How to Overcome Tumbling Fears & Mental Blocks in Gymnastics or Cheerleading

Gymnastics blocks are common, at all levels - but since the 90's, I have used hypnosis to help release fear and improve results.

Fear is just a natural self-protection mechanism, which can occur during back handsprings, back tucks, back walk overs, on the beam, fly way dismounts from the bar, and the list goes on - plus often after a fall.

Methods to Rebuild Confidence

The past few decades - gymnasts, cheerleaders, coaches and parents contacted me each week about these issues (including re-building confidence after injuries or falls).

During that time, mental training - the easiest, most convenient and affordable of all options available - has achieved consistently excellent results in this area.

Sadly motivation or pep talks do not help tumbling fears and mental blocks - as they are an involuntary, unconscious (and sub-conscious) reaction.

These can bring temporary improvement, but unless the methods work at the control panel of the body's movement, they will never remove the issue.

Consistency can only return by dealing with the fears at their very source - the subconscious mind.

With a relaxing blend of visualisation and hypnosis, mental training has shown to give gymnasts the confidence & belief to conquer anxiety in tumbling & reverse movements, skills and routines (and also in cheerleading).

When Performance Flows Perfectly... and Thoughts Which Interrupt the Process

The best gymnastic performances are performed on 'auto-pilot' - a mental state commonly called 'The Zone'.

The Zone delivers the highest possible standard of performance - which allows movements to flow easily, effortlessly and naturally. The subconscious mind controls this process.

However, if gymnasts dwell on their previous failed attempts, doubts, worries, fears and negative thoughts - or on the weight of expectation from others - these often prevent this auto-pilot process from working properly.

These can often sabotage areas such as backwards tumbling passes - eg. back handsprings - as well as other elements, routines, skills, confidence - not to mention cause emotional distress, anxiety and slumps in form.

Most often, negative thoughts simply create fear - which prevents gymnasts reaching their highest levels.

Tumbling blocks, along with most other gym issues, can be overcome using a combination of mental training methods - such as visualisation, positive affirmations and hypnotic suggestion, which target the fear at the very source.

Techniques for Releasing the Fear

While gymnasts or cheerleaders may struggle with the mental block to physically practice these moves, the same does not apply to the mental side.

The imagination easily creates a range of powerful images of successful elements, routines, tumbling passes etc which it stores in the memory bank, which the body accesses during actual physical performance.

Visualisation involves regularly and vividly imagining yourself successfully sticking tumbling passes, while positive affirmations or hypnotic suggestion work at releasing the anxiety deep at the subconscious level, while you are in a lightly relaxed state.

Both gymnasts and cheerleaders usually find these methods work extremely powerfully at releasing common tumbling fears and anxiety, when the mental training process is used on a regular basis.

Positive Reinforcement Through Audio

Being a hypnotherapist working with many gymnasts, I eventually found audio recordings delivered the most consistent results, mainly due to the repetition required to fully dissolve the core issues at the source.

It has shown to generally be the most practical, effective and affordable method (such as mp3 programs on this page, or personalized recordings targeting advanced issues), or for the hands-on approach, getting a personal recommendation for a string of private consultations with someone may be helpful.

Importantly, this process helps to overturn the fears at the very source, and replace them with renewed hope and confidence - yes, even for gymnasts who are on the verge of giving it all away in frustation (which sadly occurs far more than it needs to).

Both gymnasts and cheerleaders generally find they gradually regain the confidence to perform their back handsprings or other routines that were troubling them. It also becomes an extremely positive reinforcement of the gymnasts own inner strength, when they overcome the fears themselves - using their own mental skills.

Mental Training Benefits:

* Regaining Confidence after injury, falls, slumps in belief

* Increased Belief in Ability to perform tumbling or difficult movements

* Stronger Emotional Control - overcoming nerves, anxiety, negative thinking, self sabotage, criticism, or emotional upsets

* Less Reliance on a Spot for difficult elements

* Vastly Stronger Gymnastic (or Cheer) Performances - and results

* Increased Consistency / Concentration in performance, in both practice drills and competition