Having grown up knowing the benefits of physical activity, specifically gymnastics, for a child’s physical, mental and social growth, I was thrilled when my daughter, Indiana-Rose, took a liking to the sport at the age of 2. Indi was born with Cardio Pulmonary Stenosis and ended up having catheter heart surgery at almost 3 years of age. I remember Indi taking about 2-3 weeks off … Continue reading The Mum Spot: Cinnamon May’s Gymnastics Life
Positive mental preparation leading up to competitions Does mental prep make a difference? To know if mental preparation and planning for competition might be useful to you, ask yourself the following questions: What percent of performing your routines successfully in competition is related to your mindset? On a scale of 0 – 10, what would you rate the importance of your mental state to your performance … Continue reading Positive Mental Preparation for Competition with Dr. Sue Jackson
Let us know if you’re attending any of these events or if we missed an event near you! Continue reading August 22-28th Gymnastics Events
To start with, I recommend not owning (or using) the phrase “mental block”; use more neutral and forward-thinking language such as “this skill is one I am still developing” or “I am working on getting this skill”. Choose statements that work for you, but recognise that mental block is not helpful. Understand that there is a difference between thinking and focusing. Thinking is often about … Continue reading Overcoming Mental Blocks with Dr. Sue Jackson
We are excited to announce that Dr Sue Jackson will be a contributor to The Gym Spot. Dr Jackson is one of Australia’s most recognised Sport Psychologist’s, and has vast experience in the field, both through working with elite athletes and lecturing at Australian universities over the past two decades. Dr Jackson is the co-author of “Flow in Sports”, with the world renowned psychologist and … Continue reading Introducing Sports Psychologist, Dr. Sue Jackson
If anyone’s going to land one of the hardest moves in the history of gymnastics and be the first woman ever to do so, there’s no denying it’s going to be Simone Biles. Showcasing a triple double in her floor routine at the 2019 US Gymnastics Championships in Kansas City this weekend, Biles finished the competition with her sixth all-around title. The only other woman … Continue reading Simone Biles stuns with debut skills at US Gymnastics Championships
Listen to your body. Don’t ignore signals that your body is giving you about your ability to move through a certain range, or do specific movements. Listen to your treating therapists, for example, your physio or sports medicine doctor. Follow the guidelines they set out for returning from this injury. Mental imagery is an important psychological tool to use when recovering from an injury. Imagery … Continue reading Advice on Working Through Injuries with Sports Psychologist, Dr. Sue Jackson
