Subject: Coach problems

Sex: female
Age: 12
Gymnastics Level: 5

I’ve been doing gymnastics at my gym since 2006. Me and another girl have been training the longest at my gym. I feel as if i’m being left out sometimes, or as if my coach doesn’t think as highly of me, as the other girls. I’m in my 3rd year of level 5 and i don’t get any attention. I feel that he just thinks that in a couple years i’ll be gone, so whatever. Now, I’m not the best gymnast, but this year, i feel, is definitely going to be my best. There’s this other girl, who he brings to the side, when i asked him to watch my beam routine, he talks to her. He told her that she could make it to level 10, and how they need to get her to level 7 by the end of this year. Sometimes he sits us down and tells us what he expects from us by the end of this year, so like our goals. The other girls in level 5, he talks as they’re gonna go to the olympics one day. He says to them that he needs to get them to level 7 by the end of this year. And when he says to me, he’s say’s level 6. I just need that extra encouragement to show him that i can do it. But can I?

There has been a revolution in the thinking about who can become the best, who can achieve excellence, not only in gymnastics and sports, but in every area of life. The way to achieve excellence is contrary to what most coaches (and gymnasts and parents) think. As it turns out, there is no such thing as “talent” when it comes to achieving excellence. Excellence is achieved by putting in enough hours of the right kind of training. For you (and it should be that way with your coach as well), that means that – YES, you can do it.

The Two Things you Need To Do

There are two things that you need to do, in order to become the best gymnast you can be and keep up (or pass) the other gymnasts in your gym and at competitions. The first is to practice as many or more hours as they practice. The second is to be training the correct things, the correct way and in a purposeful manner.

Put in the Time

Success, in the long run, has a lot to do with the amount of training time a gymnast has put in. At your age, you could be training 5 – 6 days per week on becoming the best gymnast you can be. There are a number of ways you can put in more time – pay to train more hours with the team (if that is possible), pay for private lessons and/or train outside the gym on things, like weightlifting and flex training.

What’s the Right Training?

Success in gymnastics starts with sufficient strength and flexibility and benefits from exceptional amounts of both. In addition to that, you need to be working one the skills and progressions that lead to higher level optional gymnastics and work with the right body shaping (good form and execution of your skills). I am a firm believer in lifting weights for gymnasts and you are old enough to work out at a health club (with adult supervision). You can also work on your flexibility at home on your own or with a partner. You will likely need the help of your coach to make sure you have a good training plan for becoming a future high level optional gymnast.

What’s Your Problem and Its Solution?

You said that you were not the “best” gymnast, and there must be some reason for that, or for why you feel that way. Often, insufficient progress and success in gymnastics is a result of lack of strength or flexibility. Lifting weights one to two times per week, depending on how many days you train in the gym, could make you stronger, along with your regular strength training in the gym. Flexibility can make many of the skills you do, much more beautiful. Flexibility improvements come from spending time stretching daily – the more time you stretch, the more flexible you get. You can spend time outside the gym, making your flexibility exceptional, by spending extra time daily and doing partner stretching. You will also need to work with your coach on making sure you are working toward your future optional gymnastics goals.

Here is Your Motivation

You should already be feeling more motivated, now that you understand that with the right amount of training and training in the right way, you have as much chance as anyone to be the best. If you can work enough hours (one way or another) and train the right things in the right way, you can reach any gymnastics goals you may have and prove yourself to your coach, your teammates, but most of all to yourself that you can do it. I don’t know any coach who doesn’t appreciate extra work and extra effort. It may take you awhile to prove yourself to your coach. But with the initiative you have shown writing to me, you have proven that you really want this, and with extra work and effort, you will prove it to your coach as well.

Feel free to contact me if you need more help or if you have any other questions.