Competitions

     I think that all gymnasts know how stressful competitions can be. There is so much preparation and dedication that goes into winning one event that is only about four hours of your life. But for most competitive gymnasts, they are your life. When you go to practice, you are going for one main reason, to prepare for an upcoming meet. Otherwise, what exactly are you preparing for? In this article, you will learn different ways to cope with these common stresses and you will also be armed with some awesome techniques that can change your gymnastics career for the better. First thing is preparation. When things get down to the wire, it is important to pay attention to what your coach is saying. If they think that you should tweek something in your routine, then tweek it. If they think that you should alter your passes, then alter your passes. As annoying as it may be, your coaches only want to make you look as good as you can for the up and coming meet. As a gymnast, it is only instinct to want to take risks and try new things each and everyday. However, right before a competition is not a good time to throw a triple full on concrete. Just think about what might happen if you get hurt and you are out for the meet or even the entire season! Imagine what that could do to your career! Make sure that you are being conscious of what you are doing in practice as well. Don't make too many changes to your routines and passes right before the big day. I think almost every gymnast in the entire world has had this one fear at least once in their career. Forgetting their routine. There is no better way to set yourself up for that awful moment than to tweek your routine too much before a competition. Then, as soon as you get to the meet, you forget what changes that you have made to your routine and/or passes. Before you know it, your routine looks nothing like the way you started in the beginning of the season, and your coaches and teammates can't help you if you where to forget because every time they see your routine it looks a little different. Be sure to get lot's of rest the night before meets and do your best when you are at them. Your placing doesn't matter as much as how hard you try. As long as you give it your best, that's all anyone can ask for.

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