While the sport of gymnastics is a physically intense and grueling activity, one of the most challenging aspects of the sport is having to deal with mental blocks. It can be incredibly frustrating to experience fear or forget how to execute a skill that you are fully capable of performing.
Understanding Mental Blocks in Gymnastics
A mental block is the inability to carry out a skill that an athlete previously executed with no issues. Gymnasts who face mental blocks commonly describe feeling trapped, frozen, mentally blank, or as if their thoughts are clouded.
Mental blocks are psychological barriers that can hinder a gymnast's ability to perform skills they have mastered. These blocks can be presented as fear, anxiety, or a sudden loss of confidence, making it challenging for gymnasts to execute their routines successfully.
While mental blocks can stem from various sources, including past injuries or performance pressure, they can also be influenced by factors such as stress, fatigue, and inadequate nutrition.
Various factors contribute to the development of mental blocks in gymnastics.
As noted by Mindset and Performance Coach, Rebecca Smith, MA, these barriers can arise from a range of causes, such as:
Social Factors or significant changes (e.g., transitioning to a new coach, gym, or school)
Ineffective Coaching
Fear of injury or re-injury
Fear of embarrassment
Perfectionism (concerns about disappointing others, fear of failure, fear of not meeting expectations)
Negative imagery
Progressing too rapidly
Fear of success
Nervousness
Physical changes related to growth, development, and bodily transformations
While many performance coaches instruct gymnasts on mental toughness techniques to conquer their mental barriers, a significant component of this equation is frequently overlooked:
Nutrition!
Energy Deficiency and Cognitive Function - A Real Life Example
Allow me to share a story about a gymnast from my Elite Coaching Program:
Over the past two years, this gymnast battled consistent mental blocks. They started on floor (with back tumbling) and pushed their way onto every event. However, her struggles with mental barriers were getting worse, often leaving her feeling frustrated and almost in tears leaving the gym.
Seeking nutritional guidance to enhance energy levels and facilitate recovery from injuries, this gymnast uncovered an unexpected revelation – her challenges with focus, mood regulation, and mental blocks were closely tied to inadequate fueling!
By prioritizing and emphasizing on nutrition and adopting simple strategies to better suited for her body's needs, it made all the difference for this gymnast! With enhanced mental clarity, she implements her mental resilience training and navigates challenges without it leading to frustration. A newfound sense of confidence on the competition floor was discovered, and she was able to compete skills she hadn’t competed for in years!
The Impact of Under Fueling on Mental Performance
The food you eat and the way you fuel your body can have major impacts on your mental state.
Proper nutrition is a foundation of athletic success, providing the body with the fuel and nutrients it needs to function optimally. In gymnastics, where precision, strength, and agility are paramount, under fueling can have detrimental effects on both physical and mental performance. Insufficient caloric intake or imbalanced nutrition can lead to low energy levels, decreased focus, and impaired cognitive function, all of which contribute to the development or exacerbation of mental blocks.
Did you know that there are several links between your mental blocks and under fueling?
Struggling to Focus?
Do you experience moments where your mind feels cloudy? Is concentrating a challenge, or do you find it tough to process corrections? Complex skills or sequences seem overwhelming. These signs could indicate that your brain lacks the necessary fuel to keep up with the pace and intense demands of gymnastics.
Nutrient Deficiencies and Emotional Well-being
Nutrition plays a crucial role in supporting emotional well-being and mental resilience. Certain nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and magnesium, are essential for neurotransmitter function and mood regulation. Inadequate intake of these nutrients due to under fueling can contribute to mood swings, anxiety, and increased stress levels, all of which can heighten the risk of developing or making mental blocks worse in gymnasts.
Your Mood Is Affected
Have you ever noticed how hunger can alter your mood? While anger, commonly known as feeling "hangry," is a prevalent emotion associated with hunger, any sudden mood shift or an exaggerated reaction to a minor trigger might suggest that your brain is running low on energy, impacting your emotional regulation.
Giving in to Emotions and Frustrations?
When your mood takes a hit and you become highly distressed, it often triggers a chain reaction, worsening mental blocks! In the gym, this can hinder your ability to tackle challenging tasks or handle setbacks with a composed mindset.
Wondering what you can do?
Consider these four fueling strategies to provide your brain with the necessary energy:
1. Eat ENOUGH
As a gymnast, your body and mind require substantial energy! Beyond supporting your training and recovery, your body needs energy for basic functions, organ operation, growth, development, and daily tasks.
When discussing energy in terms of food, the focus is often on calories. While the concept of calories might seem scary, they simply measure the energy within foods. Your aim should be to consume close to 100% of your energy requirements (if not daily, then on average over time). Remember, less isn't always better; enough is best.
To try starting to eat enough enough, follow the athlete's plate model during meals and incorporate balanced snacks throughout the day. The athlete's plate typically includes sections dedicated to grains and starches (providing energy), protein (essential for muscles and recovery), and fruits and vegetables (offering fiber, vitamins, and minerals).
2. Consume Enough Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates serve as the brain's primary fuel source. When the body lacks sufficient carbohydrates, maintaining focus and emotional stability becomes noticeably challenging.
The brain alone requires a minimum of around 120g of carbohydrates daily (equivalent to approximately 8 slices of bread, 3 cups of rice, or 5 bananas!). However, many gymnasts require significantly more carbohydrates—ranging between 5-12g per kilogram of body weight, depending on individual needs and the demands of training and recovery. For many gymnasts, this translates to consuming nearly 300-400+g of carbohydrates each day!
To ensure you are meeting your carbohydrate needs and fortifying your mental acuity, adhere to the Athlete's Plate corresponding to your training level:
For normal gymnastics training, 1/3 of your plate should be a grain or starch and 1/3 should be a fruit or vegetable
For high intensity gymnastics training (4+ hours daily, or gearing up for competition), 1/2 of your plate should be a grain or starch and 1/4 should be a fruit or vegetable
3. Incorporate Meals and Snacks Regularly
Ensuring you eat enough also involves maintaining a consistent eating schedule. A well-fueled gymnast strategically eats every 2 to 3 hours, which includes:
3 main meals: These typically consist of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, providing essential nutrients and energy to support your training and daily activities.
2-4 fueling snacks: These additional snacks play a crucial role in sustaining your energy levels and meeting your nutritional requirements
A performance nutrition strategy: This includes adequate fuel before, during, and after workouts to help keep the body (and brain) powered through long workouts
Consider incorporating a morning snack to kickstart your day, an afternoon snack to bridge the gap between meals, a pre-workout snack to fuel your training session, a mid-workout snack for sustained energy during longer sessions, a recovery snack to refuel after training, and a bedtime snack to support overnight recovery and muscle repair.
By spacing out your meals and snacks throughout the day, you can optimize your energy levels and performance during your training sessions.
4. Incorporate Nutrients for Optimal Brain Health
Many micronutrients play a vital role in supporting brain function and overall cognitive well-being. Some of the most significant ones include:
Omega-3 Fats: These essential fats are found in fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines, as well as in sources like walnuts, avocado, and flax seeds
If seafood isn't a regular part of your diet, consulting your doctor about incorporating an Omega-3 supplement might be beneficial
Magnesium: Found in nuts such as almonds, peanuts, and cashews, as well as in whole grains like whole wheat, brown rice, and potatoes, and legumes.
Vitamin D: Ensure sufficient sunlight exposure daily, consume fortified foods like milk, orange juice, cereals, and mushrooms, or discuss with your healthcare provider the potential need for a supplement.
Leafy Green Vegetables: Incorporate vegetables like spinach, kale, collard greens, arugula, and broccoli into your meals regularly to reap their brain-nourishing benefits.
Making a conscious effort to include these nutrient-rich foods in your daily fueling routine will help promote optimal brain health and function.
Within the complex world of gymnastics, the connection between mental blocks and inadequate fueling emphasizes the significance of athlete well-being. Understanding how nutrition influences both the physical and mental aspects of performance enables gymnasts to actively prioritize supplying their bodies and minds with the necessary fuel. Combatting under fueling with proper nutrition not only elevates their performance in the gym but also fosters mental strength, enabling gymnasts to tackle psychological hurdles and reach their full potential!
When you skip meals and snacks, avoid foods, and don't make performance fueling and recovery a priority, you can't expect make the most progress in the gym this fall (and beyond). It's not just about giving 100% when you're in the gym, but also making what you do outside of the gym a priority. It's not too late to get your nutrition sorted out and see major improvements this fall!
The Fueled Gymnast Academy is the is the simplest way for busy gymnast (and those who feed them) to learn the ins and outs of fueling their body as a high level gymnast so they can
have more energy, reduce the risk of injury, and perform their best
AND
feel confident and empowered to make their own food choices (and not just have someone tell them what they have to eat).
Fueling your body doesn't have to be a guessing game. And you don't have to figure it out on your own.
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