Expert: Pamela Enders - 2/17/2010

Question
Dear Pamela, well I have been a cheerleader for about 7 years and I have been doing tumbling classes and gymnastics for about 4 years on and off I had my flip flop about 2 years ago and then stopped practicing for about a year or two then I started again and I have been in it since for about 2 years I had my roundoff back handspring and was working progressively on my roundoff backtucks then my coaches got changed I became injured with a hyperextended knee and went back to tumbling after a few months of recovery.I started become very unsteady with this coach then my coach changed again I started warming up to this coach and becoming confident but then after a few months my coach was changed again and I did not have much trust in this coach specially cause he said he was afraid to spot me.and recently maybe about a month ago my coach was changed again and I am still stuck with the basics standing back handsprings standing backs roundoff back handspring and with every coach I seem not to progress but these coaches tell me I have plenty of power to even hand out and the abitlity to do what I wish but when it comes to when they want me to do my skills by myself I become terrified and un consistend and feeling not confident.the most I have ever progressed was with one of my fist coaches when I was working on my backs. I recently also pulled my hamstring about 3 weeks ago and I still feel a lot of pain.I also have a back injury:spondolythesis but my doctor has allowed me to continue what I wish to do and I will get surgery when I can.I feel I can't progress with anyone because of my fear.many of my coaches say I have these skills.I have a major competition in 2 weeks and my coach expects me to throw my round off back handspring but I feel unconfident because of my hamstring and my fear being the major block.HELP ME!! Iv been so confused and worried since I have not been prgressing!I would appreciate any advice, thanks!

Answer
Dear Amanda,

Thanks for writing!  My first reaction to your letter is to advise you NOT to cheer until your hamstring problem is resolved.  Have you seen a sports doctor about that?  Have you gotten treatment for it?  If you still have pain, you definitely should NOT be tumbling and jumping and if your coaches know you have pain and still expect you to cheer, then they are being irresponsible.  An injured hamstring can get worse and lead to chronic problems unless it is properly treated.

I know that is a strong respose but I want to look out for your safety and health.  Until your hamstring problem is completely resolved, you can work on the mental game.  Here are some ideas for you to consider.  Also, you can check out my blog for more info on the mental game - go to http://www.confidentcheerleadingblog.com

This is a really long response so get ready!!!  And please let me know how you're doing.  Write to me at info@pamelaenders.com

1. When you tumble successfully there is a good communication between your brain and your body.  Every time you execute a skill, you are creating or strengthening what is called a neural pathway in your brain.  Over time, these pathways run deep and make it easier to do what you want to do.  

(Think of a snow-filled hillside…if you use a sled on the hill, you will create a path and it will be easier for the sled to go that route each time you go down the hill.  But if you inadvertently put the sled in a different position, it will create a new pathway even though the path may lead right into a tree!  It’s the same with our brains!)

If you have been a successful tumbler in the past, the neural pathways are there, you just need to find them again.  For some reason, the communication between your brain and body has gone a bit wacky!  (Not unusual, just frustrating!)  It might be that at this point, when you get ready to tumble, you are telling yourself something like, “I’m going to fall.”  Or, “I can’t do it.”

2. It’s possible to spook yourself into believing you cannot do something or that you cannot perform without a spotter.  Over time this can coalesce into a belief.  If this is the case, the first step is to identify and challenge the belief or the story you have created.

Step back and think about your thoughts.  In other words, what are you saying to yourself?  It may be you are saying things like: “I’ll never be able to tumble without a spotter,” or – “I’m just not good enough,”  or “I’ll never be able to do a back handspring.” It’s important to learn how to “think about the thoughts” that drive behavior.

The brain is literal and so if you are thinking, “I can’t do this,” the brain hears this as an instruction and – you won’t be able to do it!  One solution is to send a different message to the brain such as, “I’m working very hard on improving my tumbling and soon I will be able to do it on my own.”  

This requires patience and effort but it does work.

So a first step in resolving the fear is cognitive; it’s to identify and change the negative thinking.  I must emphasize however that this is not just a matter of saying positive things to replace the negative.  You must believe what you are saying and so the negative beliefs, which are distortions, must be challenged.  (My blog has a number of articles on this.  See http://www.confidentcheerleadingblog.com .)

3. Next step is to relax.  Muscle tension results from negative thinking and muscle tension affects the way the body moves.  A quick way to begin to relax is to focus on the breathing.  So, try this:

Sit in a nice quiet place and exhale as slowly as possible, letting the breath out through your mouth and taking a breath in through your nose.  Focus on the out-breath and be sure to exhale very slowly, letting as much air out as possible.  It will then be easy to take in a nice slow in-breath.  Repeat this at least 5 times.

4. When thinking about your tumbling fear, rate your anxiety on a scale of 1 – 10, with “1” being no anxiety and “10” being horrendous anxiety.  Write this down and keep track of how the rating changes as you begin to resolve your block.  The goal is not necessarily to completely eliminate anxiety (a “1”) but to reduce it to a MANAGEABLE LEVEL. (Very important.)

5. Finally, incorporate this breathing technique with a special visualization which goes as follows:

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 a simple and basic tumbling skill – something you can do with ease.
7.   If you feel more than a little anxiety (a rating of more than “4”), stop visualizing this skill and return to your safe place.
8.   Stay in your safe place until you feel calm and secure (a rating of “4” or less).
9.   Now, once again, see yourself in your practice spot beginning to execute a basic tumbling skill.
10.   If your anxiety level is manageable (“4” or less) stay with this scene, focusing on your exhale to keep calm and focused.
11.   See yourself executing the skill 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 (“5” or more), go back to your safe place and repeat the above steps
16. When you can “see” yourself doing a basic tumbling skill without too much anxiety, go on to a more difficult skill.
17.  Just like before, if too much anxiety pops up (“5” or more), go back to the previous level or go back to your favorite place to calm down.
18. Repeat this process, each time gradually visualizing yourself executing more difficult skills in a step-wise fashion, pairing the exhale and relaxation with “seeing” yourself doing the skills.
19. Be sure to use your power word or positive trigger with each step you take.
20. Repeat as necessary. Keep repeating this process until the anxiety associated with visualizing tumbling is manageable (“4 or less”).
21.   The anxiety may not disappear completely, the goal is MANAGEABLE ANXIETY.

If the problem is fear of tumbling without a spotter, the process is similar.  Here is the visualization for this situation:

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 (or any tumbling skill) with your coach or spotter.
7.   If you feel more than a little anxiety (more than “4”), stop visualizing this skill and return to your safe place.
8.   Stay in your safe place until you feel calm and secure (“4”or less).
9.   Now, once again, see yourself in your practice spot beginning to execute a BHS (or whatever) with your coach or spotter.
10.   If your anxiety level is manageable (“4” or less), stay with this scene, focusing on your exhale to keep calm and focused.
11.   See yourself executing the skill 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 (“5” or more), go back to your safe place and repeat the above steps
16. When you can “see” yourself doing a BHS (or whatever you need a spotter for) 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 (“5” or more), 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 power 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 (“4” or less).
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 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!

5. Now, one last thing; when you next begin to do any tumbling, take a moment to focus, exhale slowly, say your power label to yourself and see yourself executing the skill successfully. Then go ahead!