A cheerleader recently asked me to answer a series of questions about mental blocks for a school project and I decided to record my responses. You can hear my answers to her questions by clicking on the link below. You can also download the mp3 version if you wish.
If you are a cheerleading coach and one of your cheerleaders develops a mental block, it is your job to try to figure out what happened. Sometimes it’s clear and the solution is easy. This is especially true when it is a technical issue and the fix is a matter of tweaking something the athlete is doing.
Of course there are the other times when the cause and the fix are not clear. As I mentioned yesterday, high stress families, especially families where feelings are not expressed or allowed or where conflict is not addressed in a healthy way, can be breeding grounds for all sorts of medical and psychological symptoms including mental blocks. (And by the way – high stress is a significant factor associated with sport injuries.)
You will have your own way of working with blocks and it’s good to follow through with what you usually do – especially if you have had success with other cheerleaders. But if you find the problem is not resolving or if the athlete is especially emotional, then you might want to consider assessing for family stress. So how do you do this? (more…)
As I have said before, there are many possible reasons why a cheerleader develops a tumbling mental block. Good cheerleading coaches recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all mental block nor is there a one-size-fits-all remedy.
It can be helpful to appreciate the psychological complexity of a block and so this article is devoted to exploring the impact of family stress on a cheerleader and how this might result in a block. (more…)
The power of positive thinking! If you are a cheerleader with a mental block, it is likely that at least some of your thinking is not that positive! I have already addressed the impact of negative thinking on cheerleading and tumbling performance but there is always something else to be said about it!
The 8th step from Debbie Love’s terrific Breaking Free (from mental blocks) System is:
Put a box somewhere that you pass frequently. Put paper and pen beside the box. Every time you pass the box you should write something positive about your tumbling and about yourself. This has even improved school work in several cases. (more…)
Psychologists know that if you want to change, you must keep a written record of your goals, your plans, and progress. Cheerleaders with mental blocks tend to live in their heads. In other words, if that’s you, you might be thinking too much! You might be preoccupied with thoughts of your mental block.
Well, by writing things down, you can get them out of your head and onto paper. And I mean paper, not a computer. You process things differently when you actually write them down as opposed to typing them. So, with that in mind, take a look at Debbie’s Step #7. (more…)
I have written a lot about the power of visualization in improving performance for cheerleaders. There are many kinds of visualizations. Like anything else in the mental game cheerleading, one size does not necessarily fit all and yet I heartily recommend that all cheerleaders incorporate some form of imagery or visualization in their practice plan.
The 6th step in Debbie Love’s wonderful Breaking Free from mental blocks system is:
Visualize 10-20 times a night the skills you are blocking on before falling asleep using the words from your scripting. Do this each night. (more…)
If you are a cheerleader with a mental block, you might be tempted to avoid the skill you’re blocked on. According to tumbling expert, Debbie Love, that is not a good idea.
Here is step #5 in Debbie’s Breaking Free from mental blocks system:
You need to do 10-20 repetitions of every skill you are blocking on three times a week. Stopping is not allowed. Complete each series whether connected or not. Otherwise, you will train yourself to stop. Make sure technique is good on each skill. You may spot, or if the athlete will do the skill somewhere by herself with good technique, that is fine also.
There is an ongoing internal conversation that happens when a cheerleader is executing a skill. When a cheerleader has a mental block, that conversation can take a nasty turn! For example, “I’m no good at this!” or “I’ll never get it right!” Or “Everyone is laughing at me!”
Do these sound familiar? Well, guess what – your brain perceives such statements as instructions! Therefore it’s critical that you be careful about what you are telling yourself. (more…)
Cheerleaders with mental blocks soon realize that there is usually no quick fix. Debbie Love’s 9-step plan called the Breaking Free System can be viewed on her website. Today’s post reviews step #3 of Debbie’s system.
Debbie has definite ideas about physical conditioning. She says, “If you fail to include a conditioning segment into your program you are asking for mediocre performance by your athletes.” Can’t get much clearer than that!! (more…)
I am recommending you set aside some time to review cheerleading and tumbling expert Debbie Love’s comprehensive website. Yesterday I began a series of posts dedicated to discussing Debbie’s 9-step Breaking Free (from mental blocks) System.
Today I will focus on her second step which is:
2) Remove all negative input and learn to understand the difference between tense and relaxed tone in your body. You may need to develop a ritual to do before your skills. Practice a relaxation technique by tightening and releasing each body part. (more…)