Is this a Common Conversation with your Gymnast?

“How was gym today?”
“Fine.”
“Did you have fun?”
“Yes.”
“What did you learn new?”
“Nothing.”

Do You Want to Know the Secret(s) about Asking Your Gymnast about Gym Without Getting More Than a 1 Word Answer

The first answer to getting more than a one word answer is to simply ask a question about gym that cannot be answered with one word.

The second secret is to ask your gymnast a question that will be interesting for them to answer.

It might be useful for you to know that anytime you ask a question, your gymnast must answer it. They may not necessarily answer it out loud to you, but their subconscious mind will be answering it in their mind, because that is the way the subconscious mind works and and the way it must work.

• If you were the coach, what would you have done differently today?
• What was the best thing that happened for you at gym today?
• Who do you think was the biggest help to you today and why do you think so?
• If you were the coach, what would you have done differently today?
• What made you happiest at practice today?
• What was the best thing you learned today?
• What about practice was boring?
• What did you laugh about today at practice?
• Tell me something weird that happened or something weird that someone said.
• If you were the coach, what would you have done differently today?
• If I called your coach right now, what would they say about you?

Regularly Ask Questions That Reinforce Behavior You Want Your Gymnast to Repeat

• What events did you work today? What progress did you make on each event you worked?
• Who did you help at the gym today? What did you help them with?

Watch/Listen Carefully and Determine What your Gymnast Wants to Talk about Most and Ask Follow-Up Questions

If you want them to talk more to you, find out what they are interested in talking about and ask them about that.

• Who did you work out with the most today? Who would you like to work out with most?
• What did you learn that will help you move farther in your gymnastics career? How does it move you forward?

Come Up with Your Own Questions

This is just a listing of a few questions to get you started and give you a direction. You know your own gymnast best. Figure out some personalized questions to ask. Your extra effort to memorize, come up with some new questions and carefully watch and listen to find out what your gymnast wants to talk about will likely get more than a single word answer (maybe even a full sentence or a whole paragraph). And it will give you both more to think about, laugh about and share together.