizzie Wood]

well if your a bieber fann.....you could be like"justin bieber will only like you if you have a six pack!", it has worked on me and i do my core conditioning everyday ;) or with a poster or something

 

[glittergirl]

well if your a bieber fann.....you could be like"justin bieber will only like you if you have a six pack!", it has worked on me and i do my core conditioning everyday ;) or with a poster or something

Or just yell his name when you're about to tumble like you do. :)

 

[calicheercoach10]

I use a sticker chart for my hs cheerleaders I coach, I have not bribed for tumbling skills but usually because cheerleaders are competitive it becomes a friendly compeition between the girls of whom can get the most and who is in the lead etc.