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Going for Gymnastics Gold

Going for Gymnastics Gold

By Gymnastic Mindset Academy

Welcome gymnasts and coaches, this gymnastics mindset podcast is for you!
*Gymnasts,* if you want to get your skills and compete them with confidence, tune in to "Lessons with Leah" to discover the mindset tools you need to be at your best in competition and get that gold medal you are dreaming of. These are the tools you need to make the college or national team of your dreams.
*Coaches,* we’ve got you too. Listen in to Conversations for Coaches to discover how you can develop a team full of self-motivated, hardworking gymnasts who hit consistently.
Let's have a great season... together!
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#37 Conversations for Coaches | Set your gymnasts up for success next season with a big goal.

Going for Gymnastics GoldMay 16, 2023

00:00
11:41
#70 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts believe in themselves this season

#70 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts believe in themselves this season

This is the final episode of our year long Conversations with Coaches Weekly Mindset Workout series.

All month we’ve been talking about how to help your gymnast change their belief to something that will help serve them. The thought ladder is the best tool we’ve got, and we know that with practice it will be the best tool in your gymnasts tool belt as well! 

In this episode, Ali and Stacie discuss how to put the thought ladder into practice to help your athlete benefit from it. Just like learning a new skill on beam, developing the ability to use the thought ladder is a process. Each progression up the ladder takes time and dedication both in and out of the gym. 

We know believing something new is a skill that needs to be well conditioned. Writing out your gymnasts thought ladder and checking in with where they’re at intermittently will certainly help them develop stronger, more positive beliefs about themselves and their gymnastics. 

This podcast series is not meant to be something you listen to once. Rather that you use it throughout the year to get just the help you and your gymnasts need. So go back to January 1 and keep on going next year!

We would also be so grateful if you pass our podcast on to other coaches! Or simply leave a review so other coaches can get in on the mindset magic and we can help change the culture of our sport to be a place where gymnasts are healthy, happy and know how to win.

We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics  teams that are based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts success. Their mind.

Check us out at⁠ gymnasticsmindestacademy.com⁠

Dec 26, 202315:36
#69 Conversations for Coaches | How to help your gymnasts actually think positively about meet season.
Dec 19, 202320:44
#68 Conversations for Coaches | Are your gymnasts freaking out before season? Help them feel better.
Dec 12, 202317:40
#67 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts believe in themselves this season.
Dec 05, 202310:26
#66 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnast focus every turn, every routine, every time.

#66 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnast focus every turn, every routine, every time.

Practicing the choreography is what makes your gymnasts routine run smoothly. The more they break it down, drill it and run through it, the more comfortable they become with it. Mental choreography is just as important. Practicing the thought patterns, cue words, deep breaths and other great focus points into a routine of its own will help your gymnast become more successful in competition. 

This can start from the warm-up. Each gymnast is different, so it will be up to you as the coach to figure out when each mental routine needs to start. Bars might need to start as someone is gripping up. What sort of affirmations do they focus on as they’re getting chalk? What do they tell themselves before they step onto the mat? After they salute, do they breathe, or think something in their mind? It really helps to have a cue word for each skill, transition, etc. This way, your gymnast will know exactly what to focus on to be successful, instead of wondering what will happen, or fearing making a mistake. 

We would also be so grateful if you pass our podcast on to other coaches! Or simply leave a review so other coaches can get in on the mindset magic and we can help change the culture of our sport to be a place where gymnasts are healthy, happy and know how to win.

We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics  teams that are  based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts success. Their mind.

Check us out at gymnasticsmindestacademy.com


Nov 28, 202314:27
#65 Conversations for Coaches | How to create cue words that work.
Nov 21, 202314:35
#64 Conversations for Coaches | How to actually use affirmations effectively.

#64 Conversations for Coaches | How to actually use affirmations effectively.

When we don’t actually believe “I’ve got this,” saying “I’ve got this” won’t actually help. If your brain doesn’t believe that you’ve, in fact, GOT THIS, it’s going to put up a fight and start throwing lots of icks your way, trying to convince you that there’s no way “you’ve got this.”


Affirmations are only helpful when the “I AM” statement is something the gymnast can actually get behind.


So how do you find the right affirmations for your gymnasts? Great question! In this episode, our master mindset coaches, dig in to how to help your gymnast find the right combination of affirmations and tie them to how they want to feel on each specific event. Sometimes, it’s not as simple as just believing you can.


You’ve gotta take a smaller step and believe that you’re capable, or believe that you’re learning how… it all leads to the same place eventually. AWESOMENESS. 


We would also be so grateful if you pass our podcast on to other coaches! Or simply leave a review so other coaches can get in on the mindset magic and we can help change the culture of our sport to be a place where gymnasts are healthy, happy and know how to win.


We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics  teams that are  based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts success. Their mind.


Check us out at gymnasticsmindestacademy.com



Nov 14, 202308:49
#63 Conversations for Coaches | Why is visualization such a powerful tool?
Nov 07, 202319:50
#62 Conversations for Coaches | What’s the secret to continued motivation?
Oct 31, 202312:47
#60 Conversations for Coaches | Want to help your gymnast actually apply your corrections?

#60 Conversations for Coaches | Want to help your gymnast actually apply your corrections?

In this episode, Ali and Stacie break down the scientific method. Yes… the scientific method. Its something these athletes are learning early on in school, but rarely utilize when problem solving in the real world. 

What’s the problem, what are ways to fix the problem, and where we start when experimenting with fixing the problem. The idea here is to try one thing at a time, and learn from it. “If I do this, then (x) will happen.” Once our athletes are able to get a result from this first hypothesis, they can adjust and move forward. Approaching problem-solving with curiosity and a willingness to experiment removes the feeling of failure when things don’t work out the first time. 

Our Gold Membership is open until Thursday only! The best gift you can give your gymnasts AND yourself to have a team full of hardworking, self-motivated, emotionally healthy gymnasts is to encourage them to get mindset training!

Gymnasts spend countless hours training their body. But every single thing your gymnast does comes from her brain. In order to get a competitive advantage and unlock their full potential, your gymnasts must also train their brain.

Gymnastics is a mentally demanding sport. And those mental demands take a toll.

Gymnastics coaches and parents make the mistake of believing that a gymnast should get all the tools she needs from just one place – her coaches.

But your job as a gymnastics coach is to train your gymnasts in the gymnastics skills they needs. On multiple events and over time, at many different levels. That is already a lot of knowledge you must have – and teach.

And even though you are doing more than many coaches by listening to this podcast and getting mental training, it is simply not possible to spend time one on one out on the gym floor every week giving your gymnast the attention they need to figure out their brain.

Your gymnasts need the tools to deal with the natural wiring of their brains so they can overcome fear and frustration and learn to calm their competition nerves.

They need the tools to deal with perfectionism and self doubt to learn how to compete calmly and confidently.

Gymnastics mindset training is the most effective way to help your gymnasts learn the mental skills they need to win in – and out – of the gym.

Your opinion means the world to your parents and gymnasts. Let them know they should check out our gold program!

Check it out at https://gymnasticsmindsetacademy.com/gold-membership/


Oct 24, 202314:57
#61 Conversations for Coaches | This is the one thing your gymnasts need to learn if they are going to succeed.

#61 Conversations for Coaches | This is the one thing your gymnasts need to learn if they are going to succeed.

Our gymnasts tend to believe that failure is not an option, when in fact, failure is the only way to learn new things. We know that a baby learning to walk is going to fall over a million times before they are stable enough to walk consistently and confidently.


Along the way, we celebrate each attempt as if our child is solving world peace. The look of pride a toddler has when they topple over after taking 1 measly step is so bright. Don’t you wish your gymnast would have that sense of pride after trying something new, even if it isn’t perfect?


Gymnasts tend to have a hard time appreciating the importance of failing because it is not a desirable outcome. But we’re not talking about a long term outcome, we’re talking about mini failures that can help an athlete grow and learn and develop new skills.


In this episode, Stacie and Ali talk about how to help your athletes view failure through a new, more productive lens.


We would also be so grateful if you pass our podcast on to other coaches! Or simply leave a review so other coaches can get in on the mindset magic and we can help change the culture of our sport to be a place where gymnasts are healthy, happy and know how to win.


We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics  teams that are  based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts success. Their mind.


Check us out at gymnasticsmindestacademy.com

Oct 24, 202313:22
#59 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts deal with fear, frustration and past failures.

#59 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts deal with fear, frustration and past failures.

As you’re starting to get your gymnasts ready for routines, it’s inevitable that at least one of them is struggling to put the finishing touches on one or two skills they need for the season. This happens all the time. Sometimes they’re still afraid of the upgrade. They don’t want to get hurt. But most of the time, at this point in the season, what your gymnast is actually struggling with is a fear of failure, disappointment or unpleasant outcome if they don’t have the skill ready for the season. Today, Ali and Stacie talk about how to help those gymnasts who might feel stuck for one reason or another. 

We would love to help any of your gymnasts who are still working to get their skills for season, especially those that are struggling with fear, frustration and the defeat of past failed attempts. 

We just held our signature fall mindset training, how to Overcome Fear, Frustration and Failures for gymnasts, and it’s not too late to catch the replay. It will be up until October 19.

We are also hosting a training for parents this Thursday. This training is going to help them understand their gymnasts brain and the tools we taught their gymnast. But we also help them understand how they can support their gymnast in a way that is helpful but not be overly involved. 

Parents: 

October 12 | 12pm and 7pm

You can simply copy and paste this:

Gymnastics Mindset Academy is hosting free mindset trainings on how to overcome fear, frustration and past failures to get the skills you need for season. These tools were super helpful and I would love to use them in the gym. They are hosting two trainings - one for parents and one for gymnasts. Check out the info here: ⁠https://my.gymnasticsmindsetacademy.com/of-registration-directory⁠ and let me know if you have any questions!

We would also be so grateful if you pass our podcast on to other coaches! Or simply leave a review so other coaches can get in on the mindset magic and we can help change the culture of our sport to be a place where gymnasts are healthy, happy and know how to win.

We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics  teams that are  based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts success. Their mind.

Check us out at gymnasticsmindestacademy.com


Oct 10, 202308:54
#58 Conversations for Coaches | Are your gymnasts ready for meet season?

#58 Conversations for Coaches | Are your gymnasts ready for meet season?

It’s that time again. The point in the year when we have to start putting the rubber to the road and start getting those routines put together. Some gymnasts are ready for this step, and it’s such an exciting time. Others however, are struggling to finalize upgrades and put pieces together. 

In this episode, Ali and Stacie coach you through helping your gymnasts set realistic season goals that are challenging enough to allow them to grow throughout the season. It’s important to set big goals that are going to require your athletes to dig deep, and give them the tools to navigate through the process! 

We would love to help any of your gymnasts who are still working to get their skills for season, especially those that are struggling with fear, frustration and the defeat of past failed attempts. 

We are doing our signature fall mindset training, how to Overcome Fear, Frustration and Failures - one for the gymnast and one for the parent. 

Gymnasts:

October 7 | 10am -12pm

October 8 | 6-8pm

Parents: 

October 12 | 12pm and 7pm

You can simply copy and paste this:

Gymnastics Mindset Academy is hosting free mindset trainings on how to overcome fear, frustration and past failures to get the skills you need for season. These tools were super helpful and I would love to use them in the gym. They are hosting two more trainings - one for parents and one for gymnasts. Check out the info here: ⁠https://my.gymnasticsmindsetacademy.com/of-registration-directory⁠ and let me know if you have any questions!

We would also be so grateful if you pass our podcast on to other coaches! Or simply leave a review so other coaches can get in on the mindset magic and we can help change the culture of our sport to be a place where gymnasts are healthy, happy and know how to win.

We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics  teams that are  based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts success. Their mind.

Check us out at gymnasticsmindestacademy.com


Oct 03, 202314:11
#57 Special Episode! Coaches Clinic | Help Your Gymnast Overcome Fear, Frustrations and Past Failures

#57 Special Episode! Coaches Clinic | Help Your Gymnast Overcome Fear, Frustrations and Past Failures

Special episode comin at ya! Last week we did a free coaches clinic to help you get your gymnasts routine ready. If you'd like to get the full video replay, go here!

Get the Proven 4-Step Mindset Method to Help Your Gymnasts Get the Skills they Need to be Competition Ready.

Help your gymnasts overcome fear, frustration and past failures that are holding them back.

Meet season is around the corner. Don't make the mistake of skipping out (or skimping out!) on the mental training your gymnasts need. Join us in this free coaches clinic to learn the simple, but effective method we use inside our program to help gymnasts overcome what's blocking them from getting their skills so they can get routine ready for competition season.

Inside this free training, you will get the proven four-step mindset method successful gymnasts use for mental mastery when they are dealing with the self-imposed limitation of fear, frustration and feeling defeated by their past failures.

This method will enable your gymnasts to unlock their true potential and get the skills they needs for season.

Whether it is flipping that vault, letting go on a bars release, going for their series on the high beam or any other skill they are struggling with, these four steps are the secret to their success.

Listen in and take notes! Then send your gymnasts and parents to our free training for them as well! Here's a little blurb to get you started.

I just attended Gymnastics Mindset Academy's free mindset training on how to overcome fear, frustration and past failures to get the skills you need for season. These tools were super helpful and I would love to start using them in the gym. They are hosting two more trainings - one for parents and one for gymnasts. Check out the info here: https://my.gymnasticsmindsetacademy.com/of-registration-directory and let me know if you have any questions!

Then you can https://my.gymnasticsmindsetacademy.com/overcome-fear-notes.

And leave us a review to get all the printables here.


Oct 01, 202301:03:58
#56 Help your gymnast discover that Adequate Sleep + Good Nutrition = ENERGY!!
Sep 26, 202322:26
#55 Conversations for Coaches | How to help your gymnast succeed in school and in the gym.

#55 Conversations for Coaches | How to help your gymnast succeed in school and in the gym.

It’s hard enough to get kids to do their homework, let alone, get a busy kid to do their homework. Gymnasts have a TOUGH schedule, and homework can definitely put a damper on their precious down time. 


Recently, we talked about block scheduling, essentially setting aside a block of time to do a certain activity. For homework, this can often be pretty late into the evening.


Having a planned period to do homework is great but sometimes our minds aren’t thinking clearly when the moment comes around. Even as adults, it’s typical to see the laundry that needs to be folded and choose to scroll our phones. When we’re tired in the moment, we don’t always make the best choices for our wellbeing.


In this episode, Coach Ali explains how an “I did it anyway” jar can be a useful tool for a tired gymnast who needs to crank out some homework before bed. 


We have tons of tips and tricks for your gymnasts to get creative with their schedules, and for you to help them manage their busy lives! 


We would also be so grateful if you pass our podcast on to other coaches! Or simply leave a review so other coaches can get in on the mindset magic and we can help change the culture of our sport to be a place where gymnasts are healthy, happy and know how to win.


We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics  teams that are  based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts success. Their mind.

Check us out at gymnasticsmindestacademy.com


Sep 19, 202322:59
#54 Conversations for Coaches | Here is the secret to managing gymnastics with the rest of life.

#54 Conversations for Coaches | Here is the secret to managing gymnastics with the rest of life.

Time management isn't just about schedules; it's about crafting the life you aspire to lead. 🌟 We understand that high-level gymnasts are incredibly dedicated, but sometimes, juggling 'want to' practices and 'have to' school can be overwhelming. That's when the real challenge begins.


In our latest episode, Stacie and Ali delve into the art of integrating rejuvenating brain breaks into your athletes' routines. 🧠🙌 Whether it's infusing fun challenges in the gym or optimizing practice time for peak productivity, we've got a treasure trove of strategies to help you create an environment where gymnasts thrive and find joy.


🎉Remember, it's not just about time on the mats; it's about quality time. Nobody understands this better than Shine Creative. Discover their exciting gym games at ➡️ https://shopshinecreative.com/shop.


🤩But wait, there's more! 📢 Share our podcast with fellow coaches or drop a review to spread the mindset magic. Let's revolutionize gymnastics, making it a place where gymnasts are not only healthy and happy but also winners!


🏆Explore our courses and coaching programs, rooted in proven behavioral science, designed for individual gymnasts and teams. Our results speak for themselves - invest in the one thing that can truly transform your gym or your gymnasts' success: their mindset. 💪


👉 Visit us at gymnasticsmindsetacademy.com and embark on a journey to unlock your gymnasts' full potential. 🚀


#GymnasticsSuccess #MindsetMagic #ShineCreativeGames #CoachingExcellence #GymnasticsLife #MindsetMatters #PodcastRecommendations #AthleteMindse #SportsPerformance #GymnasticsTraining #GymnasticsCoaching #HealthyGymnasts #SuccessMindset #GymnasticsCommunity

Sep 12, 202320:34
#53 Conversations for Coaches | Here is the secret to managing gymnastics with the rest of life.

#53 Conversations for Coaches | Here is the secret to managing gymnastics with the rest of life.

Jumping into a new schedule is tough for anyone, but for gymnasts who are going back to school, it can be incredibly difficult. They’ve spent their summer waking up and heading into the gym on fresh legs and fully rested. Now, some of them are spending 8 hours a day at school first, which is basically a full time job, and THEN going to practice. No wonder they’re exhausted! In this episode, Ali and Stacie break down some of their favorite time management strategies. We’re all guilty of rushing through life sometimes and not getting adequate rest, fuel or mental reprieve. We can’t expect our athletes to be experts at it if we’re not either! You’ll find some great tools to help educate your gymnasts in this episode. Here is a link to one of the calendar time-blocking tools we teach the kids inside our program. We would also be so grateful if you pass our podcast on to other coaches! Or simply leave a review so other coaches can get in on the mindset magic and we can help change the culture of our sport to be a place where gymnasts are healthy, happy and know how to win.

We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics teams that are based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts success. Their mind.

Sep 05, 202323:47
#52 Conversations for Coaches | This is what it takes for your gymnasts to think positively

#52 Conversations for Coaches | This is what it takes for your gymnasts to think positively

Looking for tools to use so that you can help your gymnast climb the thought ladder? Look no further!

In this episode, Stacie and Ali give helpful hints to help YOU help your gymnast take those next steps. One of the most important pieces of advice is communicating that YOU see a future where your gymnast is already past this set back. Reminding them that you already have the new belief they are striving to achieve is something that can instill confidence in the process for them. 

When they see your belief in their future, they will start to mirror that in themselves. Doing this will also change how you coach. You’ll notice subtle differences in the language you use, which will help shift your gymnasts’ mindset to one of possibility instead of one of defeat. 

If you want to have your gymnasts learn the thought ladder and how to actually think positively, ⁠send them to the Secret Podcast⁠ or listen to it together in practice. And we would love to send you the workbook as a thank you for leaving us a review. If you leave us a review and snap a screenshot of your review and send it to us at theteam@gymmindsetacademy.com, we will send you a link to the workbook.

We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics  teams that are  based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts success. Their mind.

Check us out at gymnasticsmindestacademy.com


Aug 29, 202321:03
#51 Conversations for Coaches | To think positively, your gymnast needs to be willing to be wrong.

#51 Conversations for Coaches | To think positively, your gymnast needs to be willing to be wrong.

“I might be wrong.” These four words can help jump start your gymnast’s mindset shift. When we start at the bottom of the thought ladder with our current thought, it’s usually not a productive one. The second step in the thought ladder is recognizing that the thought we’re currently thinking might not be correct. 

The simple act of entertaining the idea that they might be wrong, is going to invite them to challenge their old belief almost immediately. “I notice I’m thinking I’m going to miss my hands on my second back handspring, and I might be wrong.”

This invites them to the second step, which leads to the third, and so on. Climbing the thought ladder is just like a progression on the beam. Start on the floor, then move to the low beam, then a higher beam, etc. 

If you want to have your gymnasts learn the thought ladder and how to actually think positively, ⁠send them to the Secret Podcast⁠ or listen to it together in practice. And we would love to send you the workbook as a thank you for leaving us a review. If you leave us a review and snap a screenshot of your review and send it to us at theteam@gymmindsetacademy.com, we will send you a link to the workbook.

We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics  teams that are  based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts success. Their mind.

Check us out at gymnasticsmindestacademy.com


Aug 22, 202323:29
#50 Conversations for Coaches | To think positively, your gymnast needs to be willing to be wrong.

#50 Conversations for Coaches | To think positively, your gymnast needs to be willing to be wrong.

When your gymnast develops a habit that is not your favorite - (ie. a bent back leg on literally anything), it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and frustrated because they just can’t fix it. It’s not that they aren’t trying to, it’s that their body and their brain have determined that the way they are currently doing the skill is the path of least resistance. It’s not easy to make a change that is deeply ingrained and has become a habit. As coaches, we often find ourselves back tracking to reteach the skill in order to fix the problem. 

This is exactly what happens when a gymnast tries to change a thought. When a gymnast has been thinking a certain thought for long enough, it becomes a belief. Their brain has been doing things its own way for a while, and thoughts can be deeply ingrained in our brain in the same way that habits are stored. Our thoughts also have a path of least resistance and just like those bent back legs, we’ve got to step in and retrain the brain to think the way we want it to think.

In this episode, Stacie and Ali talk about our most utilized tool, the Thought Ladder. It can be a process to shift thoughts from negative to positive, but stick with us. We’ve got everything you need right here.   

If you want to have your gymnasts learn the thought ladder and how to actually think positively, ⁠send them to the Secret Podcast⁠ or listen to it together in practice. And we would love to send you the workbook as a thank you for leaving us a review. If you leave us a review and snap a screenshot of your review and send it to us at theteam@gymmindsetacademy.com, we will send you a link to the workbook.

We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics  teams that are  based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts success. Their mind.

Check us out at gymnasticsmindestacademy.com



Aug 15, 202319:52
#49 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts learn how to actually change their fearful and negative thinking.
Aug 08, 202319:49
#48 Conversations for Coaches | This is the real cause of your gymnasts fear, doubt and frustration.
Aug 01, 202317:44
#47 Conversations for Coaches | Help you gymnasts learn to be motivated, focused and determined
Jul 25, 202323:25
#46 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts learn the magic of “AND” emotions so they can go for skills even when they are scared
Jul 18, 202317:17
#45 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts learn how to have powerful practices by learning to master their emotions
Jul 11, 202317:22
#44 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts learn to diffuse their negative emotions so they don't derail their progress
Jul 04, 202316:40
#43 Conversations for Coaches | How to help your gymnasts ACTUALLY think positively
Jun 27, 202314:57
#42 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts find motivation and positive fuel
Jun 20, 202320:10
#41 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts find a positive mindset
Jun 13, 202318:16
#40 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts figure out their thoughts

#40 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts figure out their thoughts

Picture this:

Your gymnast is struggling with negative thoughts and you want to help her shift her mindset. You’re clearly not a mind reader, so you ask the question, “What’s going on?” And then you hear it. Ever coaches’ least favorite response, “I don’t know.” How are you supposed to know how to help her, if she doesn’t even know what she needs? 

It’s easy to get frustrated with our athletes because we observe this response as a strategy to avoid the issue. But the truth is, she probably doesn’t know what she’s thinking to cause the problem. 

This is because our brains hate to be criticized. So, it will actually hide our thoughts from us if it is afraid we are going to judge ourselves harshly. Meaning, when your gymnast tries to figure out what she was thinking so that she can change it to something that is more useful, she won't be able to see it. 

This week, we teach our gymnasts a mindset training activity that helps gymnasts learn to observe their thoughts in a way that helps them. Tune in! For more examples of what we teach gymnasts on this topic, head over to Instagram or Facebook. And if you want to explore how you and your team or an individual gymnast might work with us, check us out at gymnasticsmindsetacademy.com.

We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics teams that are based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnast's success. Their mind.

Check us out at gymnasticsmindestacademy.com


Jun 06, 202313:29
#39 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts own their path to a successful season.
May 30, 202314:17
#38 Conversations for Coaches | Success next season takes more than new gymnastics skills
May 23, 202306:55
#37 Conversations for Coaches | Set your gymnasts up for success next season with a big goal.
May 16, 202311:41
#36 Conversations for Coaches | Teach your gymnasts how to let go of their disappointment.
May 09, 202312:02
#35 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts evaluate the season and learn from it.
May 02, 202313:28
#34 Conversations for Coaches | How to turn pressure into motivation.
Apr 25, 202311:10
April week 3 Conversations for Coaches | Are your gymnasts nervous? Here’s how to help them.
Apr 18, 202311:21
#32 Conversations for Coaches | How to help your gymnasts with worry and doubt.
Apr 11, 202317:13
#31 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts deal with the end of season pressure
Apr 04, 202309:56
#30 Conversations for Coaches | Why celebration is so important in reaching their goals.
Mar 28, 202310:06
#29 Lessons with Leah | Leah’s Top Mindset Tips and Tools for Success

#29 Lessons with Leah | Leah’s Top Mindset Tips and Tools for Success

Leah is heading into the busiest time of the year and the end of her season - and of her gymnastics career.

So we are wrapping up Lessons with Leah this week!

In this special podcast series, Florida Gator Leah Clapper takes you behind the scenes in her final season as she and the Gators go after a national title.

To reach her goals and to really enjoy her final season, she is doing mindset coaching with Gymnastics Mindset Academy. And she's letting you sit in on her sessions.

In this episode, Stacie and Leah talk about what Leah has learned through the series and her advice to other gymnasts about mindset training. 

Leah’s top three takeaways from mindset coaching.

  1. How to feel and deal with your emotions and gaining the tools to deal with anything that comes your way.

  2. Equal airtime in looking at the positive what if’s in dealing with negative thinking.

  3.  Visualization and how to use it in making improvements in skills and competition. 

Leah’s thoughts on the power of mindset coaching.

  • Sometimes you just need to have a neutral party to talk to and get things out of your head where you can safely take a look at them.

  • Why she was skeptical at first and why it ended up being so beneficial.

  • How coaching has helped her each week to get just the right tool she needed.

  • Leah’s advice for anyone starting mindset coaching.

If you are wondering what you might get out of mindset training even if you already have a fairly positive mindset, this episode is for you!


Mar 24, 202319:20
#28 Conversations for Coaches | Making changes with small doable challenges.

#28 Conversations for Coaches | Making changes with small doable challenges.

Have you struggled with trying to help your gymnasts make the corrections they need to gain those extra tenths to reach their goals? Trying different things to actually make a correction or a change in a skill is often hard for a gymnast. They want perfection right away and think that anything short of that is a problem.

This prohibits them from trying different things, learning and ultimately getting the skill correctly. They get caught up in the emotional drama of not getting it right instead of exploring what they need to do to make a change.

We teach gymnasts to use the scientific method instead - to be curious about the problem and experiment until they find what works. Join us as we share how. This tool works both in digging into details during competition season, and in learning new upgrades and skills throughout the year.

In this episode:

  • The scientific method as applied to gymnastics.
  • How this helps them be more open to trying different changes and corrections.
  • Asking good questions to improve their skills.
  • If/then statements.
  • Run the experiment (drill, turn, etc.)
  • Make corrections and observations from a testing posture and how that helps take away the emotion.
  • Using curiosity and interest to make corrections and take down the pressure.
  • Success and failure.
  • How to deal with failure and things not working.
  • Redefining failure when trying to improve skills and routines.

If you want to take the drama out of practice and help your gymnasts learn to make the corrections they need to score at their potential, this episode is for you!

Want More?

We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics teams that are based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts' success. Their mind.

Check us out at gymnasticsmindestacademy.com

Mar 21, 202311:01
#27 Lessons with Leah | Control What You Can and Accept What You Can’t to Hit Your Season Goal

#27 Lessons with Leah | Control What You Can and Accept What You Can’t to Hit Your Season Goal

Leah is heading into post season and is so excited for the final meets of the season - and of her gymnastics career.

Yet the suspense of how it is going to turn out and if it will turn out well makes her want to skip to the end.

In this special podcast series, Florida Gator Leah Clapper takes you behind the scenes in her final season as she and the Gators go after a national title.

To reach her goals and to really enjoy her final season, she is doing mindset coaching with Gymnastics Mindset Academy. And she's letting you sit in on her sessions.

In this episode, Stacie and Leah talk about dealing with the uncertainty of how things are going to go and how to control what you can and allow the uncomfortableness of what you can’t.

  • Leah shares why the SEC Championship is such a fun and special meet.
  • Leah talks about how it feels like the championships can define the whole season.
  • How mindset coaching has helped prepare her for post season.
  • Wrapping up her final year and the tension between excitement and wanting to savor it all and counting down the days.
  • Stacie coaches Leah through dealing with the impatience that comes from not wanting to be in the uncertainty of not knowing how the season will turn out.
  • Leah talks about struggling with the fear of injury before the end and letting fear and anxiety rule the experience of competing.
  • The positive What Ifs - envisioning a future we want and how it helps us create that result.
  • Leah and Stacie talk about what parts of creating that outcome we do have control over.
  • And fighting with reality. How to deal with the parts of reality that are uncomfortable.

If you are counting down the days to the end of your season, but want to make every moment count, this episode is for you!

Mar 17, 202327:32
#26 Conversations  for Coaches | Help your gymnasts make the improvements to reach their goals.

#26 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts make the improvements to reach their goals.

It’s time to get fired up and do the work for the last half of meet season. Now that your gymnasts are in the groove for competing, they can finally focus on making the improvements they need to reach their season goals. To fix their form, hit those handstands, and split requirements, and stick those landings. 


In this episode, we talk about how we help the gymnast we work with go through the process of not only setting their goals but figuring out every single thing they need to do to actually reach them. 


Most people set goals and then just keep doing the same thing they were already doing. Goals without a plan of what needs to be done to get there rarely are achieved. Help your gymnasts break down their goals for the season with the drills, skills, corrections or mindset shifts they will need to make to achieve those goals. 


You know, the things you’ve been telling them about all season. Lol. But the things they actually have the ability to concentrate on now that they are past their early meet season jitters.


In this episode

  • The “Mt Everest” exercise.
  • What Ali does to help the gymnasts she coaches - the “do goals” vs broad generalities.
  • What Stacie does – big picture, working down to the details
  • Why this is the time they will actually focus on doing the corrections you’ve been working on.
  • Why you the coach need to help them set do goals and how to tie them into the corrections you want them to make.
  • How it is more effective when it comes from their brain.
  • Getting to the thoughts and feelings that need to be changed instead of just the physical corrections.
  • If you want to help your gymnast actually make those corrections and score at her potential, this episode is for you!

Want More?

We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics teams that are based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts' success. Their mind.

Check us out at gymnasticsmindestacademy.com




Mar 14, 202310:58
#25 Lessons with Leah | How to Dream Big and Achieve Your Goals

#25 Lessons with Leah | How to Dream Big and Achieve Your Goals

Are you sometimes afraid to dream big? To set big goals for the rest of the season?

Last week Leah hit her goal of getting back into the lineup! Listen in to hear all about it!

In this special podcast series, Florida Gator Leah Clapper takes you behind the scenes in her final season as she and the Gators go after a national title.

To reach her goals and to really enjoy her final season, she is doing mindset coaching with Gymnastics Mindset Academy. And she's letting you sit in on her sessions.

In this episode, Stacie and Leah unpack her experience competing and setting big goals for the rest of the season.

  • Leah tells the story of getting back out on the floor.
  • Stacie and Leah coach talk through how Leah’s mindset has changed around competition and what is working for her.
  • Leah climbs Mt Everest! Well, at least in her mind. Stacie takes Leah through a cool way to set season goals and figure out how to get there.
  • Leah feels nervous to set big goals that seem a bit unbelievable.
  • Stacie and Leah coach through why we set big goals and how to go about them in a positive way.
  • Stacie gives Leah an exercise on how to work on increasing her belief in her ability to achieve her goals each day.

If you have ever been hesitant to set big goals, or want help in figuring out how to get to your goals and how to grow your belief, this episode is for you!

Mar 10, 202348:47
#24 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts finish out meet season at their best.

#24 Conversations for Coaches | Help your gymnasts finish out meet season at their best.

Are your gymnasts hitting the mid season boredom? We see so many gymnasts at this point in the season start to lose their motivation and their focus. We like to help give their brain something to be motivated about by setting or refocusing on their season goal.

Setting goals for the season can help your gymnasts stay motivated and focused on achieving success. By setting season goals, you can ensure that your gymnasts are prepared to perform their best during meets and competitions.

Setting season goals will also help gymnasts stay on track and give them motivation to work on those details. Form, artistry, sticking - those things that they just haven’t been able to focus on like you would like them to while they were dealing with getting their skills and getting back into competition mode

Let’s spend the month of March helping them work towards finishing their season up strong. focus in on what they want to accomplish and everything they need to do to get there. And give them the motivation to actually dig into the details and make those small corrections that will get them to that goal.

In this episode:

  • How to help your gymnasts set goals that they really want and are motivated for.
  • Goals for this season that fit into their larger gymnastics goals.
  • How to help an "average" gymnast or a gymnast who is not there to win still thrive.
  • Why we set measurable goals.
  • How to find their motivation to reach the goal.

If your gymnasts are lagging in motivation, or you want to help them really reach their goals this season, this episode is for you!

Want more?

We have courses and coaching programs for individual gymnasts and gymnastics  teams that are  based on proven behavioral science. And results that speak for themselves. Invest in the one thing that will have the greatest impact on your gym or your gymnasts success. Their mind.

Mar 07, 202316:05
#23 Lessons with Leah | Dealing with distractions in a meet.

#23 Lessons with Leah | Dealing with distractions in a meet.

Do you ever get distracted in a meet? It’s easy to do! 


Last week was Leah’s last meet in the O’Dome and senior night to boot! What a night full of emotions. Leah also got to an exhibition on beam and it was full of surprises and a few distractions.

In this special podcast series, Florida Gator Leah Clapper takes you behind the scenes in her final season as she and the Gators go after a national title.

To reach her goals and to really enjoy her final season, she is doing mindset coaching with Gymnastics Mindset Academy. And she's letting you sit in on her sessions.

In this episode, Stacie and Leah unpack her last night in the O’Dome. And her first meet competing this season! 

Leah tells the story of walking out for her final time in the O’Dome.

Leah got to exhibition on beam. She nailed her series, but then had a few distractions.

Stacie and Leah talk through processing potentially heavy or emotional situations ahead of time when possible - how to do it and what it looks like.

How to nail a full turn.

Leah’s progress on a few skills.

Competing with almost no warm up!

Strategies for dealing with distracting thoughts and situations.

Creating a meet mindset routine to come back to.

If you have ever been distracted during a meet or knew that you were going to potentially feel emotional at a meet, this episode is for you!




Mar 03, 202337:32
#22 Conversations for Coaches | How to help your gymnasts stop comparing.

#22 Conversations for Coaches | How to help your gymnasts stop comparing.

Feb 28, 202320:46
#21 Lessons with Leah | How to get motivated for your season goals when things aren’t going.

#21 Lessons with Leah | How to get motivated for your season goals when things aren’t going.

Have you ever had a time when things aren’t going the way you hoped?  It can be easy during that time to lose motivation or hope toward achieving your bigger goals. This, in turn, affects your motivation toward your immediate goals.

In this special podcast series, Florida Gator Leah Clapper takes you behind the scenes in her final season as she and the Gators go after a national title.

To reach her goals and to really enjoy her final season, she is doing mindset coaching with Gymnastics Mindset Academy. And she's letting you sit in on her sessions.

In this episode, Stacie coaches Leah on refocusing on her ultimate goals this season. While Leah’s current focus is getting back into the line-up of the #2 program in the nation, she also has goals of getting 10’s on beam and floor and being and All-American. 

Refocusing on those bigger-picture goals has given Leah renewed motivation and pizzaz.  Tune in to learn how to focus your brain in on the bigger picture so you can accomplish both your larger goals and your immediate ones.

In this episode

  • Stacie explains what a 4-panel mat goal is and why it is important.
  • Leah shares how this idea has remotivated her and how it is showing in practice.
  • Stacie and Leah work through everything Leah needs to do to work toward a 10 on beam.
  • Leah shares what thought and feeling will really motivate her (it’s so touching!)
  • Leah and Stacie talk about enjoying the journey and how important it is to savor every moment and how to help get through the grind part of season.
  • Leah updates us on the progress on her floor pass - and what is working for her.
  • Leah and Stacie talk about comparison.

If you are a gymnast struggling with your current progress this season, this episode will help you refocus your efforts for ultimate success!


Feb 24, 202341:12