Training Archives - Page 5 of 6 - Scott Johnson's Gym Experience

Communication, Confidence, Mental Block, Mental Training, Safety, Skill Development

Confidence and the Mental Block

July 9, 2018 scottjohnsonsgymexperience

There are many factors that come into play when considering what it takes to be successful. Of course hard work, determination, motivation, sacrifice, and confidence are all major contributors in the journey to success. Unfortunately, so is the always lurking Mental Block. In this discussion, I will share my thoughts on the role that Confidence plays in preventing and overcoming the Mental Block.

When a person is confident at what they are doing the task at hand is accomplish with ease, it gives us a feeling of security. It affects everything we do each and every day. Confidence not only makes you feel good about yourself, it’s contagious and can even influence those around you to also be confident. A lack of confidence conversely can create fear, panic, and at times a Mental Block.

So how is confidence achieved or how does one become confident in what they are doing and trying to accomplish? Participating in a positive and energetic environment certainly helps. Most importantly, however, is the consistency of accomplishment. Building confidence in something usually does not magically happen, it must be developed. It takes time and effort in a positive environment for confidence to begin to build. Communication and positive reinforcement from the coach is a major factor in helping to build confidence in the athlete (Coaching: The Communication Factor). Words of encouragement and using a positive approach should always be a part of the training process. This approach in itself is very powerful in building a strong sense of personal strength.

When a person is attempting an acrobatic skill that requires you to turn upside down for the first time there can be a feeling of apprehension, even fear. This is natural, what’s unnatural is turning upside down when you’re used to walking around right side up!

In sports such as gymnastics, cheerleading, trampoline, and tumbling where athletes are learning to flip and twist there is always some level of fear that must be overcome with confidence. When the activity involves inherent risks, the level of confidence required to minimize any fear of failure requires that both the athlete and coach fully comprehend the task at hand. Through a structured and disciplined training program, athletes are more likely to achieve the level of confidence needed that will enable them to succeed.

When a person has a lack of confidence in what they are attempting to achieve, it is an emotion that must be changed in order for the person to move forward. This is when the Mental Block comes into play. Not only is this a very frustrating experience but one that can end a career or participation in an activity. In addition, a lack of confidence can also result in an injury if a student is attempting something they are unsure about or scared to perform.

This is where the coach or instructor plays an important role. It is the coach that trains the athlete and the one that is responsible for the development of skills. When the coach has the knowledge of progressions and drills, it helps to guide the student to learn skills in a non-stressful environment. This is crucial in building confidence in the athlete (The Technique Controversy). If the student is placed in a stressful environment or forced to attempt a skill they are scared to perform, their confidence will almost assuredly be diminished.

There are two basic factors that allow one to attempt a gymnastic skill. Being able to perform the skill physically, and being able to comprehend it mentally. In most cases the ability to comprehend the skill mentally is the larger concern.

Learning a new skill usually begins with a number of mechanical drills to mimic the body positions and motions it will go through to successfully complete the skill. The next step may be for the coach to spot or assist the student through the skill for their safety, and for them to feel the sensation of rotation. After a period of time when the student demonstrates they can physically execute the skill safely with little or no spotting assistance the instructor may step back and allow the student to attempt the skill on their own. This is when the level of their confidence and mental state will most likely show itself. How many times have you coaches spotted back handsprings but the moment the student doesn’t feel your hand there, they will not go? Why? because the athlete has not developed the confidence needed to go solo – they are afraid.

I have worked with many students that have lost all confidence in a particular skill and developed the “Mental Block”. Most are a result of the student attempting a skill they were not mentally ready to perform without assistance that ended badly – scaring them, or worse, resulting in an injury. Another cause for the development of a mental block could simply be that the athlete starts to think of negative things or watching someone else take a fall or get injured doing a particular skill. Once a mental block has evolved the athlete will struggle to advance the skill further. Even worse, if the athlete cannot overcome the mental block there is even the possibility they will discontinue participating in the sport.

This is very common in almost every program and one that must be dealt with carefully. When an athlete has lost their confidence in a skill, they should never be coerced into attempting the skill. Doing so will only serve to perpetuate the Mental Block or worse instill even greater fear. The signs are: the student hesitates, or stalls for a lengthy period of time. What are they thinking about? In many cases, they are thinking about getting hurt if they fail which creates fear. This thought process needs to be eliminated and can be accomplished through additional training. Sometimes, it may be best for the athlete to relearn the skill from scratch and focus on drills and mechanical technique. This process takes time but in many cases, will cure the block so the athlete can continue to progress.

I have always believed that champions are created in a positive training environment. Such environments are critical in helping the students feel good about what they are doing which is a big factor in building confidence. When an athlete has a great sense of confidence, they will be more aggressive in their training development. The more aggressive the training, the better the chance of success!!

I would love to hear your comments. Also, if there are any subjects you would like me to cover, let me know and I will do my best to post my thoughts. Please Like and Share to all you believe will benefit from the information.

For clinics, seminars, or special events, please contact me at: scottjohnsongymnastics@gmail.com http://www.scottjohnsonstga.com

Benefits, Gymnastics, Skill Development

Benefits of Gymnastics

June 27, 2018June 27, 2018 scottjohnsonsgymexperience

For those of us who are familiar with the gymnastics as an activity or sport, we know that the teaching and learning curve can be very complex and complicated. It takes strength, flexibility, coordination, and confidence to progress and advance through the various skill levels. Developing biomechanical skills is a slow process and it takes years of training for an athlete to reach the higher levels of gymnastics. Over time it is truly amazing to see what these athletes are able to accomplish when they follow a designed plan. In this discussion, I will reflect on how the sport of gymnastics can create great athleticism that will benefit an athlete in any sport. This Post will benefit those parents who are contemplating what activities may be best for their children.

There are many different types of sports and each one has its own physical, technical, and mechanical demands necessary to achieve success in the sport. Some sports are very aggressive and involve physical contact such as Football, Soccer, or Martial Arts. In contrast non-contact sports like Gymnastics, Track and Field, or Swimming and Diving are individual performance related with no physical contact. Both contact and non-contact sports can be just as physically, mentally, and technically demanding all requiring speed, strength, endurance, and most importantly total body control throughout the performance. Sports such as Golf, Archery, and Bowling may be less physically demanding, but still require a sharp mental focus and body control in training and competition.

Without ever participating in a particular sport it’s difficult to fully comprehend what is required physically and mentally to compete at a high level. Good athletes make incredible feats look easy, great athletes do it without even breaking a sweat. Watching a great athlete perform on TV can be deceptive. For example, have you watched a Major League pitcher throw a 95 MPH fastball over home plate? Most people are lucky if they can just get the ball to home plate.

My own personal awakening was an eye opener for me. Sports always came easy to me, but to my disbelief when I first tried to Golf, I was not very good. As a successful athlete in gymnastics I had always thought that the sport of golf was more of an activity and should not be considered a sport. I always thought it required little physical effort and would be easy to play, until I tried it!! In 1984 the Olympic Gymnastics Trials were held in Jacksonville, FL and we were housed at The Ravines Golf and Tennis Resort. One day, the resorts golf pro invited us all to a free round of golf. This was my first attempt at this sport and I was blown away – I whiffed more times than I hit the ball. Here I was a world-class athlete in arguably the most difficult individual performance sports in the Olympic Games and I couldn’t hit a golf ball, much less make it go in the right direction. It was this experience that I gained a new appreciation for the sport of Golf – and a sport I vowed to learn to play.

The sport of gymnastics is such a complex sport that in order to be successful the athlete needs to acquire a very high level athleticism. It requires total body control where the entire body must perform in unison in order to complete each individual skill effectively and safely through a series of connected skills called a routine. It is a sport that requires speed and patience at the same time to allow continuation of energy into the next skill. It requires complete mental focus and spatial awareness to have the confidence to literally release a piece of apparatus at high-speed and know it will be there when you reach to re-grab it.

Gymnastics and acrobatic skill development provides an excellent base for almost any sport. It teaches students to run correctly (it is very common that many people run incorrectly with small strides and poor body position), learn body control and to move their bodies through many different positions. They will learn to jump correctly, and most importantly learn how to absorb shock on landings. Gymnastics teaches how to use flexibility and strength together for body control, and how to overcome fear by focusing on technique to safely complete the skill.

It is these attributes that athletes acquire in gymnastics that will benefit them in almost any sport or activity they pursue. As I discussed in my previous blog (The Coach: Creating the Successful Athlete), participation in gymnastics drops off as the skill level increases due to extreme competition requirements. Athletes who choose to pursue other sports or activities after gymnastics have a great foundation to build upon. It’s common to see these athletes rely on the strength and conditioning they learned in gymnastics to improve their performance in a new sport. I have seen former students of mine become great volleyball players, soccer players, softball or baseball players, and much more. Sports like diving are very similar to the sport of gymnastics and many former gymnasts may find success in a short period of time. One great example is 1988 Olympic Bronze Medalist, Phoebe Mills. After her gymnastics career, she participated and became successful in the sport of diving. The athleticism she learned in the sport of gymnastics was certainly a benefit in her diving career.

When a parent is exploring what activities their child should participate in, gymnastics should always be considered, especially for young children. And it is not only for the girls, which seems to be a common perception. Boys can benefit greatly from participating in the sport of gymnastics as it can enhance many attributes that almost every sport requires. I often have parents enroll their child in our gymnastics program specifically for this reason. Not only will the students acquire many physical skills, but the sport is fun and most that participate enjoy the experience.

To be successful as a competitive athlete requires a certain type of person with certain physical and emotional traits. Thus, genetics play an important part on whether an athlete will have the ability to achieve success. For example, when I was young, I played football. I loved this sport and I was pretty good. One problem, I was too small to pursue it for very long – if I wanted to live a little longer. My height eliminated the possibility of a career in the NBA, so that was out. Conversely the reverse is also true as it’s very rare to see a six-foot tall gymnast. Fortunately children tend to be short, so gymnastics is a great way to develop motor skills at a young age that will stay with them through their sports career, no matter the sport.

The sport of gymnastics is a great sport and anyone and everyone can participate. The skills they learn will certainly benefit them in any future activities they may pursue outside of gymnastics. And who knows… they may become an Olympic Champion!!

For clinics, seminars, or special events, please contact me at: scottjohnsongymnastics@gmail.com http://www.scottjohnsonstga.com

Coaching, Success, Training, Winning

The Coach: Creating the Successful Athlete

June 11, 2018July 19, 2018 scottjohnsonsgymexperience

Many athletes who participate in competitive sports have a desire to be the best they can be and become a champion. These athletes pursue this goal as a full-time job. It may have started out as a hobby, but as they progress in their sport, the desires become extreme and the efforts are endless – and who helps these athletes follow and pursue their dreams and goals? The Coach!! In his discussion, I will share my thoughts on the role of the coach in their pursuit to create a successful athlete.

Most coaches participated in their sport as an athlete when they were younger which gives them valuable experience in the development of skill training. However, just like the athlete, the coaches need to continue to educate themselves on training tools and technique. As the athlete progresses in the sport and begins to work on high level skills, the coach and athlete are learning together. For example, if a coach has never had an athlete reach the higher levels of sport, the coach would not be familiar with how to introduce and train the skills required of that level. In this case, the coach would need to attend seminars, coaches clinics, and conferences where they can learn the skills needed to progress the athlete. It is this scenario that many students will leave a gym and seek out a program that has success at higher levels.

When coaches see talent in a young athletes, they will often place them in a special program that helps in accelerating their development. These athletes usually start in a recreational program as beginner students but quickly move up the levels until they are ready to be placed in a program to prepare them for the competitive aspect of the sport. It is these talented athletes that coaches hope to see progress and evolve into the Elite level program. To become an Elite level athlete is a dream of many students, however, only a small fraction of athletes ever make it to this level. There are many factors that play a part in whether an athlete reaches these high levels of sport and many are determined by the coaching.

Many coaches dream of having the opportunity to develop and train an athlete to an Elite level. It takes many years for an athlete to reach this level and many gymnastics programs are designed for this development. As career coaches and gym owners know, the number of participants decline as the level increases. This is due to the extreme difficulty of gymnastics. Not only is the physical demands extreme in this sport, the emotional demands play an even larger role. As the levels increase, the risk factors also increase. To reach the higher levels of gymnastics, the athlete must have a low fear factor which allows them to train the difficult skills without stressing about the risks involved. Through proper training and skill development using a variety of drills, the risks are greatly reduced which raises the confidence in the athlete. Coaches of athletes training at these high levels are very creative in developing drills to assist the athlete in learning correct technique in a safe and comfortable environment.

It is at these higher levels where the athlete is now spending many hours a week in the gym. It almost is considered “home” to many of these students. Many do not have much of a social life and most of their existence is lived in the gym. They actually spend more time with their coaches than their parents and family members. It is critical that the coaches of these athletes build a positive and strong bond with them. I have stated in previous posts the importance of creating a positive and exciting environment so the athletes can stay motivated and move forward in a positive direction (Coaching: Lets Be Positive). So many times, a negative or demeaning environment will create frustration, stress, and lack of motivation. When a person loves what they are doing, they are more likely to be motivated to put out the effort needed to succeed.

It is a very exciting time for the athlete and coaches when an athlete succeeds and moves up to the higher levels of sport. This is the objective and what all the hard work in the gym has produced. The coach, of course, plays a major part in this success and should also be rewarded for their efforts. As the levels become higher and an Elite status is earned, the commitment to the sport goes to a new level. Not only is the training extensive 6 to 7 days a week and 4-6 hours or more each day, the competitions become many and traveling extensive. The coaches need to be strategic at this level in preparing the students for this lifestyle. It is important that the training is designed to prepare the athlete for competitions. When preparing for major competitions, the training is more focused on routine training and consistency. New skill training takes a back seat during the heavy competitive season. There also needs to be some down time to allow the athlete to recuperate after a competition, especially if it was a major competition. Not only is there a physical demand in the preparation of training and competing, there is also a strong emotional demand. This needs to be considered to prevent the athlete, and coach, from burn-out.

For those coaches who are considering a career in this upper level training environment, they need to understand the commitment. It can be considered being “married” to your job. Little time is spent at home with late nights and weekend trips. If the coach has the passion and desire for this environment, just as the athlete has the passion and desire to be successful, both will succeed. It certainly is a joint venture between the coach and student. It takes motivation and effort for both in order to have a successful result.

Communication, Program Development, Skill Development, Staffing, Training

Gymnastics: Training Your Staff

June 6, 2018June 26, 2018 scottjohnsonsgymexperience

I have touched on this subject at different times in previous posts and wanted to elaborate in detail due to the importance of having a quality staff to grow the business. In sports that are highly complex and carry a particular risk factor, the importance of having a well-trained staff is going to determine not only the success of the business, but also the success and safety of the student. All sports have their own specialized means of technique in training skills, which the athlete must accomplish in order to progress. Since the sport of gymnastics is one of the most complex and complicated sports, it requires that the coaching staff have the proper knowledge and experience to train the athlete at their participating level to ensure quality and safety in the training environment.

At the recreational levels of gymnastics, the experience and knowledge requirements for the instructors are much more basic than the higher levels of sport. The students are learning basic elements like forward and backward rolls, bridges, and cartwheels. Although there are specific techniques required to perform these basic skills, it is not so complex that the coaches can, in most cases, be easily trained in a short period of time. However, with this stated, the trainer still needs to have extensive knowledge when training the technique to new coaches. Even the simplest of skills like the forward and backward roll has a particular set of technical rules that should be followed.

I have found that when training our coaches, it takes them some time to recognize and actually see what actions the student needs to improve. To train the eye of what to look for takes repetition and constant reinforcement from the trainer so the new coach can learn to recognize the areas of concern. One great training method is to ask the new coach what they see when a student performs a skill and what areas need to be fixed. Many times, they will not recognize the problem which is a great opportunity for the trainer to explain in detail what to look for specifically. Just as the athlete needs to train their skills, the coach needs to train their eye’s. Since the skills can be so complex, there are usually several different issues that can be corrected. What makes this even more difficult is that many of the skills move quickly so some issues are difficult to spot. For example, when a student is performing a run- hurdle – cartwheel, the run should be correct (not baby steps for example), the hurdle can have many issues like the length, height, arm and body position, and of course the cartwheel may have another set of issues to address. Most experienced coaches can see these concerns whereas a new coach may see very little of these same concerns.

The coaches job is to teach skills to the athlete so they can master them and improve their skill level. When a student is performing wrong or incorrect technique, the coach needs to correct this technique Every Time!! If this doesn’t occur, the student is reinforcing the wrong methods that will create bad habits. We all know that bad habits are hard to break. The coach needs to create good habits through consistent communication. The student needs to hear these corrections as much as possible so they can begin to understand what to focus on while performing the skill. And how should we communicate? always in a positive and constructive manner.

Another task that the coach needs to learn properly is how to physically spot the students on their skills. I discussed this in my post (The Art of Spotting) in detail as this is an important requirement for all level of coaches. We need to not only keep the students safe from injury, but spotting correctly also teaches body positioning on the skills which reinforces teaching the proper technique. Spotting is also a skill that takes new coaches time to learn. It is important that the coach is not put in a position to spot a student that they cannot physically manipulate or a skill that is more advanced than they are trained to spot. Both of these factors can cause injury to the athlete and/or the coach.

It is always best to have the new coach train and shadow other coaches initially so they can become comfortable with the environment and class structure. I have heard many stories of coaches being forced to run classes on their own their first day of work without any training. This can be stressful for the new coach and the students of the class. Remember, usually the parent is observing and if a class is not run efficiently, this willy look unfavorably for the gym program. When one parent is unhappy with a situation, they will certainly tell others and this can potentially spread rapidly within a community.

The success of every business is determined by the quality of the staff running that business. We are providing a service to the community and we have many competitors that are providing programs for children. Not just other gymnastics related businesses, but dance, martial arts, baseball, etc. The higher the quality of training and service the more opportunity the business has to achieve a greater market share. Remember, a business is only as successful at its staff. Let’s train them the correct way!!

For clinics, seminars, or special events, please contact me at: scottjohnsongymnastics@gmail.com

http://www.scottjohnsonstga.com

Injuries, Safety, Training

Injuries: Prevention and Repair

May 20, 2018September 25, 2018 scottjohnsonsgymexperience

All athlete’s will experience injuries throughout their careers. The higher the level of sport, the greater the risk of injury and seriousness of the injury. In the sport of gymnastics and cheer, not only is this a risk to the athlete, but the coach as well. We are all at risk and this discussion will focus on the probabilities, prevention, and repair of injuries.

If you’re an athlete, you’re going to have injuries. However, it is possible to highly reduce the chance of injuries through proper training. Coaches and athletes should always take the prevention approach throughout the training process. This starts by having a structured set of stretching exercises prior to every workout. In the competitive gymnastics industry, stretching is a major part of every workout and may last for 30 minutes or more. This certainly preps the entire body for strenuous physical activity and is a great means of prevention. We see stretching exercises done in other sports as well but not to the extent it should be. Many pulled and strained muscle injuries can be prevented through a comprehensive stretch session prior to the workout.

Safety should always play a key role in every training session. We discuss the importance of proper technique when teaching skills (The Technique Controversy) which is crucial in reducing the risks of injury. Every coach that trains an athlete needs to have the knowledge and experience to properly teach skills at the level they are training. Drills are a great way to develop skills which helps the athlete gain confidence while providing low risk factors. In addition, proper equipment should also be used in training sessions. The equipment should be in good working condition. Worn out or loose pieces of equipment can certainly be a risk hazard. Every gym should have an equipment safety checklist that is followed on a consistent schedule.

Coaches should also have good and efficient spotting skills to assist the athletes in learning their skills. When it’s time for the athlete to begin training new skills without the assistance of drills or equipment, the coach needs to have the ability to spot the skill. Many accidents and injuries can be prevented if the coach has this ability. I have seen and heard many stories of athletes getting injured due to no or poor spotting skills (The Art of Spotting). Every coach should know their limitations and not attempt to spot a skill they are unfamiliar with or spot a student they cannot safely manipulate.

Regardless of the prevention tactics used, injuries are going to occur. Most are minor, and some may be severe. As the difficulty level in sport increases, the greater the chance for serious injuries. When an injury occurs, it needs to be evaluated carefully in order for the correct diagnoses to be determined. Minor injuries such as a pulled muscle or joint sprang can be taken care of in-house by the coaches. It is important to pay close attention to the pain threshold of the student to give an idea of the severity of the injury. Many times, the initial response of a student getting injured can be quite dramatic, even if the injury is minor. The student needs to be cared for in a sensitive manner. After the initial shock, the coach will have a much better understanding of the nature of the injury and what action should be taken. We have all heard and possibly used the phrases “no pain-no gain” or “suck it up”. Although there are circumstances where this is justified, in many cases, it can create disaster.

The initial care of a minor injury such as a sprang or pulled muscle will require ice therapy. This will help to reduce the swelling and provide some pain relief. Every gym should have a fridge or freezer where ice packs and/or ice can be available. This therapy should last about 20 minutes. Heat should not be placed on any injury until about 72 hours after it has occurred. Of course, the athlete will need time for the injury to heal. This may take a few days or up to several weeks depending on the severity. It is important to allow the injury to heal or the healing process may take longer or possibly become worse. The healing process should require rehabilitation that will speed up the process as well as strengthen the injured body part. With more severe injuries, a physical therapist may be needed to direct a rehab program.

With many minor injuries, or if a person is recovering from a more serious injury, part of the rehab treatment may be to support the injured area with athletic tape, kinesiology tape or a brace. Many ankle and wrist injuries are treated with taping the joint for added support. When taping the ankle, the process and technique in taping is complex and needs to be done by a professional trainer or someone who is familiar with how to support the joint correctly (many elite athletes have learned to tape themselves due to trainers not being available for traveling events). If the taping process is not done correctly, the taping will not be effective. If a brace is used, I recommend using a brace made of neoprene material which will provide heat to the area as well as the support needed. These support types should be used in rehab only and not depended on in a consistent manner. To continue to use the brace after the healing process, the injured area will not regain its strength which will make it prone to additional future injuries.

In the event the injury is severe, like a broken bone, dislocation, or severe sprang, immediate medical attention needs to be taken. Every gym should have a recognized safety program that describes what steps need to occur in each situation. The staff should be trained for any potential injury that may occur. This may include the gym program outsourcing a certified safety professional to conduct an in-house seminar for the coaching staff. With extreme or catastrophic injuries, always call 911 immediately.

Not only are the athletes prone to injury, the coaching staff is also at risk. A gymnastics coach has a physically demanding position and prevention should also be recognized. Due to the spotting techniques needed to assist the athletes, the coach is constantly putting themselves at risk. Common injuries are broken noses, torn biceps, joint sprains, back strains, only to name a few. The same procedures should be followed in the prevention and repair as the athletes. If the coach is injured, they may not be able to work, which may create a staffing concern as well as a financial concern (for example, paying for substitute coaches). Know your limitations and do not put yourself at unnecessary risk.

As always, I would love to hear your comments. Also, if there are any subjects you would like me to cover, let me know and I will do my best to post my thoughts. Please Like and Share to all you believe will benefit from the information.

For clinics, seminars, or special events, please contact me at: scottjohnsongymnastics@gmail.com

http://www.scottjohnsonstga.com

Tag: Training

Confidence and the Mental Block

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Benefits of Gymnastics

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The Coach: Creating the Successful Athlete

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Gymnastics: Training Your Staff

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Injuries: Prevention and Repair

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