Gymnastics Blogs - David Bellinger

Olympic athletes have the power to inspire, motivate, and influence audiences. They are the best athletes in the world! I believe that we can learn a lot from these amazing performers, as long as we know what to look for… This blog is all about how to see the invisible game behind the performance. I encourage you to watch the Olympics with a new eye – try to gain insights into these Olympians’ performances that are not available to the average viewer. Looking at the mental game adds a new dimension to the viewing experience and heightens the excitement as… more »

The topic for this blog is how to help athletes perform well during competitions. I will address this question from the perspective of a parent or coach. However, as a teammate, you could also benefit from reading this blog and utilize the same techniques. As a parent or coach, you play a crucial role in helping your athletes perform their best. The support you provide them is probably the most important factor that contributes to their success. The power of this emotional support should never be under estimated. Just being there to support your athletes is often enough to empower… more »

Thank you for the responses concerning what you would like to learn more about. The most popular questions related to dealing with nerves and helping athletes perform well during competitions. I will address the first question in this blog and the second question in my next blog. Here we go… Generally speaking, the secret to performing your best when it matters most is being able to get your mind and body in sync and working together. You do that by using the various mental skills and techniques that I have presented in the previous blogs. The great thing about all… more »

I have already introduced the topics of imagery, goals, and composure (relaxation under pressure), so I will not go into detail about those topics. Instead, I want to ensure that you know that these mental skills can be used to help you overcome fear and conquer your mental blocks. I encourage you to look back into the archived blogs and read or re-read the information about those topics. Often times, you will find something NEW that you didn’t remember from before and that can help you improve that skill even more. Since this is the last blog of the mental… more »

True mental toughness is achieved when you have a strong balance of all mental skills. However, one of the most important and difficult mental skills to master is that of focus (sometimes called concentration). The reason focus is so difficult to control is because most people don’t even think about it and we are all easily distracted at times. To help you improve your ability to stay focused during practices or competitions, use your cue words (see my last blog on Confidence for more details). Too many gymnasts allow their attention to be consumed by things that are outside of… more »

Confidence is the antonym of fear! Confidence is built from several factors: past successes, preparation, support from others, and self-talk (how you talk to yourself). Each factor is important, but today I will only highlight the concept of self-talk. We constantly talk to ourselves, both in our heads and sometimes even out loud (this is when some people may think you are crazy). Our self-talk can be both positive and negative. This distinction is important because positive self-talk can build your confidence while negative self-talk is sure to erode and eventually destroy your confidence (leaving you subject to all of… more »

This is the last blog of the mental blocks series. The fear of success is probably the least common of all the fears that athletes face, but it still occurs. The reason that it is so rare is because it seems so counter-intuitive. Since you try to avoid things that you are afraid of, the fear of success means that you try to avoid success. But wait a minute? Don’t all athletes want to be successful? The reason some athletes have a fear of success is because they are afraid that they can’t handle the pressure associated with being successful.… more »

The next common mental block is the fear of embarrassment. This is a very difficult fear to overcome because it has some deep seeded roots. Everyone wants to be liked and accepted by others. This refers to the need for social approval. Therefore, if others disapprove of you or something you do, then you become embarrassed and feel very uncomfortable because you are not being “liked and accepted by others.” Athletes most often encounter this fear when they are performing under pressure. This pressure may come from the athlete themselves or from others (parents, coaches, teammates). They feel this pressure… more »

In my last blog, I introduced you to the fear of failure. I mentioned that this fear is a natural part of sport and is an “unacceptable” fear. This is because there is nothing at risk except for your personal pride. The fear of injury is also an inherent part of gymnastics, but this fear can be classified as “acceptable.” This is because it is more important to consider the realistic risk of being injured, as a serious injury could end your season or even your career. Therefore, if attempting a skill that you are not ready to do, the… more »

A common problem in gymnastics is having a “mental block.” But what is a mental block? Simply put, a mental block is a fear that is preventing you from performing a specific skill. Why is this important? Because if you are limited in the number or type of skills that you can perform, your overall potential in the sport of gymnastics is limited! This is a big problem if you plan to compete at a high level or progress to the next level from where you currently are. So if fear is the cause of a mental block, then we… more »

Are you setting effective goals? Here’s the test to find out if you are setting effective or ineffective goals. Ask yourself, “Do I set big goals that I struggle to achieve because they are either too big or take too long?” If you answered yes, then keep reading to learn how to set goals more effectively. Draw out a large pyramid on a piece of paper. Divide the pyramid into 3 sections. The top of the pyramid is your big, long-term goal. Then, you need smaller goals to help you get to the top. Those smaller goals are your short-term… more »

Have you ever heard a coach or athlete talk about “being composed under pressure” or “maintaining composure”? Did you think to yourself, “what does composure mean?” or “how do you do that?” In this blog, I am going to give you 3 simple relaxation techniques for you to try whenever you feel nervous or have tense muscles from stress. By keeping a calm, relaxed mind and body, you are maintaining your composure under pressure. These techniques show you how to do just that! You should try all 3 techniques before you decide which one is your favorite and works best… more »

Most athletes have experienced the sensation of butterflies in their stomach before an important competition. Many athletes would say that this feeling means they are nervous. What happens when you get too nervous? What if you are not nervous enough? Is it possible for you to manage your nerves under pressure? If so, how can you do it? These are just a few of the questions that I get asked by athletes in all sports. Let’s answer each of these questions… What happens when you get too nervous? Nervousness is experienced differently by every athlete. The most common descriptions include… more »

During the Beijing Olympics, it was very interesting to watch what the gymnasts from different countries were doing just before their routine. What you could see is that almost every athlete kept doing the same thing before each event. In other words, they went through a mental routine before their physical routine. Having a mental routine is one of the most important things you can do to help prepare yourself properly and perform at a high level consistently. What is a routine? A routine is a set of thoughts and behaviors that are purposefully designed to help best prepare you… more »

This week, we are continuing on the topic of imagery. Imagery is simply creating or re-creating an experience in your mind. That means that you can see yourself performing something you have never done before, or you can mentally review a physical performance that you just completed. Imagery is using your mind’s eye to help you perform at a higher level more consistently! Let’s review some common questions about imagery… How can I avoid negative imagery? The most common example of negative imagery is seeing yourself falling during a routine. In order to correct this, you have to go back… more »

Many athletes and coaches have mentioned that they use imagery (also called visualization) every day in practice and before every routine in competition. This is one of the most widely used mental skills and also one of the most fun! However, just knowing that most gymnasts use imagery does not help YOU get better. Keep reading for more information about imagery and how it can help improve your performance. What is imagery? Imagery is creating or re-creating an experience in your mind. It is similar to daydreaming or having a nightmare, but your imagery is more controllable than either of… more »

Welcome to the Mental Edge! Every Monday, new videos are posted on what athletes are doing mentally to help them perform their best. This section is designed to provide more information about the mental skills that athletes all over the world are using. David Bellinger, a Sport Performance Consultant, will provide more details about the mental skills that are presented in the videos and other skills that you can use to help maximize your performance. Keep checking back for more posts to help you develop your own mental toughness. Welcome Hi! My name is David Bellinger and I am Sport… more »