Expert: Pamela Enders - 12/1/2010

Question
So I've been doing cheerleading for 3 years now I started tumbling about a
month ago. I got my backhand spring right away all by myself. I went
home and my all time great sister who is doing fills and stuff was like do it
so I did but I hurt myself I was fine afterthat though because I am still able
to do them with a very light spot. Three weeks ago I was doing the
standing backhandspring by myself with my coach just sitting there but
after like two I need her to come back spot me and then walk away slowly
but it's only good for about two for me to do by myself and then I start
over again... I am completely fine with doing it by myself on the tumble
track though... Any help with that because I can do it I have done it but I
can't get my self to throw it on cue or count because I jut freak out. The
other one is with my roundoff backhandspring I've done it I'm just freaking
out... I know I can do it and I have... What's wrong with me??? :(

Answer
Dear Rachael,

Thanks for writing!  I can see you are extremely frustrated; mental blocks are a pain but they are also quite common so please stop thinking there is something “wrong” with you!   

Let’s approach this problem as a challenge that can be overcome. Are you with me on this?  Great!! By the way, this will be a long response so please be patient and read it through carefully, ok?

Now there is a lot I do NOT know about you or your situation so I am making some assumptions here.  Please forgive me if I get it wrong. I’m responding based on what you wrote and trying my best to be helpful.

First, I’m concerned that you might have rushed into tumbling.  It’s great that you “got” your BHS right away all by yourself but sometimes when cheerleaders do that, they aren’t aware that there may be something not quite right with their technique.

The fact that you hurt yourself when you showed your sister suggests that your technique may not have been quite right.

It’s best to work with a tumbling coach who can guide you and observe your mechanics closely.  All the tumbling coaches I know preach the importance of progressions.  This means that you start off gradually learning one skill and that you stay with it until you’ve completely mastered it.  Then you progress onto the next level of difficulty.

It may be that you need more than a spot; you may need to work closely with a tumbling expert who can make sure your technique is correct.  Then you will need to execute your skill over and over until you feel confident.  Then and only then should you move to a next skill.

By the way, it’s not unusual to be nervous with back handsprings.  It’s a natural reaction to hesitate before going backwards. It takes a while to get used to that.

Now let’s get to the mental stuff since that is my true area of expertise.

It’s important to understand that your brain – or rather what you are telling your brain – is undermining your performance.  In other words, you are unwittingly creating a story in your head which you believe.  

For example, it is likely you are telling yourself stuff like, “I’ll never get this,” or – “I’m no good at this,” or “I’m not going to be able to do it.”  Does this sound familiar?  If yes, consider this: every time you say this to yourself, you are sending instructions to your brain.  This is important – THE BODY DOES WHAT THE BRAIN THINKS!

So, part of the solution is to identify exactly what you are telling yourself and then to change it from negative to neutral or positive.

To accomplish this, I would recommend that you write this down.  Take a few moments and consider all of the internal conversations you have with yourself and write them down.

You will probably see that you are making negative predictions that are not based on fact but are based on anxiety.  The past does not dictate the future.  Just because you are having troubles now does not mean you always will.  Plenty of girls have had this problem and plenty of them have resolved the problem.  You can too!

So, write down your negative beliefs and then, for each one, ask yourself if the belief is helping you or harming you.  If it’s not helping you, ask yourself if this is based on fact or fiction/fear? How do you know for absolute certainty that the belief is true?   

Ok, now think about how you can change the negative thought into something that is neutral or positive. It has to be believable.  Saying, “I will be the best tumbler ever” is not something you will believe.  But – saying, “I am proud that I am working hard on my tumbling” is something you can believe.

Another technique is to “zap” the negative thoughts.  So, when you are at the gym, if you notice that your thoughts are going negative, say to yourself, “I’m gonna zap that thought away!”  (Kind of like a bug zapper!) This way, you aren’t replacing the thoughts, you are erasing them.

Use any image that is useful for you: a thought zapper, an eraser, a delete button (like on a computer) – you can be creative here!  Bottom line – you want to change the communication between your brain and body from negative to neutral or positive.

The next step is to relax a bit.  Anxiety tenses muscles which affects performance.  A quick way to relax is to focus on your out-breath.  So…try it now!  Exhale slowly – as slowly as you can.  Repeat.  Say to yourself, “With each out-breath, I am relaxing more and more.”  Repeat at least 5 times.  

Now, let’s combine the breathing with some visualization.  This is like creating a movie in your mind where you are the producer, director and star!  It is also a way to train the brain.  Every time you visualize something, you are creating new pathways in your brain so it’s good to imagine something positive, right?

First step is to rate your anxiety about tumbling on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being horrible anxiety and 1 being no anxiety.  What is your rating?

Now what would be an acceptable rating?  Expecting to get to “1” is unlikely but how about a 4 or 5?  You decide what is right for you.

The goal is to reduce your rating from what it is now to an acceptable level.  You do this with slow breathing (exhale) and visualization where you see yourself gradually moving from one level of difficulty to another, beginning with something easy.

Here is how it goes:

1.   Find a nice quiet place and while sitting up, close your eyes.
2.   Exhale as slowly as you can 3 – 5 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 something you can do with ease.
7.   As you “see” and “feel” yourself doing the easy skill, really enjoy it and assign a power word to this experience (for example – “success” or “feels great!”).
8.   Repeat the power word or phrase over and over as you enjoy this image.
9.   See yourself executing the skill with grace and ease and “feel” yourself enjoying it; enjoy your success.
10.  Be sure you use your power word or phrase while you are visualizing this.   
11.  Now shift the scene to preparing to execute a Back hand spring (BHS) (or whatever you choose).
12. Rate your anxiety level. If at any time your anxiety level increases too much (“6” or more), go back to your safe place and repeat the above steps
13. Once your anxiety level goes down in your safe place, return to the BHS image.  Again, rate your anxiety level  
14.  Just like before, if too much anxiety pops up (“6” or more), go back to your favorite place to calm down.
15. Repeat this process, until you can see yourself getting ready to do the BHS at a level “5” or less.
16. At this point, “see” and “feel” yourself executing the BHS in good form and assign your power label to the experience.
17. Repeat over and over if you re able to keep the anxiety level at “5” or less.  If not, go back to safe place and repeat. .
18. Be sure to use your power word or positive trigger with each step you take.
19. Repeat as necessary. Keep repeating this process until the anxiety associated with visualizing tumbling is manageable (“5 or less”).
20.   The anxiety may not disappear completely, the goal is MANAGEABLE ANXIETY.



This visualization accomplishes several things.  It helps you ease into the idea of tumbling while minimizing your anxiety and it also engraves the successful execution of the skill 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!

Here is another visualization that may be helpful.  It is called an Outside-In visualization.  In this case, instead of seeing yourself, you see someone you really admire and respect executing a tumbling skill.  It goes like this:


•   Sit in a quiet place, eyes closed, and notice your breath.
•   Exhale slowly several times.
•   Use your out-breath to relax, to let go.
•   Scan your body with your mind’s eye, noticing any tension and releasing it with your out- breath.
•   Resume focus on your out-breath, letting go, relaxing.
•   Imagine you are watching a big movie screen where you see someone you admire and respect executing a perfect (choose a tumbling skill).
•   Notice with as much detail as possible how the person looks, moves, sounds.
•   Imagine what he or she is thinking and feeling...what it is like to be in that ideal state.
•   Now imagine  how you would feel if you were like that person.
•   Now imagine you are becoming like that person and in fact, you see yourself on the movie screen
•   So now you see yourself performing the tumbling skill beautifully – just like the other person!  You can do this because you know how he/she feels (physically and emotionally).
•   Once you are able to experience these feelings, (ideal state), use your power word or phrase that you can associate with this ideal state.
•   Repeat over and over to strengthen the association.
•   Practice this connection several times.  

Well, I told you this email would be long!  I hope you will invest the time to resolve your block.

Good luck and please keep me posted!

Also - check out my blog which is loaded with all sorts of info on the mental game of cheerleading. - http://www.confidentcheerleadingblog.com

Dr. Pam