This time of year I receive a lot of calls from gymnasts and cheerleaders or their parents about one common problem. The gymnasts or cheerleader just flat out can’t backward tumble. No matter how hard they try or how much they want to tumble, they just can’t. By the time they reach me they have been through extended periods of frustration, anger, grief, and embarrassment. Parents and coaches are frustrated too. They have tried “everything” and nothing has helped. Parents have spent all kinds of money on “privates” and coaches have tried being nice, yelling, spotting, not spotting, giving the athlete time off, kicking them out of the gym, or threatening to demote them to a lower level team. Nothing seems to work. Sometimes this tumbling block goes on for years. Many leave their sport because they can’t overcome the blocks and have grown weary of the mental and emotional toll that not being able to tumble has taken. Self confidence is eroded, families are devastated, and coaches are at a loss.
In most of these cases there are different issues at work that create the block and cause so much misery. I usually see one or more of the following problems:
- The athlete has suffered a serious injury related to their sport. This injury is usually caused by a fall. The injuries I usually see are knee injuries, back or neck injuries, broken arms or hands, or concussions.
- The athlete has seen a teammate or someone else experience a serious fall or injury.
- The athlete is overwhelmed by stressors related or not related to the gym such as family problems, issues with a coach, bullying, school struggles, and others.
The first thing to understand in each of these cases is that the athlete wants to tumble. Their brain just won’t let them. A primitive part of their brain has taken over functioning of their body and it will not let them tumble. The brain interprets tumbling as a threat to the athletes safety and well being and basically shuts down the bodies ability to tumble as a protective mechanism. The inability to tumble is a cry for help. The brain is saying that it is overloaded and needs help processing all of the information it is struggling to process.
Pressure from coaches and parents only intensifies the problem and makes the symptoms worse. Constantly asking or saying “why can’t you tumble?”, “just do it”, yelling, and kicking the athlete out of the gym do nothing to help the athlete through the problem.
The Good News is That There is a Way Through this Issue
It takes hard work but change can take place. By teaching the brain how to process the original threatening experience, the fall or the injury, the primitive part of the brain turns control back over the the neocortex, the part of the brain that handles “regular” or normal activities. This is done by utilizing two specific processes that accelerate the integration and processing of information in the brain. Eidetic Imagery, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). These two processes work with the negative images in the athletes mind and teach the brain and nervous system how to process emotion, sensation, pain, light, sound, and most importantly fear associated with the key event very quickly.
If the lack of tumbling comes from the “system” being overloaded, meaning the athletes brain is trying to handle too many things at one time, the work is different. We focus on identifying stressors and teach life skills and techniques for managing these stressors. This allows the brain and nervous system to calm down. In some instances EMDR work is also done to accelerate this process. There is hard work involved for the athlete to get better and return to tumbling. It takes openness and vulnerability to work through the fear, self doubt, embarrassment, and shame that they have experienced. The more open an athlete is with me and the more willing they are to be vulnerable with their fears and self doubts the better the results.
This process is very powerful but there is also a responsibility on the athlete to work hard on their mindset. The thoughts, attitudes, and perceptions that they allow into their mind play a key role in this process. They must train their mind to be positive. If they don’t, all the hard work we do will not result in them recovering the ability to tumble.
At the end of this process the athlete can go back to their sport absent of the mental blocks and the shame and embarrassment that goes with not being able to tumble. Tumbling becomes fun again and that is the most rewarding part of my work with these athletes.
These athletes desperately want to tumble again, to be a part of their team, to do skills that they used to love to do and could do without thinking. To return to that free place in their mind again is life changing. By learning to work through these blocks they access parts of their personalities that they might never had accessed if the blocks had not occurred. They return to their sport wiser, smarter, more mature, and grateful to be able to participate in their sport again with passion.
I couldnt agree with you more and Im quite happy someone at last came out and said this. Thanks for the wisdom, Paul
Sooo, how do we fix it!?!?!
Our coaches make the rest of the team condition until the one person throws it…
I think this is brutal and not a very effective way of motivating athletes. It associates conditioning with punishment. It can turn a team against east other and create negativity. There are many other ways to empower athletes to get through blocks.
Yes, but if the athlete in constantly not throwing it , the athlete will have motivation and may end up throwing it. also if the athlete’s teammates are supportive the athlete may get more confidence and will fell more confident to throw it.
Yes…the athletes environment can be critical. Good observation.
I had a mental block on my backhand spring I was working on tucks I was very excited and advanced get very quickly then one practice I through a front walkover round back hand spring in the beginning then I would not through it again then after a year I got it back I was excited but then I was pushing myself to get all of these other skills for tryouts and a think I put to much pressure on my self and pushed myself to fast I just on night stopes and would not do anything backwards.
You are right! Blocks like yours come from too much pressure, stress, fear, and anxiety. Trust your training. Trust your ability. You know how to do this!!! Strong positive mindset and thoughts will help. See if you can calm down your stress and pressure.
I have the mental block that has to do with the stressors. I feel like there is so much pressure on my tumbling and that I am no longer doing it for myself but for my team or the coach and that’s where I get freaked out. My tumbling has seriously declined from losing one skill to the next and I want more than anything to be able to do it again. I feel worthless so is there anything you suggest I do to fix this?
Hi, I just saw your post today so I am just now getting to it. Make a list of all of your stressors in and out of the gym. Obviously trying to please your coach and teammates will be one of them. Start by recognizing which of these stressors you can control and which ones you can’t control. You area overloaded with stress. That is what a tumbling block is all about. Try taking care of the things on the list you can control. If you can’t control something be very mindful about the thoughts and attitudes you allow yourself to focus on during the day, heading to the gym, and during training. I would be willing to bet that your mindset and the power you give your thoughts can be a big part of the problem. Where your mind leads, the body follows. When you catch yourself focusing on thoughts that produce doubt, fear, and anxiety breath, change the thought to something positive and calm yourself down.
I feel the same way I literally last nigh couldn’t throw my round off backhandspring after having it for years! Slowly my skills have been trickling down to nothing and I’m freaking out cause I can throw cartwheel backhandspring an standings is just go to the corner and freeze with a round off handspring . I was so stressed over round off layout for CHEERSPORT now I can’t even throw this backhandspring! I feel like I have other stress pushing me back to and I don’t know what to do! I’m still in for comp this weekend and I’m freaking ! I shouldn’t be freaking I’ve had this skill forever and it’s good when I do it! please help!!
Hi. Thanks for your comments. Sometimes tumbling blocks do reappear. The tumbling block is like a tendency or predisposition to something. It can sit there dormant for long periods of time. Then when your stress levels hit a certain point it can cause your block to reappear “out of nowhere”. It is called the diathesis/stress model. Begin to look at any transitions you might be going through such as moving up a grade in school, trying out for a new team, or trying to learn new more difficult skills. Sometimes changes at home or in relationships can trigger this predisposition to kick in again.
Learn what your stressors are and then find ways to calm your mind and your nervous system.
Also look at the thoughts you entertain during the time the block is occurring. Where your mind leads the body follows. Make sure your mindset is positive and empowering.
Good luck!
I had a terrible tumbling mind block about 3 years ago for about 6 months but then one day at the gym I just got it back. I don’t know why I had it or what was causing it because I have never fallen on anything or have seen a bad fall, I was just happy to get it all back. I was able to throw any skill I had before and even moved up and started to do well again then a year later I’m back at the same spot another mental block. I’m not even scared I just wont throw anything backwards and I don’t know why because I know I can do it I just don’t. I’ve never injured or fell on any tumbling pass and my tumbling used to be very good and high now I feel so pathetic and my parents are disappointed in me and I just don’t know what to do anymore.
Hi. Thanks for your comments. Sometimes tumbling blocks do reappear. The tumbling block is like a tendency or predisposition to something. It can sit there dormant for long periods of time. Then when your stress levels hit a certain point it can cause your block to reappear “out of nowhere”. It is called the diathesis/stress model. Begin to look at any transitions you might be going through such as moving up a grade in school, trying out for a new team, or trying to learn new more difficult skills. Sometimes changes at home or in relationships can trigger this predisposition to kick in again.
Learn what your stressors are and then find ways to calm your mind and your nervous system.
Also look at the thoughts you entertain during the time the block is occurring. Where your mind leads the body follows. Make sure your mindset is positive and empowering.
Good luck!
My daughter is an 8 year old level 4 gymnast. This past year she tested and made the Tops National Team. About 12 months ago, right around the time of our State Meet she acquired a fear of backhandsprings and we have not been able to identify one incident that caused the issue. To this day she is still unable to complete this on the floor. If she is on her bed or on a thick mat she can do it no problem. She has been to 3 therapists and we’ve even tried three different coaches on a private basis to get over this. In addition to the 18 hours of gym time each week between practice and TOPS she wants us to work on overcoming this nightly. We are more frustrated with this than even she is. In fact, I can’t believe she hasn’t wanted to just quit because of the embarrassment and frustration that she feels. We have remained positive and suportive. Her coaches have been very supportive but at this point there is no plan. We’re simply moving forward with no plan on how to make this better. We have tried EMDR, positive thoughts during the process, and hypnosis to help her overcome this. Quite frankly we don’t know what else to do and she truly loves this sport and has an unbelievable gift. We don’t want to continue to see her embarressed and disappointed when she can’t perform a move she’s been doing for years. Her head strong personality is something that makes her great but it is also something that we think may prevent her from getting over this. Any help or advice that you can offer would be very much appreciated.
I had a terrible accident when tumbling. I went to do a roundoff double and my rebound was a lot higher tha usual so I miscalculated and landed right on my tailbone, and broke it. I finally got over that block and began to do all my tumbling for only an hour. Then I went to do it one more time before leaving and someone walked right behind me and I landed on my neck. After that people started making fun of me and I just can’t do my backhandspring. I can’t even do it on the cheese mat out of fear. I know I can do it but it’s like once I get ready and set I just freeze and break down. I just got all my tumbling back and I lost it and it’s making me feel awful. My parents are yelling and my coaches are threatening me. I don’t know what else to do.
I fell out of a round off handspring tuck about 2 years ago and had a huge block. I got over it and was progressing and tumbling as normal until around September. I was at a private, but I was very nervous about tumbling that day. I did one full then couldn’t tumble anymore. I didn’t fall I was just freaked out to tumble. I started getting better, then bailed on a standing tuck and my tumbling has slowly gone down. Now I’m afraid to do a back handspring without a spot. I’ve gotten really frustrated with the way my tumbling has going and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
I broke my elbow while doing a backhandspring in January of this year and had to get surgery to fix it. I was cleared for tumbling about a month ago. I can throw a back handspring on the cheese mat and on the tumble track but once I get on the floor I freeze! I can do it fine with a spot, but when I stand there alone all I can see is my arm looking all dis formed on the gym mats, all I can hear is the pop my elbow made in the middle of my backhandspring. I need my tumbling back if I want to make the level 3 team at my gym because I have my roundoff tuck, but right now I am considering quitting cheer. I don’t know what to do! I am running out of time to get my skills back and I am at a new gym with new coaches, so I’m just feeling really lost. Help!
My daughter has had this going on for so long and I am trying to be positive– but I can’t. I don’t have it in me anymore even though I know it is the right thing to do. I don’t have the money to keep paying for privates anymore. I am thinking about having her take a month break away from the gym. It is the only strategy we have not tried and I almost feel like it can’t hurt. What are your thoughts? Thanks for having this post– it helps just knowing she is not the only one.
I hurt my back, but I am not scared I will hurt it again, I just can’t jump back. I can front tumble, but when it comes to back tumbling, I just can’t bring myself to do it.
I have been trying to get my back handspring for over 2 years now and I just can’t seem to get it by myself. It’s not that I physically cannot do it, because I can and I know it, I’m just dealing with an awful mental block. It’s so frustrating for not only me, but my parents, coaches, and teammates as well. I will throw it if someone is just standing there, not even doing anything, but the second they take a step away I won’t throw it anymore, even though I know that I’m doing it by myself and they aren’t doing anything for me. How do I get over this and start doing it by myself? I’ve tried so hard to just do it and just throw it but nothing seems to work and I am insanely frustrated. I’ve never hurt myself and I’m really not afraid of doing so, so I do not understand where the source of this block is.
Hi I know this article was posted in 2012 but I just got a mental block in February. I almost had my layout and had all the specialty passes to tucks and then one day I started stopping on my backhandsprings. It was almost the end of the season but we had a few more competitions and I was the only one not tumbling on my team. My coach was frustrated and kept telling me things like how I didn’t deserve to be on the team and how we weren’t going to max out because of me and I wanted to tumble so bad for my team but I just couldn’t (can’t). I have team evaluations June 20 and all of my friends have their tucks and I would be the only one of my friends on level 2. I have tried everything (visualizing, getting a spot, not thinking about it, etc.). so I was wondering if you could help me get over it? Thanks in advance I just really want to make cheer fun again. 🙂
Hi, I am just not seeing your post as I have been busy with a big team project.
It looks like your tryout has passed. I hope you were able to tumble.
If not email me. robertandrews@tinssp.com I am happy to pass some tips on to you.
hey Erin! I need your help so badly!! I have a mental block on running tucks. I need your help so badly!! I have a mental block on running tucks. I’ll tell you a little about my history of mental blocks- basically I’ve always had them and I get them a lot but this season I’m going to a different gym than I’ve competed with before but I’ve taken tumbling for a year or two now so the coaches know me and how prone I am to them. in the past when I’ve gotten them it’s never been when I really have had to have it. it was either while I was on level 2 or that year I was just taking tumbling… but this year I’m on sr. coed 3 so I need to tuck. I think how this mental block first started was when my all time favorite tumbling coach left my gym!! he knew how to get me to throw passes and I got my full with him (yes I had my full and now I’m scared to do a tuck). then to get my final level 3 skill I needed my punch front forward roll to tuck and so while I was working on that I ended up not throwing my tuck for weeks and then one practice my coach was just like work on some regular tucks to relax and that’s when I realized I had a mental block. I’m not really sure why I’m afraid to throw it, I’ve never gotten hurt tumbling or even had a fall that scared me out of it. I used to watch cheer fail videos a few years ago but I haven’t in a really long time. you a little about my history of mental blocks- basically I’ve always had them and I get them a lot but this season I’m going to a different gym than I’ve competed with before but I’ve taken tumbling for a year or two now so the coaches know me and how prone I am to them. in the past when I’ve gotten them it’s never been when I really have had to have it. it was either while I was on level 2 or that year I was just taking tumbling… but this year I’m on sr. coed 3 so I need to tuck. I think how this mental block first started was when my all time favorite tumbling coach left my gym!! he knew how to get me to throw passes and I got my full with him (yes I had my full and now I’m scared to do a tuck).Then to get my final level 3 skill I needed my punch front forward roll to tuck and so while I was working on that I ended up not throwing my tuck for weeks and then one practice my coach was just like work on some regular tucks to relax and that’s when I realized I had a mental block. I’m not really sure why I’m afraid to throw it, I’ve never gotten hurt tumbling or even had a fall that scared me out of it. I used to watch cheer fail videos a few years ago but I haven’t in a really long time but I still remember most of them or I at least know how they all end up. I’m not a bad tumbler, when my coach stands next to me while I do a tuck, I go over his head but I still can’t do it with out someone standing next to me. It’s been happening all summer but the past 4 or 5 weeks maybe is when it’s been really bad. It’s gotten to the point now when even if I’m not at cheer I’ll start to cry thing about my mental block and I just feel really discouraged all the time and it’s all that I think about because I go to cheer a lot and it’s such a big part of cheer it’s so hard to ignore and my coaches tell me to just relax and not think about it but I can’t help it and I feel like I’m letting my team down when I don’t throw it because everyone obviously has it and has everything else on the score sheet and I don’t and I don’t want to hold them back during the season.The seniors on the team talk to me, especially one of them, Skyler, because she also struggles with mental blocks and she cross teams on level 5 but is scared to do round off tucks and then that effects her mentality of cross tumbling so I’ve been talking to her because we can relate a lot and the two others just tell me to not think about it and just go threw the motions of setting and pulling and I’ll be fine but it’s like even before I start I know I’m not going to throw it and I get frustrated with myself because I have it but I can’t do it. I think that’s about all about my mental block. a couple days ago I bailed on a back hand spring and couldn’t even make my feet move in 3 other passes so I just stood in the corner ready to tumble even with a coach there I couldn’t go. I had a private yesterday and I private today and yesterday I was making slow progress but I never felt over whelmed but tonight I felt pressured and stressed and I could throw it even with a full spot. right now I only have 1 tumbling section in the routine and it’s just a ro bhs tuck and I don’t cross tumble. once I’m ready I can be added back into cross tumbling. also yesterday at my private my coach made a good point… I’m a twin and we’re on the same team and back when I was just in tumbling, I got my full and she got really scared and had a minor mental block and then she got over it and started doing really good and that’s when I stated to have trouble and it’s gone down hill from there.
HI, I hope the article gave you some insight into what might be causing your block. You have to look at any events that might have thrown you off. You have to look at what is causing you stress and fear. Find ways to calm your mind and body down. You have to get recenterd mentally and emotionally.
I have a mental block on running tucks. I’ll tell you a little about my history of mental blocks- basically I’ve always had them and I get them a lot but this season I’m going to a different gym than I’ve competed with before but I’ve taken tumbling for a year or two now so the coaches know me and how prone I am to them. in the past when I’ve gotten them it’s never been when I really have had to have it. it was either while I was on level 2 or that year I was just taking tumbling… but this year I’m on sr. coed 3 so I need to tuck. I think how this mental block first started was when my all time favorite tumbling coach left my gym!! he knew how to get me to throw passes and I got my full with him (yes I had my full and now I’m scared to do a tuck). then to get my final level 3 skill I needed my punch front forward roll to tuck and so while I was working on that I ended up not throwing my tuck for weeks and then one practice my coach was just like work on some regular tucks to relax and that’s when I realized I had a mental block. I’m not really sure why I’m afraid to throw it, I’ve never gotten hurt tumbling or even had a fall that scared me out of it. I used to watch cheer fail videos a few years ago but I haven’t in a really long time. you a little about my history of mental blocks- basically I’ve always had them and I get them a lot but this season I’m going to a different gym than I’ve competed with before but I’ve taken tumbling for a year or two now so the coaches know me and how prone I am to them. in the past when I’ve gotten them it’s never been when I really have had to have it. it was either while I was on level 2 or that year I was just taking tumbling… but this year I’m on sr. coed 3 so I need to tuck. I think how this mental block first started was when my all time favorite tumbling coach left my gym!! he knew how to get me to throw passes and I got my full with him (yes I had my full and now I’m scared to do a tuck).Then to get my final level 3 skill I needed my punch front forward roll to tuck and so while I was working on that I ended up not throwing my tuck for weeks and then one practice my coach was just like work on some regular tucks to relax and that’s when I realized I had a mental block. I’m not really sure why I’m afraid to throw it, I’ve never gotten hurt tumbling or even had a fall that scared me out of it. I used to watch cheer fail videos a few years ago but I haven’t in a really long time but I still remember most of them or I at least know how they all end up. I’m not a bad tumbler, when my coach stands next to me while I do a tuck, I go over his head but I still can’t do it with out someone standing next to me. It’s been happening all summer but the past 4 or 5 weeks maybe is when it’s been really bad. It’s gotten to the point now when even if I’m not at cheer I’ll start to cry thing about my mental block and I just feel really discouraged all the time and it’s all that I think about because I go to cheer a lot and it’s such a big part of cheer it’s so hard to ignore and my coaches tell me to just relax and not think about it but I can’t help it and I feel like I’m letting my team down when I don’t throw it because everyone obviously has it and has everything else on the score sheet and I don’t and I don’t want to hold them back during the season.The seniors on the team talk to me, especially one of them, Skyler, because she also struggles with mental blocks and she cross teams on level 5 but is scared to do round off tucks and then that effects her mentality of cross tumbling so I’ve been talking to her because we can relate a lot and the two others just tell me to not think about it and just go threw the motions of setting and pulling and I’ll be fine but it’s like even before I start I know I’m not going to throw it and I get frustrated with myself because I have it but I can’t do it. I think that’s about all about my mental block. a couple days ago I bailed on a back hand spring and couldn’t even make my feet move in 3 other passes so I just stood in the corner ready to tumble even with a coach there I couldn’t go. I had a private yesterday and I private today and yesterday I was making slow progress but I never felt over whelmed but tonight I felt pressured and stressed and I could throw it even with a full spot. right now I only have 1 tumbling section in the routine and it’s just a ro bhs tuck and I don’t cross tumble. once I’m ready I can be added back into cross tumbling. also yesterday at my private my coach made a good point… I’m a twin and we’re on the same team and back when I was just in tumbling, I got my full and she got really scared and had a minor mental block and then she got over it and started doing really good and that’s when I stated to have trouble and it’s gone down hill from there.
See if you can get back to that comfortable place you were at when you had the coach that made you feel safe. You have to learn how to create that same feeling in your mind and body without a coach or spotter there. Use imagery to see yourself before you tumble. Breath away any tension in your body. Relax you mind. The confidence must come from inside. Not the outside influences of a coach.
My 6 year old was an amazing tumbler. She was able to throw round off handspring tucks. We are at a point of her not throwing ANYTHING. It’s frustrating and I’m not sure what to do for her. She is more upset with herself that she is not throwing anything. Is there anything that can be done to help her.
Nervousness starts in the mind. Get rid of the thoughts that make her nervous. Breath and calm herself down before she tries backward skills. Don’t try them when she is all nervous. Relax. Her body knows what to do. She just has to relax so her mind will allow her body to tumble. She has a strong mind. She is just using it the wrong way when it comes to tumbling.
I have never had my backhand spring. I am nervous to go backwards. I looked out fears and how to get over them and I think that I am now over the fear of going backwards. I practice on my trampoline and my friend (level 5 gymnast) said to jump like a your going into a backhandspring then just fall backwards. I tried this and I think I am ready to go do my handspring but I am too nervous to put my arms down and do the backhandspring. My dad spots me and when he does I just fall instead of jump. Please help I need my backhandspring for cheer tryouts and I’m very nervous.
Nervousness starts in the mind. Get rid of the thoughts that make you nervous. Breath and calm yourself down before you try backward skills. Don’t try them when you are all nervous. Relax. Your body knows what to do. You just have to relax your mind so it will allow your body to tumble.
Hi, I have a really bad mental block right now. It all started a couple months ago when I kept pausing before my back handsprings. After that point I didn’t throw it again, only with a spot. Now I can even throw it with a spot. Also, I have my standing tuck and round off tuck and I am starting to lose those skills too. Please help!! I think it is a result of stress in my life, but is there anyway of fixing this
HI…you got it. Stress creates fear and anxiety. Calm your stress levels down. Make a list of things that are stressing you out and see which ones you can handle and eliminate. Then find ways to calm yourself down. Nice walks, play a musical instrument, meditate…You can do it. Trust you talent.
Help…my daughter is 8 years old level 4 who just was asked to move to level 5. She is a great tumbler…she has had her double back handspring since she was 5 and has currently been doing back handspring back tuck and recently got her full lay…now all of a sudden she has this mental block and can’t do her double back handspring unless from a stand still…she’s getting so frustrated…she normally scores 9 or higher on floor and had a meet his past weekend and got a 7.2…she couldn’t go for her back handsprings…what’s going on?? How can she overcome this??
HI, I hope the article I wrote gave you some insight into your daughters mental block. Sometimes this simplest things can set it off. Like the pressure to make a higher level team. She has created a state of fear and anxiety in her mind about tumbling. It might be related to gymnastics. It might not be. Sit with her and see what is stressing her out. Sometimes seeing a teammate fall or get injured or suffering a fall or injury can cause the block to kick in. Hope this helps.
Wow, this really takes me back. Back in the day I was an elite gymnast in Houston, TX. I had a serious mental block when it came to tumbling backward on the beam. The coaches I had at the time were extremely aggressive in trying to conquer that block. Their handling of this was to pressure, keep me on the beam until the skill was thrown, and eventually thrown out of the gym. All of this of course did not help. The one way I knew to overcome this was to go back to the basics. For example, my issue was a flight on the beam, where I of course, crashed and burned, split the beam while trying to throw previously. So, I went all the way back to when I originally learned the skill to begin with. I started with a line on the floor. Once I felt comfortable with this, I went to the low beam. The beam that was actually not off the floor at all. Next, I raised the beam, and went with that. One of the things I also did was to use pads on the beam, at the appropriate height, with mats underneath. I would remove the padding once comfortable with that, then start to remove one mat under the beam at the time. This helped tremendously!!!!
But, as an athlete, especially as you get to the elite level, you must find a mental way to overcome these blocks. In my opinion, there is no one way, and to each their own. Find a way to overcome each of these issues. Do you need to speak to coaches one on one to understand what the underlying issue is? Do you need to work on technique to build that muscle memory back? Etc. You MUST look internally to determine where that block is coming from. If you do not, you will run into these blocks more and more often with more and more skills you learn.
Hi Jennifer. Great feedback. I hope you are doing well.
I have had a mental block for at least a year now. I had my round off backhand spring tuck, and then all the saddened I just stopped throwing everything, even my backhand spring. I don’t know what to do cause I have school tryouts coming up and I am am worried that I won’t make the team because of my fear of throwing things. Please Help!!!
Hi…something has stressed you out and caused fear. Take a look at what was going on when the block started up. Also learn tools to calm your mind and emotions. Try breathing to relax your mind and body. Breath in for 8 seconds, hold it for 8 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds with the goal of calming yourself down.
I have had a mental block for 2 years now on either my tuck or layout. I can do them if someone stands there and I can do it if I’m at a comp under pressure. But I can’t just throw it for fun anymore. I do play 4 sports other than cheer so I might be a little stressed….. I am so scared for my Allstar tryouts Monday. I know I’ll be on lvl 4 like I have been in the past but I’m just so nervous. Any tips?
As I replied in a similar inquiry. You have to go back and look at what caused the stress and fear two years ago. Many times it has nothing to do with tumbling. I have seen girls get blocks from being in car wrecks, having a loved one get very sick, competition for a spot on a team, college applications, and more. See if this makes any sense to you when you start to look at your block this way. Where the mind leads the body follows. Be very aware of where you allow you mind to go.
I am a self taught tumbler I tumbled EVERYWHERE I went I taught myself back hand springs, tucks, doubles and fulls when I was 7/8 years old. I started doing cheer at my elementary for football cheer ( little kids ) . We cheered on the hard track I could do handsprings all the way down the field , I was the best tumbler on the team I loved it. Then I moved on to middle school cheer for football and basketball. I was the ONLY tumbler again and I was still improving. I was at a football game where I was cheering ( wasn’t my first) I normally always do a cartwheel handspring down the middle and one day I went to go warm up and I was scared to throw. After my game was over and we were about to leave my coach told me to do my back handspring right then and there I was scared so she spotted me I did it she backed up a foot and I WAS SO SCARED to throw she made me do hundreds of them she was screaming at me and my hands were bleeding badly. A few days later at practice I was still scared to throw, I eventually got over it sorta . It’s been 3 months since basketball cheer and Im still scared to throw by myself . I had privates today and I couldn’t do it . My coach my dad and mom were all so disappointed in me cause I have had it since I was 7 or 8 . Me and my dad worked on it after my private I was doing them with my dad spotting me but If I waited to long I would get in my head they say . I have to do it in my tryout routine really soon . My cheer coach said we’re doing tumbling tomorrow and I don’t have my round off back handspring at the moment and she will KILL me if I don’t throw it tomorrow and my teammates will get a bad impression of me and think poorly of me cause it’s happened more then once I LOVE cheer with all my heart and it’s my passion but I haven’t been improving any I don’t want to give up hope cause cheer is legit 99% of me I’m so scared It’s killing me to think people are mad I won’t do it but then again my brain won’t let me . If you have ANY suggestions pls let me know asap I know this was published a long time ago but I’m determined to get back to how I was before.
Hi, I am sorry to hear that this block has happened. And I am sorry that your coach is being so hard on your and threatening you. A coaches reacting like this to a mental tumbling block only makes things worse. Right? These types of blocks usually dont just “show up”. Something has stressed you out and your brain is kind of “freaking out” because it is on overload. Go back to the time you first got the block and see what stresses and transitions you might have been going through. See if you can learn stress management techniques like progressive relaxation. Hope this helps.
Check your in box. I replied to this inquiry a little while ago.
on my second year of cheer i was doing great in the front of the routine beautiful tumbling(back hand springs) i was even working on tucks then we had show case i did great then the next week i went to cheer practice all of a sudden i couldn’t do my running tumbling pass or my standing back hand spring i couldn’t tumble any more then i started to do a ton of privates with a mental block specialist then at the end of the season i finally got all my tumbling back i didn’t start working tucks until the summer started and that was after the summit 2k16 we went in wild card round then over the summer i started working tucks and i got it on the floor right after tryouts then after i got my tuck in the hardest level 3 pass there was i started working on layouts i was doing it on the tumble track then i got it perfect on the tumble track then i started working on layout spots on the floor. then when my team started this year we were practicing the tumbling we were gonna do in the routine then i started losing stuff again i lost my layout then i lost my tuck then i lost my round off back hand spring connection on the floor then my coaches asked what happened you were doing so good i said i don’t know what happened then over the weeks i was doing privates to get my round off back hand spring back but it just made things worse i started losing my back hand spring but i still had it i just hesitated then choreography came around and i worked really hard on getting the front and center spot for jumps for 3 years then i did get the spot i worked for i had all my tumbling and beautiful jumps but then the a few weeks after i did a private and lost my back handspring on the floor and i could only do it on a mat then id did another private to see if i could get my back handspring back on the floor then i completely lost it on the mat and floor then i got mad at my self and i got sad cause i was gonna lose the spot i worked hard for then i pushed my self and still couldn’t do it. do u have any advice for me i only have 4 weeks to get it back i could rally use any help i can get
If you want to send me an email I can send you a stress worksheet that might provide some insight.
Contact me through my website.
I was a strong tumbler on my team until I went to an open gym and decided to try a full, I got it! Then I was just instantly scared to throw it on the floor (idk what happened) So I decided to do a few layouts to be confident again, then my body just wasn’t doing it, I would bail out or accidentally twist. I am now scared that I’m going to get paralysed and break my neck, now I am at the point where I could only tuck. I went to practice the next week and I was nearly in tears to one of my coaches and she asked what was wrong and I said I think I have a mental block, so she spotted me. As soon as I did my round-off tuck and round-off handspring tuck w/ a spot I threw it by myself and I was fine. Just a little bit scared here and there but nothing major, then we return to cheer after our summer break for the new season.. I couldn’t even round-off tuck. So anyway my tuck got put back into the routine because my coaches knew I was capable of it and then I just wasn’t throwing it, every single full out my body just didn’t go for it. I think all the stress came from that I had showcase coming up and a really big competition that we were travelling to and I just didn’t want to compete knowing that I wasn’t myself in this situation. Anyway it took the whole team and coaches to cheer me on to throw my tuck. I did it. I would probably throw it 2/5 full outs. One practice it became really consistent and I was happy with myself and my coaches didn’t have to worry about me. So I threw it at showcase, first competition then we traveled for our second competition which was an international comp. I went for it and my body just said no, I came off the mat in tears and the owner of my gym had to take me outside to get fresh air. I told her that it’s just so much stress and I don’t wanna do it anymore. She told me not to worry, we’ll get back to the gym and work that mental block.. I can sign you up for privates, etc. The next day we had a workshop/clinic with a Spirit Of Texas coach. I put all my stress from yesterday’s competition into my mind and I couldn’t even throw my standing 2 back handsprings. My coach yelled at me and refused to spot me.. so I had to sit out and watch. Then when we got back to state I didn’t want to return to cheer due to my mental block stress, I didn’t even try privates or tumble classes because I would be too nervous to attend them, my anxiety was really stressful. Then I quit and moved gyms. I went to my stress-free try-out which I really enjoyed. The owner of this gym said that I don’t have to tumble on the floor and I can just tumble on the tumble track, so I threw a few tucks and layouts with spots first. I got put into a level 4 team and I was really happy but I’m scared the coaches don’t know that I can’t do any of these skills on the floor, they said that my mental block seemed fixable and that they weren’t stressed to put me on level 4. In a few days I have my first practice with my new gym. I am starting to feel really stressed about it because I can’t even back handspring anymore. However I did message one of my new coaches to tell her how I feel and she has been really nice and encouraging about it. But I’m more scared that my team mates are going to think “Why’s he on our team, he can’t even back handspring.”
But the main reason why I have a mental block is because at my old gym I saw a girl bail out really badly landing onto her head.. her face also got carpet burned badly. She is fine now, but my thoughts were just “what if that happens to me or what if I get paralyzed.” This was just before my team started warming up our tumbling and I was too scared to do my tuck. So now I’m really just scared of breaking my neck. PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME!
Thank you for reading! (It was really long sorry)
Hi, I dont mind reading your long email. I hope it felt good to write it. You are blessed to have coaches that understand mental blocks and are patient with you. The fear you have is legitimate fear but it sound like you have a strong mind and have made it much for fearful than it actually is. Be very mindful of your thoughts. Calm yourself down before you try skills. Your mind wont let you do skills if you are so fearful.
My daughter has had a backward tumbling block for about 7 months now. She is on a gym team and cheer team. On her gym team they did move her down to compete a lower level but the cheer team they left her on the same level. I have tried hypnosis and motivational programs but it hasn’t not helped. We have tried a million Privates but still no luck. Reading through all the comments it looks like we need to identify the stresses going on at the time it happened but then what? I was looking at your program for mental edge performance series…would/Could that help??
Hi. Yes you are correct. Stress causes this. And yes, the video series can be very helpful. If she works hard on the concepts.
The main thing to look at is stress in her life in and out of the gym. Also, how she handles stress. Her brain perceives tumbling as a threat for some reason. It usually has to do with an accident, stress in the gym, coaching issues, and more.
My daughter stopped in the middle of a tumbling pass and landed on her neck. She was not seriously injured but it hurt and scared her. For an entire year she had a tumbling block of al backward skills. After lots of hard work she overcame it and started tumbling again a year later. After 5 months of great tumbling, we are now back to the block. Nothing has happened to cause this one? Somedays she can tumble, sometimes she is frozen with fear. Will this be the case from now on? Will she ever completely be free of this off and on fear?
Hi, Mental blocks like your daughters are like getting heat stroke. Once you have it you have to take care not to overheat your body. With a tumbling block you have to manage stress. It might seem like it came out of nowhere,but if she takes a very deep look at her life she will probably see that there was a significant stressor or stressors that caused the block to resurface. These stressors can be related to the gym or any other area of her life. If you will email me from this site I will send her a stress worksheet that helps identify what is causing the block.
I have been working on my back tuck for a couple years (on and off) each time I come back I have improved and the coach or spot are telling me I am doing it by myself. However every time I take the step to doing it by myself I can’t make my body jump, when I do not have a person touching me during the skill it’s like I forget what I am doing and freeze. I have it video-ed and you can obviously see that the person is not helping me complete the skill, I am doing it on my own and they are just touching my shirt, but the moment they don’t touch me I can’t throw it anymore. I do not know how to over come this.
Hi, If you work your way through my responses to similar questions, I think you will find some answers to your questions that might help you start tumbling again.
Please see my comment above where I make a recommendation.
I’ve been doing gymnastics for several years and many people in my class are beginning to get back handsprings and back tucks/saults. I’d been getting annoyed with myself, because I knew I could do it too yet I was sacred to. So last week I chucked a back tuck/sault into the foam pit. It felt so good after trying to get this skill for so long! But now even though I can back tuck/sault into the foam pit from standing on a gymnastics floor, I do not yet have the courage to do it on a trampoline. I have been spotted countless times, yet I know I can do it alone, but am still too sacred to. Any tips? I’m can front tuck/sault on floor and on trampoline just fine, just the though of flipping backwards…
Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
And great post!
Hi,Congratulations on overcoming your fear. Frustration and anger are counter productive to acquiring skills. See if you can calm yourself down before you attempt this skil. Stop, focus your breathing on your body. Clear your mind of negative thoughts. Focusing your breathing on your stomach makes it hard to think about anything. Fill your stomach with air before you fill your chest with air. Practice the skill you are trying to acquire in your mind in slow motion before you go to bed each night. You can do this!!!
I have a serious issue, I don’t really have any stress for anything or fear of falling. I get spotted on a back handprint and it’s perfect, but I cannot make myself do it, I’ll stand there while someone counts and occasionally swing my arms and almost do it but then bail, one time I was so scared to do it but forced to do it and just fell straight to my back.
Hi, Have you suffered any serious falls or injuries related to tumbling? For some reason your brain is on full alert. As long as it is on full alert you will have struggles with backward skills. This part of your brain sees what you see in your mind when you imagine things, it feels what you feel, it thinks and perceives what you think and perceive. It is extremely critical that you become very mindful and aware of your thoughts, your attitude about tumbling, see successful and positive images in your mind. Calm yourself down before you ever get into the gym. Work with your breathing to help yourself relax when you feel stressed. Take care of stressors in your life. I hope this helps.
My daughter fell three years ago in the middle of doing her round off seven and hasn’t been the same since. Like you said, we have tried being forceful, supportive, and so on, but nothing has worked. She is currently a level six and she’s ready to quit. Her back handspring is beautiful once she is able to follow through, but that doesn’t happen very often. I know she’s frustrated and embarrassed! She said her coaches show her how the younger kids can do it, but that doesn’t help. That only makes things worse in my opinion. We are very frustrated!
My associate Ashley Eckermann is highly skilled at helping gymnasts and cheerleaders with tumbling and mental blocks. I recommend giving her a call. Our office main number is 713 522 2200.
HI. Take some time to look through the older comments. I make a few suggestions that you might find helpful. Also look for an article I wrote a while back. “Help, I Can’t Backward Tumble”. You can do a google search and find it. It will help you understand what is going on.
My son can tumble well but is doing trampolining too and can’t /won’t jump high enough. He has the skills but the lack of height is holding him back. He has never been injured or even been close to falling off not has he seen any of his teammates. He desperately wants to but can’t. Would you consider this as a similar mental block as the tumbling ones?
Hi, If he wants to but just “can’t” then I would consider it a mental block. With no history of injuries, falls, or accidents, I would look at major stressors in his life. To younger athletes it might not be obvious. Transitions like moving from one level to the next junior high to high school and other transitional periods might create enough stress that his brain senses his overload and wont allow him to tumble. If you want to send me an email there is a stress worksheet I can send you to have him complete.
Hi my daughter is a cheerleader at her high school and bailed on her standing tuck about 4 months ago. She had a concussion and was cleared to tumble a few weeks later, but has a huge metal block and can barely even throw a back handspring with a spot. She was throwing standing 7 with a lay out and is a beautiful strong tumbler but has lost all confidence in tumbling. We have tried hypnosis and private lessons but she is getting frustrated and comp practice starts next week. What else can we possibly try?
Hi, Sorry to hear that you daughter suffered a concussion. It is very common to develop mental blocks after a bad accident or injury like hers. The part of the brain that is trying to keep her from getting injured again takes over and try as she might, she will not tumble until this part of the brain calms down. Privates might work if she is working with a very patient coach who gives her time to work her way back and makes her feel VERY safe in the gym. Hypnosis may or may not be effective. If you want to email me I can give you more detailed information.
My daughter is a second year college cheerleader on a very competitive team. She has developed a mental block on her standing tuck and it has been a year. She says her body won’t let her do it. She loves cheer but her coach is not very understanding and makes an example out of her. He is constantly belittling her and she had now started showing signs of severe aniexty and depression. How can I help her? Please.
Hi. I hope my reply is still timely for your daughter. The main thing I would suggest it to help with her mindset. Usually athletes with a mental block spend a lot of time thinking about “what if” and “I have to” thoughts. These and other negative thoughts produce anxiety and actually cause a part of the brain to fire that won’t allow them to do skills they normally do easily. Talk to her about her attitude, thinking, mindset and perception. Also, help her lower her stress levels. Stress plays a huge role in this as well. If here were serious falls or injuries that can play a part in this as well. How are things with her coaches. Impatient coaches only make things worse.
Hey there,
So I have a bit of a unique situation but I feel like you have a strong understanding of mental blocks and thought I’d just see if you had any ideas.
I have gone back to gymnastics as a 28 year old after almost a 20 year break. I’ve been training for almost 20 months and most of that has been relearning how to use my body in ways I’ve not done for decades, and rebuilding the strength to do it. I did gymnastics as a child between 5-11 years old and developed a decent amount of skills.
However, as an adult, I have enormous mental blocks with connecting tumbling elements together, and I’ve been working for over 6 months trying to break the cycle now that my physical strength is there. To be honest everything has felt so slow, even doing basic new things in my adult body.
I think I understand why I am blocked, but I have no idea how to move forward and overcome it.
Unfortunately, I was coached by a paedophile when I was a child, and he would molest us when we got injured. I only regained my memories of this about 5 years ago. I went back to gymnastics to try and reclaim a part of myself that I felt was stained but that I did really love.
Anyway, as a result it’s blasted my fear barrier up to 11. I’m terrified of being injured, and not knowing what type of psychological response I’ll have if I get injured, and hence, find it ridiculously difficult. I also have huge issues with spotting. It’s like I’m dealing with multiple layers of barriers.
Anyways, I thought I’d comment to see if you had any advice on handing this kind of situation where abuse and trauma are the root causes of blocks. I really want to connect my tumbling elements without feeling like I’m going to break.
Hi. thanks for writing. I am sorry and sad to hear that you have suffered the way you have. I have a suggestion for you that I hope you follow. There is an organization that provides a type of protocol that helps one process trauma very effectively. You can go to http://www.emdria.org I have used these protocols for 27 years and have helped individuals through trauma similar to yours. I hope you find this response helpful.