Stop letting injuries hold you back!
Check out our podcast: Gymnast Mindset Guest Lecturing at The University of Nebraska: Bouncing Back from Injuries.
I understand that injuries are often very physically restricting, but I also know that most injuries effect gymnasts mentally more than anything else.
If you have a long gymnastics career, injuries in are going to happen. Almost no high level gymnast is competing completely injury free.
That doesn’t mean that you STOP getting better just because you are injured.
That is a common misconception: I am hurt and can’t get on the equipment so there is no way I can get better.
That is true ONLY if you believe it and let it become true!
I have seen gymnasts emerge from injuries stronger than before the injury happened.
Most gymnasts, however, let it affect them negatively in their mind. They focus on how much practice they are missing, how their competitors must be getting better, how the injury will affect them in the future. They put all of their energy and focus on the negatives and fail to realize that this could be the best thing that happened to them.
Our gymnasts aren’t allowed to dwell on the downside of their injuries…
When a gymnast gets injured, have them do the following:
1. Make a list of all the gymnasts you know (do research if you have to) who achieved your goal with an injury or less than ideal circumstance.
This is usually easy for most gymnasts to do. If these gymnasts can do it, why can’t you?
2. Make a LONG list of the ways you CAN get better in gymnastics even with your injury.
There are SO many ways gymnasts can get better even if they cannot physically train:
- RECOVERING (sometimes that’s exactly what you need)
- Renewing your passion for the sport
- Getting stronger in other areas (just because one ankle is injured, doesn’t mean that you can’t strengthen your core and your arms).
- Etc.
Again, MOST injuries affect your mind than anything else. I’m not telling you to be compete through serious injuries, BUT you can and will get better even when you are injured if you DECIDE to!
Whatever happens to you in this sport, you have to truly believe that it is the best thing for your training and career.
Focus on the negative, and your minor injuries will turn into major injuries and major injuries into career enders. Focus on the positives, and they will make you better than you were before the injury!
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