5 Tips For Motivating Your Gymnast - A Basic Overview

For every gymnast, there is a different motivational need.
This is the same in anything, really -- we all have
different ways in which we are given confidence in
ourselves, no matter what we do. Whether we write or draw,
sing or dance, we all need encouragement. Indeed, gymnasts
need encouragement in their sport more than many, because
they are actually attempting to train their bodies and
their minds in order to move correctly, to be able to take
the strain of the sport. As a parent of a gymnast, there
are many ways in which you can motivate your child. Some
of them might work. Some of them might not. Find what is
most comfortable for you and your gymnast and stick with
it. It's easier for you both that way.

Show Interest

First and foremost, in order to motivate a child--most
certainly a gymnast--you need to show interest in what they
are doing. If he or she feels as though you are
uninterested in the sport as a whole, then they may become
discouraged all together. How do you show interest, even
if gymnastics aren't your absolute favorite sport in the
world? Actually, it's pretty easy. First, you can warm up
with them before they train. Join in with their stretches
or their jogging, if you can. It feels good and it sets an
example. If you don't want to run around with them, then
you can ask them about their days at practice. What did
they do? What did they learn? Many young gymnasts will
jump at the chance to teach their parents something. It
gives them the sense that you have things to learn from
them, and all around, it is a wholesome feeling. Finally,
it's a good idea to attend at least one of their practices
every once in a while. Make the effort. It will be
worthwhile for everyone concerned. Also, good
communication with the coaches can be established there,
which can certainly be beneficial.

Education

Education about the sport is a great way to motivate your
young gymnast! For the enthusiast, this should be an easy
matter. Just take care not to overwhelm your child with
too much information at once. There is no dearth of
exciting information out there about gymnastics, from the
types of maneuvers that can be made in the many variations
of the sport: rings, vaulting, parallel bars, and so on.,
to the salaries of professional gymnastics specialists in
circuses and theatrical shows, to the accomplishments of
gymnasts around the globe. This can certainly foster
interest. If indeed it does, then encourage them to pursue
it!

Positive Feedback

When your child is involved with gymnastics, it is always
good to offer them positive feedback, no matter what they
do. Instead of pointing out flaws directly, you should
give them praise for what they did correctly in their
drills or in their competitions. Don't allow them to get
down about doing things incorrectly or incompletely --
instead, keep their spirits up by telling them to repeat
what they did correctly before. This is usually used in
conjunction with constructive criticism, and it generally
works the best out of all of the motivational methods for
the most people. For some, it can be somewhat irritating;
some actually prefer honest criticism so that they can
improve by knowing what they did wrong. For the majority,
it is heartening to hear someone say, "Well, this was
really impressive..."

Constructive Criticism

Used in conjunction with positive feedback, constructive
criticism gives an athlete an idea of what needs
improvement in a tactful and non-offensive way. If your
child is particularly sensitive to criticism, it may be a
good idea to just offer positive feedback, but most
generally, the combination of the two works nicely
together. There is a note you must be aware of before you
give your child any amount of constructive criticism, and
that is its timing. It's advisable not to do so right
after they have finished their training session. Wait
until just before they start the next one, so they have
some perspective on what they need to improve upon, without
feeling as though you're ready to "shoot them down," so to
speak. They'll definitely appreciate it.

Competition/Reward

Finally, for the more experienced gymnast, there is the
concept of competition-and-reward in the sport. This is
sometimes used by coaches to encourage their athletes to
compete against one another and to improve, all with the
promise of some kind of reward. It may be a pizza party,
it may be a day off, it really depends upon what level of
the sport your child is in. You can use it to your
advantage, too, in just about any way you can imagine!

Take note that punishment is not one of the recommended
motivational methods. Punishment is always negative and
decreases motivation in the long term. In fact, it may
even lead to the development of phobias or aversions in the
future.

With this in mind, I hope that your gymnast is motivated
and successful!

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