PerformHappy with Rebecca Smith

Balking, also known as a mental block or a dip in confidence, occurs when an athlete struggles with a skill they’re fully capable of performing. Today Coach Rebecca responds to a coach's question about how to handle a student grappling with balking.  

She shares her current philosophy and two-balk rule, which includes a private discussion follows the first balk, and then the athlete is done for the day after the second balk. She also discusses the reasons why athletes balk. 

When balking happens, it reveals a fixed mindset, creating a black-and-white perspective. The brain perceives risk in the situation, triggering a fight, flight, or freeze response. It shows that the brain lacks confidence in the athlete's abilities, leading to a fear-based reaction rather than a rational one. 

“When you freeze up on a skill, you hesitate. That’s your brain sending a loud and clear message, “I’m not ready yet. I need to build more confidence first.” -Coach Rebecca Smith 

Here’s a three-step process for addressing this:

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

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Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

As parents, we all want the best for our young athletes, especially when they're going through tough times. But what should you do if your child resists the help and guidance we offer? In this episode, Coach Rebecca addresses this common concern and provides valuable insights for parents seeking ways to understand and support their athletes effectively. 

During their pre-teen and teenage years, it’s entirely normal for children to seek some distance from their parents. This developmental phase is marked by their quest for independence and the shaping of their identities. It's essential to recognize that their resistance might have a biological basis as their brains undergo significant changes during this period. 

In some cases, kids may not even realize they need help. We need to allow them space to recognize when they can improve and understand when to ask for help. Instead of arguing with them when they insist everything’s fine, try to agree with them while gently encouraging deeper reflection on their situation. Give them the freedom to figure things out and learn from their experiences. 

“Effort pointed in the wrong direction will actually decrease confidence.” -Rebecca Smith 

Embarrassment can also be a reason why young athletes avoid seeking help. They might fear standing out or being seen as different from their peers, especially if they require additional training or support. As parents, it's essential to create an environment where they feel safe to open up and share their challenges without judgment.

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

Today Coach Rebecca is talking with Gemma Coles. She’s the creator of the Shuffle Up Gymnastics game. Together they talk about her game, why she developed it and why fun is the secret to success. 

Gemma shares her gymnastics coaching background. She’s always loved gymnastics and it’s been a fun part of her life. She had such good memories of her childhood gymnastics experiences she knew she wanted to be involved as a coach. 

Coach Rebecca and Gemma also discuss coaching styes and why she wanted to coach the way she was coached, with an emphasis on fun.  

“The happier they are, the better they perform.” -Gemma Coles 

Gemma’s game is all about bringing fun to conditioning. There are cards that outline what the specific skill is and how to do it properly. There are 14 different games you can play with the cards. You can work independently and try to beat your own skill or with someone else. Even non-gymnasts can get involved! 

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

Do you want to develop unwavering mental strength and bounce back from setbacks in your gymnastics journey? Are you seeking a solution to build resilience and overcome challenges with confidence?  

Look no further! Today, Coach Rebecca is delighted to introduce Sydney Ewing, an expert in building resilience in gymnasts. She'll share valuable insights and tips to help you develop the mental toughness needed to achieve remarkable results. Get ready to unlock your inner strength and soar to new heights in the sport you love! 

Sydney Ewing is an inspiring example of resilience and determination. From her early days of gymnastics as a child, she navigated her journey through a series of injuries with courage and positivity. Despite having her sights set on becoming an Olympian, she found new paths to pursue when she encountered obstacles. Now a proud Michigan State University alum, she shares her wealth of experience and insights from her 19 years in gymnastics with budding gymnasts and their parents. 

In this episode we talk about:   

• The significance of tenacity in gymnastics despite roadblocks. 

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

Today, Coach Rebecca is doing a great training to help you stop stressing over things you can’t control. This episode is great for parents and athletes. Things happen that we can’t control, but here’s a go-to strategy you can use anytime.  

Stress shows up when we spend energy trying to control things that we can’t control.  You may fall into the “control freak” mode. Trying to force and manage things so everything is “perfect”. Another mode is the “worrier”, and sometimes we’re both! The bottom line for both of these is they’re created by fear.   

When fear runs the show, it creates so much wasted energy either trying to be perfect, or worrying about every little thing that might happen.  

Coach Rebecca shares what you can do instead of giving into fear. 

Strategy to Reduce Stress

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

If you're feeling frustrated and helpless as your young athlete struggles with self-doubt, anxiety, or lack of confidence, then you’re not alone!  

The good news: building inner confidence is a learned skill that can be cultivated with targeted strategies and support. That’s what Coach Rebecca is covering in today’s episode.  

The Inner Confidence Formula 

Parental involvement is essential in shaping a young athlete's sense of self-worth. Coach Rebecca discusses building inner confidence in young athletes and what parents can do to support that process.  

She shares how important it is for parents and caregivers to offer love, support, and affirmation to young athletes, regardless of their performance. She also highlights the negative impact of social media and conventional norms on athletes' self-esteem and gives practical tips on how to cultivate a growth mindset and embrace failure as an opportunity for learning.  

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:  

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

What’s better than one gymnast in the family? Two of course!  

In this episode Coach Rebecca is talking to the mother and daughter duo who are both competing in level 10 gymnastics. For everyone who’s been told they’re too old, Liz is going to prove otherwise! 

Liz shares her gymnastics journey that started when she was a kid. At 12 she began really pursuing higher level gymnastics and hasn’t stopped since, except to have her 2 kids.  

She’s proof that starting at 12 can work, and staying with it can work too. It’s okay to commit to your gymnastics training at any age.  

Maribelle has been doing gymnastics from a young age. She didn’t start training until she was 6 and that was when she told her parents that she really wanted to. She’s now level 10 and is a second alternate for nationals.  

She says that being in the gym with mom and dad coaching works,

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This episode is for anyone who’s had trouble with a coach, or found themselves worried about going to practice, obsessing over being perfect and more. Brook shares her story and how she became the coach she always wanted for herself.  

Topics discussed:  

• Understanding how to manage fear 

• Expectations of compliance, how it can hurt and how to deal with it 

• When shaming and rigid rules don’t work and a better approach 

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

Today Coach Rebecca explains why the confidence ladder approach doesn’t work and can even backfire. She’s breaking it down AND explaining what will work instead.  

Parents, there’s a better way to overcome mental blocks that works, will help your kid, and make things less stressful for both of you.  

If you aren’t sure what a confidence ladder is, Coach Rebecca breaks that down for you. It’s meant to create a confidence snowball and it sounds like it will work in theory, until it doesn’t. 

Here’s the misconception around using this tool; it focuses your motivation on a specific thing which sounds good, but for many kids it feels like a pass/fail situation. Awareness comes first, before confidence can show up.  

A mental block is temporary. When there’s an inflexible goal (step one or two on the ladder for example) the teen brain doesn’t always respond with confidence, so now there’s the feeling of failure.  

Hear how Coach Rebecca explains the problem-solving process. It’s based on trying, paying attention, gaining a bit of wisdom, then reset.  

There are 3 steps to bre

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

You’ll do anything for your kid. You want them to be happy, healthy, successful, and supported, but your athlete is still struggling.  

Today we’ll talk about if you’ve accidentally became one of those moms. The ones that are unknowingly and accidentally adding pressure, and I’ll explain how to modify your support to help your athlete overcome their struggles!  

The goal here is to make sure you’re a part of the solution. We’ve learned in the last year how much parents can impact a happy, healthy, successful kid. We’ve seen it over and over. When parents change their approach, the athlete gains confidence and excels.  

Here are 5 questions to ask yourself. Track how many of your responses are a yes.  

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com