That's a question that came up yesterday on the soccer field as I watched my son's travel team. I chatted with the parents of another player who also have a fifth grade daughter who competes in gymnastics. Her practice schedule includes three sessions a week each of which run four hours in length.
That is an intense commitment for an 11-year-old, who has to balance gymnastics with her participation in other sports, school work and social activities. Plus, her parents talked about the emotional aspect of gymnastics because it involves a highly physical skill set with a potential risk of injury.
In fact, if I recall correctly, the parents mentioned that several of the gymnasts already spend time with a sports psychologist as part of their training.
I have written extensively on this blog about my work with high school and college level athletes helping them raise the level of performance through hypnosis. Here are links to a few posts worth checking out:
Hypnosis for Exceptional Athletic Performance
Beach Hypnosis
Hypnosis Helps a Newly Minted College Athlete
Hypnosis for Hoops
I am cautious about the use of hypnosis for any one under the age of 16. A positive hypnotic experience requires a level of concentration and focus that may elude this younger set because of simple maturity.
Yet, some basic positive visualizations for a young athlete could be incredibly beneficial. It could spur confidence and instill important feelings of accomplishment.
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| Positive visualization can improve performance. Source: Gymnastics Revolution |
