For the next couple weeks, we will be working on mental imagery and rehearsal for peak performance.  This means developing cue words to help gymnasts “replay” their best performances, routines, or skills.  It means practicing routines in their heads on a daily basis and feeling, seeing, hearing, and even smelling exactly how it should be in a competition.  You can even have your gymnast create a recording/video/script that details the entire meet (each routine) and help guide mental imagery practice.

Please encourage your gymnast to work on these mental rehearsal skills on a daily basis.  Picture what each skill in the routine should look like and feel like.  Explain how the perfect routine feels, etc. Additionally, click here for a great article from Canada’s ski program that you can definitely adapt to gymnastics: Mental Training for Entry Level Children-2 .  Please have your gymnast try some of these awesome activities.