Expert: Pamela Enders - 2/26/2009

Question
hi im 12 and i am a cheerleader.

i can do a standing back handspring and its totally fine but i can only do them on a crash mat. i get really excited at cheerleading i say im going to get my back handspring on floor tonight, but when the time comes i FREAK out!

i just get really scared that im going to hurt myself or something, we have spring floors but im still scared!

please help! im holding my whole team back!

hurry before i get kicked off the team. i really dont want to have to quit.

Answer
Dear Cheyenne,

It sure is frustrating to feel so scared especially because you know you are perfectly capable of doing a standing back handspring when you are on a crash mat.

Mental blocks are common but they can be eliminated if you are willing to be patient and take some time to work on it.  This response if fairly long and detailed and requires you to follow certain steps. Are you willing to make a commitment to work on this? If yes, read on!

First – you must calm down and view this situation like a scientist would – objectively.  Your anxiety is leading you to catastrophize and think the worst which only feeds the anxiety and makes it worse.

So, right now, as you are reading this, slow down your breathing by exhaling slowly – as slowly as possible three times.  Ready?  Go ahead and do it…take your time. Now do it again!  (I told you this required patience.)  With each out-breath, tell yourself that you are relaxing more and more.

Whenever you feel worried or anxious, slow down your breathing by doing this. When we are anxious we don’t think clearly and right now you need to think clearly, right?

Okay. Now that you are calmer, let’s look at this situation as objectively as possible. What are the facts?  Seems to me the facts are that you are perfectly capable of doing a standing back handspring.  Your body knows how to do this.  Your mind knows how to guide your body so you can do it. Agree?  (Now don’t jump ahead and say, “Yes, but….”)  Let’s stay with the facts right now and the facts are good news! Why?  Because you know how to do a standing back handspring! Congratulations!

Take a moment right now and congratulate yourself.  I mean it! Really enjoy the fact that you are able to perform this routine.  And watch it that you don’t jump ahead to the “Yes, but…!we

Of course I know and you know that you are having trouble executing this without the mat.  I’m not trying to pretend there isn’t a problem but it’s important to not overlook the positive.  You can build on the positive, right?

Okay, so you have calmed yourself down by exhaling slowly several times and you might want to repeat this periodically.  And we have established the fact that you are capable of doing a standing back handspring on a mat.

I suspect your problem is the way you are thinking. You are spooking yourself into believing that you cannot do the handspring without the mat.  You are training your brain to accept this belief and – this is really important – the body does what the brain thinks! So if your brain accepts the belief that you cannot do something, your body responds as if that were true!

To fix this, we need to retrain your brain, right?  One way to do this is through a special kind of visualization that is outlined below:

1.   Find a nice quiet place and while sitting up, close your eyes.
2.   Exhale as slowly as you can 3 – 4 times.
3.   Say to yourself, “With each out-breath, I am relaxing more and more.”
4.   Once relaxed, see yourself, with your mind’s eye, in a safe place, a place you feel ultra comfortable, secure and happy.
5.   Really enjoy being in your special safe place as you continue to focus on your out-breath.
6.   Now, shift your focus and see yourself in your cheerleading practice spot, beginning to do your standing back handspring on the mat.
7.   See yourself executing the move with grace and ease and “feel” yourself enjoying it; enjoy your success.
8.   Now assign a power label or cue word for this successful execution. It can be anything.  For example, you could simply call it “success” or “good move.”
9.   Once you have your power label, visualize and feel the whole successful routine again only this time say your cue word to yourself.
10. Repeat over and over.  Each time you do this, you will be creating brain and muscle memory.  
11 Now, see yourself in your practice spot only this time, the mat is removed.  
12  See yourself getting ready to do your standing back handspring.
13 .If you feel any anxiety during this phase, stop visualizing the stunt and return to your favorite safe place.
14. Stay in your safe place until you feel relaxed.
15.   Once relaxed, return to visualizing doing your standing back handspring (without the mat) and repeat your cue word to yourself again.
16.   Keep repeating this process until the anxiety associated with visualizing the handspring without the mat is manageable.
17.   Do not expect the anxiety to disappear completely, the goal is MANAGEABLE ANXIETY.
18.   Once you can, in your mind’s eye, execute the standing back handspring without the mat, repeat over and over using your power label.


This visualization accomplishes several things.  It helps you ease into the idea of doing the standing back handspring on the floor while minimizing your anxiety and it also engraves the successful execution of the move in your brain.  

You will be training your brain to feel and think in the way you want.  You will also be learning how to control your thoughts and feelings rather than have them control you!

Now, one last thing: when you next begin to do your standing back handspring without the mat, take a moment to focus, exhale slowly, say your power label to yourself and see yourself executing the move successfully. Then go ahead!

And remember, it may not be possible to completely eliminate your fear but you should be able to minimize it to a manageable level.

I know this has been a long response but I wanted to be thorough.  Change takes time and effort.  If you want, show this to your coach so he or she knows how serious you are about doing well.

Also, check out my blog for lots more info. – www.confidentcheerleadingblog.com

Good luck with this.  I’m so glad you wrote to me about this.  Please keep me posted.