… For the first time, an entire collection of papers on “Gymnastics Psychology” by Drs. Joe Massimo and Sue Massimo, is available to athletes, coaches, and parents …
Amazon – Gymnastics Psychology: The Ultimate Guide for Coaches, Gymnasts and Parents
You can click around the official website — Psyched Gym — and the NEW book page, but there are a number of broken links.
Here’s a sample of the kind of content.
Dr. Joe Massimo – COACHING COMMANDMENTS:
Firmly establish your authority.
Maturely relate to your gymnasts, but not as a peer.
Minimize verbiage.
Have a sense of humor.
Never utilize sarcasm or negativity.
Be enthusiastic and encourage the same in the gym.
Be fair in your treatment of each gymnast.
Pay complete attention when working one on one.
Don’t tell a gymnast that their work is “good” when it isn’t.
Say “No” without guilt and “Yes” with out resentment.
…
read the rest on Gym Momentum
7 comments ↓
I do not agree with ANY gymnastics psychology terms/books ever. Each gymnast and each gym is different, that is what makes this sport the toughest in the world. Anyone, including Allison Arnold, cannot help a gymnast, because they do not know the atmosphere in which the athlete is training. Gymnastics is the “Kinesethic Socrates” of Sport. Please people, understand that this sport is like no other. Parents, kids, homework, family issues…..all these contribute to the well being of the success. John Geddert has found a way to “scare” his gymnasts into success. That is what works for his gym, not all. Find a way to relate to the gymnast and make them happy. Because in the end, happiness is what we all search for before death. ZO
not true. whilst every child & every gym is unique, we are all one and the same in the grand scheme of things. the psychology books are by no means a “recipie” but something to draw from and use in YOUR own unique way to help your individual gymnasts.
“John Geddert has found a way to “scare” his gymnasts into success”
i don’t think so. Sure he is loud, and has a take-no-prisoners approach, but i do not believe for a second that geddert scares his gymnasts into being successful. he is a brilliant coach, and one we will see much more of in the next few olympic cycles, im sure.
I disagree. While gymnastics is a very unique sport, it still overlaps with many other sports. Also as people in general tend to share specific traits psychologically, books like this which offer insights into how to train the mental side of your athletes are extremely useful.
“Also as people in general tend to share specific traits psychologically, …”
Exactly. Yes, each person is unique but each person also has a lot in common with other people.
As someone who has the book and has read the first Chapter, I can tell you that I am so far interested. When I finish the book I will write a full review.
@Agree
Clearly not everyone trains works or is coaches in a homogeneous way, so the book can’t offer specific individually directed recommendation, but no one is selling such a book here anyways. Regardless of what you believe, ignorance or incorrect application of sport psychology as a tool to improve performance is ultimately be a disadvantage in virtually every possible field or sport, situation, environment. There is countless research showing this to be true (I can begin citing but, only if people ask).
The book only offer case examples, principles, case reports. The coach has to draw from his experience to find relevance, and only then will you realize how your communication matters significantly more than you previously believed.
For example a distinction that many coaches do not make is the difference between Fear and Anxiety. A kid is ready for a skill, but they can’t get themselves to do it. 9/10 coach will tell the kid not to be afraid, and go, and give them little pep talk about how they will be ok, and have done it before, with only someone being close in proximity, this is no different (results will vary). The kid may or may not go as a result, but one thing is for sure, it seldom! works with kids I have/ or am coach/ing. And when it doesn’t more than likely 5/10 coaches will point of the failure to the kid, be negative, or eventually trying to bully them into doing the skill. The other 5/10 might resort to sport psychology for help
I try to be like the one 1/10 coaches who will recognize its not fear its anxiety that is holding the kids back, they actually want! to do this skill also (if they have taken an active part in their training). The treatment can be as simple as giving them a minute to focus on your breathing, relax, calm the nerves and center your focus on what needs to be done, see yourself doing it in your head and act out their your visual cues. Once they are centered without hesitation, and going in with a positive mind sent, the likely hood that they will attempt much sooner than compared the bullying approach is far higher.
Notice how I am not giving you any definitive answers. Each method has a varying percentage of effectiveness with each person. A good coach who knows his athletes, understands their motives, and goals. Knows with far better ability how to communicate with the athlete to motivate them sufficiently to overcome their anxiety. Fear, is a neuro mechanism, used to avoid perceived danger.
If you can understand that, you can begin to appreciate the benefit of sport psychology in coaching and its benefits. No book will make you a better coach, but the information presented in it might if you can apply it. I have not yet read a gymnastics, or scientifically sound psychology textbook that has ever told me this will 100% work.
Valentin Uzunov
TheGymPress.net
Never utilize sarcasm? Oops …
Great point, Valentin.
I always relate how they feel to my own experience trying to jump off a cliff into a cold lake. If I wait long enough, the neurochemistry stopping my feet from moving starts to fade away. Often waiting just a few more reps is enough. And that way the kids learn how to overcome future anxious moments.
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