I really am afraid of doing backhandsprings. I can do standing and roundoff back tucks, and somewhat of a layout. I'm not afraid of doing these at all because I feel like I can't hit my head. But with backhandsprings I don't trust myself and feel like my arms might collapse. I can do it perfectly fine with a spot, and my coach says I can do it and to just go for it. I won't even do a backhandspring on a trampoline. How do I get over my fear?
The problem I see most often with back handsprings in individuals trying to learn them is that they allow their hips to move forward as the athlete is trying to reach and move backward. This is counterproductive and sets up improper weight transfer by driving the arms and head into the matt. The back handspring becomes short, gainer-ed, and heavy looking in appearance. In addition to increasing the risk for injury. Here are the steps to a good back handspring Athletes starts in standing position. Sit back as if you are sitting in a chair. Head should be neutral and facing forward while the hips and knees get to almost 90 degrees with the back straight. (It is almost as if you are sitting down in a chair, but without the chair.) After reaching the point described in #2 you will swing your arms back leaving your head in a neutral position (do not throw the head back). Your hips should move from their close to 90 degree position backwards and at a slight angle up and back as the knees straighten out. Your hands should contact the ground with your feet pointed up and short of vertical (not past verticle, sure sign you are not completing full extension from hips and knees). Body position is fairly stretched with a slight bow in it short of the handstand position (which you will move through fairly quickly if done right). Best to use flexibility in hips and shoulders without a big back arch. Weight transfer should be light on your hands with a strong push off using your arms and shoulders. Arms should not really bend much, if at all, and you should not feel your weight coming down heavy on your arms. You tumble across the ground not up and down through it.That arm push off and snap down with mid and lower body is done simultaneously. The back handspring should be as long as your body is, from feet to fingertips, if you were to lay down on the Matt outstretched with arms over head. Shorter standing back handsprings mean your hips are moving forward and not backward as they are supposed to. I'm pretty sure you can do it don't be scared i was scared at first time too! Then i realized i could actually do it.
You go to the gym and practice all the time so you can learn how skills feel, and to be strong enough to do them.
If you practice with fear, you will perform with fear.
When you are doing your flip-flop with a spot, instead of thinking "Im fine, I have a spot" instead start thinking about what your body is doing. FEEL the skill.
When you do your round-off back tuck, do you hesitate? No. You drilled it, prepared it, and worked on it until it was second nature. The same thing will happen with your flip-flop.
Your coach was able to teach you so far, you trusted him or her to get you to flip in the air. I think you can go ahead and trust that you are prepared for this.
However, don't psych yourself out. There is a way things feel good, and a way to get yourself so hyped to try and make that happen that you over-do all the good and make it terribly bad.
It should feel the same all the time, every time. With a spot or without a spot. It will be the same.
i had the exact same situation. my coach told me that i dont need a spot but whenever i know shes not there i freak out. im afraid my arms will bend i will fail. but heres how i overcame it. behind our vaulting table we have mats, they arent very squishy but arent as hard as the floor, i did standing back handsprings by myself perfectly fine there because i knew i had mats that were softer than the floor. so i knew if my arms did bend it wouldnt hurt as much. also i told my coach to give me a light spot. not a normal spot but not without her either. also as your coach if she can just put her hand on you. that way your brain thinks she is gonna spot but she is just touching you. I hope i helped!
I have done gym for 11 years. And I had to learn to trust myself. Be confident. Remember that your shoulders give you the spring and your arms are just to support you. Try to build muscle memory and just go for it.
