At times, gymnastics can be a scary sport. Dealing with a fearful gymnast can be scary for the coach. Whether it is a new skill or a skill a gymnast has competed for years, there are things coaches can do to help their gymnasts work through fear. Humiliation, throwing a gymnast out of workout, and yelling are not tactics that teach your athletes good coping skills. This article will explore one of the ways you can help your athletes cope with fear and work through it successfully.
Fear can arise from many sources.
Sometimes it is a result of a past fall, injury, or trauma. Other times, it arises out of low self-confidence. Whatever the source, one major cause of fear in gymnasts is out of control thinking. Out of control thinking leads to out of control performance. The root of most fear and balking are thoughts that are negative and catastrophic.