Expert: Jessica Bugg - 11/20/2006

Question
I've noticed this is a common question.  My 8 year daughter has been doing competitive cheerleading since she was 4 yrs old.  She has been doing her standing backhandspring and roundoff-backhandspring now for about 18 mos.  However, during this time she has experienced mental blocks every couple of months (sometimes weeks).  She has lost her Roundoff-backhandspring completely (since April) and is not even doing a standing one with a spotter. (4 days ago she was doing them perfect!) Will she ever shake this awful cycle of mental blocks?  She is so frustrated she cries.  Is she not cut out for tumbling? She wants learn tucks, fulls ect. but I'm worried she is just going to keep losing them too.

Answer
Hi Missi,

Yes, this a very common problem among cheerleaders although mental blocks are usually not experience until the middle school years through high school years.  

Because it sounds like your daughter has good technique.  I would recommend having her throw her standing backhandspring on a trampoline with a spotter.  After about 5-6 times with a spotter, have her throw the backhandspring by herself (she is still on the trampoline at this point).  When she is comfortable with that, have her move to the tumble track, allow her to have a spotter the first 2-3 times.  After that, have her throw it by herself on the tumble track.  Then move to the floor, again allowing her to have a spotter the first few times and then by herself.

Please let me know if this helps her and if she needs further advice in regards to her training.  I know this is a frustrating time for her but she is DEFINITELY cut out for tumbling and this is a very common problem.  I myself at one point was afraid to throw a standing backhandspring but would do a standing tuck!  It happens to the best of us.

Jessica Bugg