How to Get Your Gymnast Motivated Again
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15 Ways to Motivate Your Athletes (Backed past Science)
"She's simply not motivated…"
"He could be so good if he was just motivated…"
"I can't motivate her to work…"
These are sentiments that I know many (if not all) coaches come up confronting at some point in their career: the unmotivated athlete.
Too often, when a gymnast lacks motivation, the first solution the adults come upwardly with is quitting.
And, while sometimes a lack of motivation is a sign that information technology is fourth dimension for a gymnast to move on from the sport, that is not always the best solution.
Motivation is a tricky bailiwick. On 1 paw, it is a feeling. And no one can brand another person feel a sure way. It is upwards to individuals to find their motivation. However, motivation is also skill, one that can be developed or depressed past the teachers, coaches and parents in an athlete's life.
The education field conducts terrific studies on how teachers tin can positively student motivation that nosotros can benefit from incorporating into our gymnasts' workouts. Essentially, studies show united states of america that motivation is enhanced when 1 of the following conditions are present:
- when students experience competent to complete the task
- when students meet a correlation between their deportment and the outcome
- when students accept some command over how to complete the task
- when the task has involvement or value to the student
- when completing the task brings social blessing
So here are some pocket-size tweaks in how we as coaches can help boost our gymnasts' motivation based on educational enquiry.
- Enjoy coaching. According to one educational study, teachers who liked educational activity had students who were more focused on mastering and improving their lessons. Exist present and focused when you double-decker. If you are distracted, so are your athletes. Distraction causes a loss of motivation.
- Be confident in your ability to coach. The same written report found that teachers who had greater conviction in didactics their subject thing had students who persisted in learning versus less confident teachers whose students gave up on difficult tasks faster.
- Have a stiff relationship with your athletes. As social beings, we all thrive on connectedness. The more than connected, the more motivated nosotros are to do well.
- Encourage friendships among the teammates. Yes, as much every bit many coaches wish the kids would chat less and work more, motivation increases in students who have a strong social connection with their peers.
- Keep a strong positive to negative feedback ratio. When that connection is poor and teachers rely on a "negative reinforcement trap" the relationship is damaged and students' motivation declines.
- Provide express choices. Choice is a powerful motivator and one that we don't utilize enough in gymnastics. Permit athletes choose between two different workout exercises that target the same muscle group or make up one's mind in which lodge they want to work their skills. Small tweaks that give the athlete some autonomy may lead to huge gains in motivation. But be careful non to give also many choices and then as to avoid choice paralysis.
- Mix upwards your lessons. Routines are useful only doing the same thing each and everyday is boring. Mix things upward a bit from fourth dimension to time.Work toward athletes' strengths. Focusing on improving weaknesses is a normal part of training. But focusing on their strengths can really heave an athlete'south motivation.
- Be careful about offer rewards. Rewards can actually increase or decrease motivation depending on the task—know when to use them and when to lose them! For tasks that are dull and repetitive (i.due east. conditioning or putting away mats) rewards tin can actually exist a proficient and motivating thing. But for those requiring persistence (i.e. getting a new skill) rewards can actually decrease motivation.
- Use growth mindset language. Telling a gymnast they are talented seems like a dainty matter to say. Simply when we compliment a child on a trait that is fixed (talent) nosotros are telling them that it is their natural ability (something over which they accept no control) is what caused their achievement. Instead, compliment athletes over things that they can control (like attendance, effort and attitude) so they understand that they can persist at a challenge in order to improve.
- Normalize failure. Perfectionism causes a lack of motivation considering information technology can develop a fright of failure that causes them to employ less effective learning strategies and fifty-fifty arrive more likely they cheat.
- Have loftier standards and make assignments appropriately challenging. Making things also piece of cake really decreases students' motivation. Having high expectations and assignments that are challenging only accessible with reasonable attempt is the motivational sweet spot.
- Be clear about goals. When a student does not understand the next pace or what is going to happen, it is demotivating. Articulate goals are motivating.
- Make what they are doing relevant to something they want to learn. When students understand that what their learning at present has a payoff to something they want to be able to do later, their motivation increase. So when your gymnasts are toiling abroad with a difficult workout consignment, remind them that those leg lifts volition help them get their kip.
- Stress the importance of rest. An exhausted gymnast will have a hard fourth dimension being motivated. Sleep is essential.
- Celebrate successes. Marking the minor moments on the fashion to larger goals shows that hard piece of work pays off and increases motivation.
Coaches cannot want a goal on behalf of their gymnasts, but they tin tweak their own behaviors and lesson plans to shape the path of motivation.
Source: https://annejosephson.wordpress.com/2016/03/03/15-ways-to-motivate-your-athletes-backed-by-science/
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