Expert: Pamela Enders - 8/19/2009

Question
QUESTION: I've been in cheerleading since 3rd grade and now I'm in 10th grade. I was such a great tumbler in 3rd grade and when it came time for regionals in 5th grade I lost everything. I have had this mental block since 5th grade and still afraid of tumbling. I can sometimes throw my backhandsprings and roundoff backhandsprings but then it goes away. I've tried everything! Please help me!!!

ANSWER: Dear Stephanie,

Thanks for writing!  It would be helpful to know a bit more.  When you say you've tried "everything" what do you mean?  Can you let me know what kinds of things you have tried?  Also, Was there anything that happened at the time you developed your mental block?  Were you injured?  Did you have a fall?  Did you witness someone falling or getting hurt?  Are you working with a tumbling coach?  Can you tell me a bit more about what happened at regionals when you "lost everything?"

If you would answer all those questions I would be able to help you more.

Thanks!

Dr. Pam - The Mental Game Coach

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I've tried starting from the beginning and work my way up, I've also tried just when its my turn to go I try not to think about it and just go but it hasn't worked either. Nothing happened when I got my mental block. I mean like from one day to the next I couldn't tumble. I am working with a tumbling coach. When he spots me I can tumble very well it's just when I have to do it by myself I can't throw it. Well a week before regionals I couldn't tumble and I they still kept me to tumble and when regionals came I didn't throw my tumbling. Now at allot of competitions I will do one of my tumbling passes but not all of them.

ANSWER: Dear Stephanie,

Thanks for answering my questions.  Based on what you said, it sounds like the problem is with the way you are thinking about the situation. You see, we are always creating stories in our heads about what has happened, what is happening, and what is going to happen.  The stories we create however, may not be based on fact!  The problem is we react to our stories AS IF they were true!

For example, right now you are able to tumble well when your coach is spotting you but you can’t when he isn’t.  The mechanics are the same, right?  I mean the way a person executes a move is the same physically with or without a spotter, right?  So, the problem is what you are telling yourself – or, your story.

Only you know what your story is but I suspect it goes something like this:
“I can only tumble well when my coach spots me.  I cannot tumble well on my own.”  Or – “I will fall if I try tumbling on my own.”  Does this sound familiar?

You are spooking yourself into believing that you cannot tumble well without a spotter.  Realistically, if you can do it with your coach, you can do it alone.  In other words, you have the capability of tumbling well alone; you just need to believe it!

When we are scared, it affects our ability to think and perform.  My favorite saying is, “the body does what the brain thinks.”  So if your brain is thinking, “I can’t do this,” guess what – you can’t!

A first step then might be for you to challenge your distorted thinking.  (In psychology we refer to thinking that is based on fear as “distorted” since it represents a distortion in your thought process, it does not reflect reality.)

Take a few moments and reflect on what your scary or negative thoughts are and write them down.  Go ahead – do this now!

Ok, now ask yourself if these thoughts are good for you or harmful.  They are probably harmful to you, right?  They certainly aren’t helping you!

Now consider how you might challenge these thoughts.  Ask yourself, what is the evidence to support my beliefs?  Is it really really true that you cannot ever tumble alone?  How do you know this is true?  Remind yourself that your mind is playing tricks on you.

It is more accurate for you to say, “So far I haven’t been able to tumble well without a spotter but I can do it with a spotter so it is just a matter of time and some hard work before I’ll be able to do it alone.”  In other words, work to change the conversation you are having with yourself.

Now the next thing is to relax a bit.  I suspect you are tense, right?  (Fear, of course, makes us tense,)  The quickest way to relax is by focusing on your breath, specifically, your out-breath.  So….find a quiet place and close your eyes and exhale as slowly as you can.  Repeat this 3 – 5 times.  It’s important that you do this slowly and expel as much air as possible through your mouth.  Then inhale through your nose.  You will discover that you are able to take in a nice deep breath.  


Here is another way to retrain your brain. It’s a special kind of visualization that can be helpful.

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 a back handspring with your coach..
7.   If you feel more than a little anxiety, stop visualizing this move and return to your safe place.
8.   Stay in your safe place until you feel calm and secure.
9.   Now, once again, see yourself in your practice spot beginning to execute a BHS with your coach.
10.   If your anxiety level is manageable, stay with this scene, focusing on your exhale to keep calm and focused.
11.   See yourself executing the move with grace and ease and “feel” yourself enjoying it; enjoy your success.
12.   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.”
13.  Once you have your power label, visualize and feel the whole successful routine again only this time say your cue word to yourself.
14. Repeat over and over.  Each time you do this, you will be creating brain and muscle memory.  
15. If at any time your anxiety level increases too much, go back to your safe place and repeat the above steps
16. When you can “see” yourself doing a BHS with your coach spotting you, without too much anxiety, move the scene to doing it alone.
17.  Just like before, if too much anxiety pops up, go back to working with a spotter (in your mind’s eye) or go back to your favorite place to calm down.
18. Repeat this process, each time gradually visualizing yourself executing the BHS alone, step by step, pairing the exhale and relaxation with “seeing” yourself doing it.
19. Be sure to use your cue word or positive trigger with each step you take.
20. Repeat as necessary. Keep repeating this process until the anxiety associated with visualizing doing the BHS alone is manageable.
21. The anxiety may not disappear completely, the goal is MANAGEABLE ANXIETY.

This visualization accomplishes several things.  It helps you ease into the idea of doing a BHS alone 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 any tumbling move, take a moment to focus, exhale slowly, say your power label to yourself and see yourself executing the move successfully. Then go ahead!

I know this has been a long response but I wanted to be thorough.  Change takes time and effort but the effort is worth it!

You might want to share this with your coach so he can see what you are trying to accomplish.

Also, check out my blog where you will find lots of info and tips on the mental game of  cheerleading. – http://www.confidentcheerleadingblog.com

And let me know how you’re doing!

Cheers!

Dr. Pam – the mental game coach
http://www.confidentcheerleadingblog.com
http://www.confidentcheerleading.com









---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Dr. Pam,
I just had this thought come into my head. I think I can't tumble because I compare myself to my 3 sisters (who are very good) and I think to myself sometimes why should I even try I will never be as good as they are. Do you think that is part of my mental block?


Answer
Dear Stephanie,

What a great insight!  Yes – it is quite common for this to happen.  Sometimes a cheerleader will compare herself to another team member and this can undermine her performance.  When we compare ourselves to others, it usually leads to misery.

Here’s a suggestion and it comes right from sport psychology.  When you watch your sisters, instead of saying, “I’ll never be as good as they are,” try – really try to think, “They are really good.  What can I learn from them by observing them…what do they do that enables them to be so good.”  

Position yourself as an objective observer who is also a learner.  Maybe you will discover some tips you hadn’t noticed before.  Most great athletes spend years studying the moves of more experienced athletes so they can learn and improve.  And ALL great athletes know that the learning is never finished.

It may be that your sisters are exceptionally gifted but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be a great athlete in your own right.

Good luck to you!

Dr. Pam – the mental game coach
http://www.confidentcheerleadingblog.com
http://www.confidentcheerleading.com