Mental block

[cutiesk8r43]

my coach says I have a mental block which is (according to my coach) why i can't land my axel.she thinks that since I fell really hard on the ice trying to do my axel that I put a mental block telling myself that I can't do it because I fell and it hurt really bad (i don't know if any of this makes sense) does anybody know what I mean :?:
if so do you have any tips on how to get rid of it.
thanx in advance
~cutie ;)

[samba]

I doubt there is a single skater that doesnt know what you mean, mental block is a survival instinct as much as anything else, its a bit like swimming, all you do is move your arms and legs and away you go but if you cant swim it aint that simple.

When I first learnt a 3 jump I had a "mental block" I used to try to abort half way through the jump and you guessed it I always ended crumpled up on the floor, I know how to do any jump you like, singles, doubles, triples, trouble is my "mental block" wont let me.

Just keep trying and you will get there, I wish I could even get that far but alas I think at 56 its all a little too late my "mental block" keeps me alive.

Cheers
Grace

[Mrs Redboots]

I developed a mental block this morning - husband and I slipped on a LFO edge, landed in a heap on the ice and his skate scraped my leg. When I had mopped off the blood, I got back on the ice, and we went back to what we were doing - but I couldn't do a LFO chasse in Kilian hold for love nor money! Ended up having to do them in waltz hold with him going backwards to reassure myself that yes, this was an easy step, and finally managed a couple before he had to go.... so I hope I won't have a block on them tomorrow. I better not, is all....

[crayonskater]

One thing I've found about mental blocks in skating and other things -- the more you obsess over them, the harder they are to get rid of. What you need to do is trick your brain into forgetting it's supposed to have a mental block!

For example, if I was having a mental block towards writing an essay, I might just force myself to write anything that comes to mind, even if that it 'This essay is retarded and I don't know what to write.'

For skating, I know that a lot of things are easier if my mind isn't obsessing over them. You could try working on whatever you're working on in time to music, so that you're thinking about timing to the music, rather than the jump. Or you could just decide to have fun with a friend for a day; if she jumps, you jump, and concentrate on 'me too!' rather than the jump.

The trick is to focus on something else completely so your mind just shuts up a bit while you get your confidence back.

[flo]

Hi,
I had that with doubles after a hard fall. What I did was to watch the kids. They fell and got up and fell and got up and fell and got up and .....
It reminded me that it's a part of learning the jump. After that, I didn't tense up about falling - tensing up or bailing on a jump makes it so much more dangerous-, but let it happen. So I'm still doing doubles, still falling, and I'm still getting up.

[samba]

I developed a mental block this morning - husband and I slipped on a LFO edge, landed in a heap on the ice and his skate scraped my leg. When I had mopped off the blood, I got back on the ice, and we went back to what we were doing - but I couldn't do a LFO chasse in Kilian hold for love nor money! Ended up having to do them in waltz hold with him going backwards to reassure myself that yes, this was an easy step, and finally managed a couple before he had to go.... so I hope I won't have a block on them tomorrow. I better not, is all....
Poor Annabel I hope you are ok now, at least you got back on, I can be such a wus when it comes to anything like that. I have 22 step phobia, cant do it, wont do it, I fell badly once and the memory lingers on.

Take care
Grace

[Mrs Redboots]

Poor Annabel I hope you are ok now, at least you got back on, I can be such a wus when it comes to anything like that. I have 22 step phobia, cant do it, wont do it, I fell badly once and the memory lingers on.

Take care
GraceI still can't see how I have a very large bump on my knee, as though it had contacted the ice, when it is the outside of that leg that has the most impressive scrape on it, and four lesser scratches! Stings a bit, but not too badly.

[jenlyon60]

Did Mr. Redboots perhaps bump your knee as you-all went down, and perhaps you didn't notice that bump because of the side-effects of the unplanned blood letting?

[Andie]

Yeah I know what you mean... even though I'm not very advanced, I still sometimes do worse on certain moves if I try TOO hard. Especially seems to happen at times during a lesson, I get nervous about doing something and mess up. But then when I'm practicing on my own, I'm not as nervous and it comes easier.

[Mrs Redboots]

Did Mr. Redboots perhaps bump your knee as you-all went down, and perhaps you didn't notice that bump because of the side-effects of the unplanned blood letting?Also didn't notice - until I went to bed & tried to lie on it - the huge bruise on my left hip! Ah well.... these things happen..... graze looks even more spectacular today, but I can't even feel it, although I'm well aware I'm bruised. Had trouble doing my off-ice exercises, too, on that side. But managed to dance with Husband in Kilian hold as though nothing had happened, so that's all right!

[yorkie]

I think every skater goes through mental block at some point. I think the best way to get over it, is to just keep trying and practice it. Don't be scared to fall over. As my business teacher said, its all part of the learning cycle. Take babies, they learn by falling over. If they fall they always get up and try again, thats how they learn and thats how i have learnt to get over my mental block. Just got to keep trying, you wil get there in the end.

Yeah I know what you mean... even though I'm not very advanced, I still sometimes do worse on certain moves if I try TOO hard. Especially seems to happen at times during a lesson, I get nervous about doing something and mess up. But then when I'm practicing on my own, I'm not as nervous and it comes easier.

I have the same problem. Im not nervous in my lessons anymore, I was to start with but as I got to know my coach more i relaxed more. She's seen me laugh, cry, fall, make complete idiot out of myself, but I now just feel like I have known her for ages and no matter how bad my lesson is, she wont mind and will always be there to support me.You do relax as time goes by, believe me. Anyway, take my spins for example, I've been doing some pretty good spins out of my lesson but when it comes to showing them to my coach I just cant do them and I mess up.

Hannah. x

[cutiesk8r43]

I have the same problem. Im not nervous in my lessons anymore, I was to start with but as I got to know my coach more i relaxed more. She's seen me laugh, cry, fall, make complete idiot out of myself, but I now just feel like I have known her for ages and no matter how bad my lesson is, she wont mind and will always be there to support me.You do relax as time goes by, believe me. Anyway, take my spins for example, I've been doing some pretty good spins out of my lesson but when it comes to showing them to my coach I just cant do them and I mess up.

Hannah. x

how long have you had your coach? I've had mine for about 3 years and I still get nervous lol, or does it take longer
~cutie ;)

[*IceDancer1419*]

I can't remember for the life of me what I was going to say I had a mental block for... oh, I think KIND OF (though not too much) spirals. I fell multiple times on them really hard, and my knee is killing me because of them, so I've been a bit afriad to try... even though they're one of my better moves :roll:

As far as trying too hard... THREE TURNS!!!! I always think wayyyyy too hard because I'm convinced I can't do the "step forward" part of the outside 3s (on the mitf pattern)... so then I totally screw up. The few times my coach helped, by kinda barely holding my hand, I was thinking about something totally different, and I did them fine. GRAH :roll:

[yorkie]

how long have you had your coach? I've had mine for about 3 years and I still get nervous lol, or does it take longer
~cutie ;)

I've had mine about a year, but i was doing joint lesson till about 4 months ago. Im sure you will feel less nervous as time goes by. I know my mate still feels nervous with her coach and shes been skaing for over 4 years. I guess it depends how well you get on with your coach. I do get lesson when i just feel nervous and mess up completely but i guess that how it goes really.

Hannah. x

[stardust skies]

how long have you had your coach? I've had mine for about 3 years and I still get nervous lol, or does it take longer
~cutie ;)

You're supposed to be nervous when your coach is around, if you care what they think. It's normal, and it's good for you. That's the climate in competition anyway- so if you cannot skate as well in your lessons cause you're nervous then it'll be the same at your comps in front of the judges, not to mention your coach will be there anyways. It's something in your head, and it's something for you to work on. It does not go away on its own. Not unless your coach becomes your friend (which I would venture to say is more likely to happen in adult skating- I personally consider my coaches just that, coaches, and they could never be anything else), and then I believe it's time to switch coaches. If you could successfully be coached by friends, no one would pay coaches. If you're still nervous after 3 years, I'd say it's a good sign that you're with the right coach. Just my thoughts.

[jazzpants]

Not unless your coach becomes your friend (which I would venture to say is more likely to happen in adult skating- I personally consider my coaches just that, coaches, and they could never be anything else), and then I believe it's time to switch coaches. If you could successfully be coached by friends, no one would pay coaches. If you're still nervous after 3 years, I'd say it's a good sign that you're with the right coach. Just my thoughts.Hmmm? Depends on the coach for me.

I certainly don't work that way. With my primary coach, he's a friend (not close friends but friends.) However, I work hard b/c I want to get better for myself and I don't want to disappoint him!

Both of my coaches know that the best way to motivate me is not to scare me, but to either 1) get me mad enough to say "I'll show them!" or 2) humiliation. Works every time!!! :lol: :twisted:

And I'm pretty sure I know of at least another skater who's very afraid of her coach on ice... (as in scary scary!!!) but off ice, they're very good friends...

[stardust skies]

Yeah, I guess thinking about it, it must be dependant upon each skater's personality. Personally, if a coach tried to humiliate me into doing something, I'd probably laugh and walk off the ice, and then fire him. I'm not paying him to make fun of me. But it does work for a lot of people. So I guess my thoughts above were just my personal preferences as far as what a coach should and should not be. I phrased it as if I thought it would work for everyone, and that isn't the case. Sheesh, second bad phrasing of the day, I am really letting myself slip. I just feel, if I get friendly with a coach, then I won't be afraid of him dropping me for one of my competitors, because we'll be friends. So I won't work as hard. Or I'll feel like he can overlook me gaining a pound or not being into practice, cause he's a friend. It would make me work less hard. But some people would work harder with a friend than a stranger, that makes sense too. I guess the important thing is identifying what sort of coach motivates you the best, and sticking with that particular kind.

[batikat]

If you could successfully be coached by friends, no one would pay coaches. .

But friend or not you would still pay for the coaching. The on-ice student /coach relationship is seperate from the friendship. It does seem to differ from person to person and that's why it's important to find a coach that suits you. I've a friend who had one of those shouty coaches and I know that if I took from him I'd be shouting back and never get anythng done. We asked her why she put up with it and she said because she wanted to win. Which seems to work for her but I've beaten her and my coach never shouts at me, (he's not always very complimentary ;) but he never shouts). I prefer him not to be there at competitions since if I skate badly I don't want him to see me let him down and it makes me very self-conscious so I skate better if he is not there. Others find the support from their coach at competitions invaluable.

As for mental blocks I often find that a good way is to find someone to teach whatever you are having a block about. While you are busy talking them through it and demonstrating it, your body gets on and does it. You do have to talk out loud which can seem silly but it keeps the mind occupied.

It also seems to work (for me ) for things I can't do. Talk someone else through it while demonstrating and suddenly I've done it. Doesnt always work but worth a try.

[Casey]

I've only had one coach, but for me, she's not demanding enough...she'll say things are fine when I know they're not perfect and not point out the flaws until a later lesson, presumably when I've become a bit better overall and she feels those flaws actually matter. When she does point out errors, she's really nice about it. This isn't bad or wrong, and I can see how her coaching style would be very beneficial to many skaters, especially adults (she's often recommended to adults), but I personally want somebody a lot more demanding. I don't need a friend, I need somebody who's going to understand what I have the capability to correct *now*, who will never be fully satisfied with any element. I want a very critical eye that I have to keep working harder to please and somebody who's not very happy if I haven't been practicing something I was supposed to, not kind understanding all the time. At the same time I don't want humiliation, at all. I agree with stardust there - if a coach made fun of me it would slow my progress and that would probably be the end of my using that coach. There's a big difference between being demanding and being demeaning.

I think different coaching styles work well for different people though, so the key is finding a coach who's style you like (stardust recently gave me some very excellent advice - go to the rink, don't skate, and just watch them all giving lessons to get an idea of their style and technique they teach), whom you can communicate openly with, and who will suite your individual needs from a coach.

[LoopLoop]

Casey, I understand what you mean, but if your coach is experienced she may have reasons for giving you corrections in a certain order. When in doubt, ask! There's often a reason why nobody expects perfection early in the learning process; for example, nobody expects Alpha-level skaters to have crossovers at the level of a FS5 skater. But when she gives you corrections that you think you could have fixed earlier, ask her why she waited, and explain that you don't need your confidence built, you want to be pushed on the ice.

[Casey]

explain that you don't need your confidence built, you want to be pushed on the ice.
Oh, I have, and she's gotten better, but still says I shouldn't be so hard on myself. On the contrary, yes I should, and she should be too! Heheh...well while I do like her coaching overall, I'm changing coaches because I moved and it's a long drive to get to my old coach and I can't afford to keep up insurance on or fix my car; so I'm looking for somebody a bit tougher out of the box this time around. ;-)

[cutiesk8r43]

Oh, I have, and she's gotten better, but still says I shouldn't be so hard on myself. On the contrary, yes I should, and she should be too!

I wish my coach would tell me that! :D
~cutie ;)

[Mrs Redboots]

My coach has a habit, which I find incredibly annoying, of suddenly coming up with a correction that absolutely transforms whatever it is I'm trying to do. So once I said to him, "Look, why on earth didn't you tell me that six months ago?" to which he replied, "Six months ago it wouldn't have done any good - you weren't at a stage when you could have profited from it!"

Mind you, some of the time I think that's just coach-speak for "I only just thought of it". Cynical, moi? :halo:

[doubletoe]

Hi, Cutie. Your coach is right. Most of our problems with the axel are mental. And the same is true of all of the double jumps, too!
My advice is to stop worrying about the axel and start working on your double salchow or double toeloop. Once you start landing your double salchow or toeloop, you'll think, "Hey, the axel is just 1.5 revolutions, no problem!" and you'll do it. That's what happened when I hit a mental block with the axel. I ended up warming up for the axel by doing double salchows, and then I was fine. Skating is a funny thing. :)

[*IceDancer1419*]

One of my friends at my rink has a similar problem... she goes into the axel but just doesn't end up pulling it off (close, though!) because she's a little afraid to give it her all. :) No real advice, though... I think the double thing sounds useful. :)

[cutiesk8r43]

Hi, Cutie. Your coach is right. Most of our problems with the axel are mental. And the same is true of all of the double jumps, too!
My advice is to stop worrying about the axel and start working on your double salchow or double toeloop. Once you start landing your double salchow or toeloop, you'll think, "Hey, the axel is just 1.5 revolutions, no problem!" and you'll do it. That's what happened when I hit a mental block with the axel. I ended up warming up for the axel by doing double salchows, and then I was fine. Skating is a funny thing. :)


Maybe you should talk to my coach lol because I asked her if I could start on a double salchow and she just gave me a look like get your axel first! :roll:
So I agree with you but I doubt my coach will :frus:
~cutie ;)