Overcoming mental blocks

[Barbecue Chicken Wingers McGee]

SO!...


I'm starting to compile a document regarding mental blocks in parkour, offering techniques which may help people overcome them. With this I'll be looking at various sports psychology books and document etc.

So I'd like to ask a favour of you (to be honest, this is mainly aimed at the more experienced of you, but you can offer anything you like), how do you stop the fear?
(if you're about to answer "I just do it" then you're probably wrong, at some point you would have been scared and you made a long-term adjustment to help you deal with future fears, you just need to remember what that was )

So yeah, no matter how silly (I make transformer noises or beatbox heavy drum n bass to get more power for big running jumps) or small, I'd love to know!

if you're the same as somebody else, let me know that, too.

also, if you can't overcome the blocks, what is it that scares you? why are you being held back?


thank you very much

[Abstergo]

When I'm scared of a jump it kind of feel like I'm afraid of what will happen at the point of impact, I'm afraid of what will happen if I mess up and have to let my reflexes take over, it's not the same as being scared of not making it. It's a bit irrational and I've been focussing on stamping it out which has been pretty successful

I've been trying to 'build up' to jumps less and trust my body more

I also find my confidence varies depending who who I'm training with.

For overcoming blocks I just train lots of similar jumps / movements and hey presto!

I'll give you more detail when I have time.

[Joe Rogan]

I know the old school French method was to take themselves (mentally) into another place, such as an emergency situation, where you need to do the jump to save your own life or somebody elses. Works well and you really get into the zone.. I remember a whole summer of me, Blane and Sam going to train and just using this method repeatedly haha.

For me what works is a mixture. The above method, or sometimes it's just a case of calming down and thinking logically. Thinking about guys like Phil Doyle helps, visualising them move and thinking of their selftrust. Trusting myself, building up etc.

I know Johann Vigroux gets very angry with blocks haha, he shouts.. one example Blane told me of is when he was at Vauxhall just shouting 'f**k this! f**k everything!' haha, guess that's what works for him!

I've found myself getting angry at jumps but I'm not sure if it works for me.. thinking logically, for me, is a better method I think as the anger just clouds my judgement.

[Tim]

I remember one evening session at the uni with Sam and Blane. It was cold and the rain was coming down hard. I'd just finished work and had no energy left and was on the verge of going home.

Blane took me on a follow the leader style warm up, just exploring and finding challenges along the way - both physical and mental. After 20 minutes or so my energy levels had started to raise again and we started looking at some jumps.

The last one of these jumps was a jump from a 6ft tall metal container thing down onto a 3 or 4ft metal box - IN ICY RAIN!! It took me about 40 minutes to break the jump, and I know I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't of Blanes constant support and reassurances that I could do it.

If I'm struggling with a jump now I try to think back to that moments or similar ones, that fearing of fear and knowing that I can overcome it.

Other methods I find useful when facing a scary jump, is to visualise a similar jump I have done in the past and pretend that that is the jump I'm doing. Or as Joe said, visualise someone else I know would be capable of it doing it first.

That said, I'm terrible with mental blocks and constantly over-think things! So I guess I've not found the solution yet!

[Tim]

Also, some interesting words on fear from tricktutorials website - taken from here:
www.trickstutorials.com/index.php?page=content/t_backflip

"A word on fear

Fear is a natural emotion, a survival instinct. It indicates that you should be alert. Fighting or forcing away fear creates a counter force that will make you tense and anxious. This will interfere with your chances of landing a back flip. You need to release or forget the fear, not fight it. Fighting fear will only f**k you up. You'll be ready when you're ready. My advice for overcoming fear of this move or any other move is to do three things. The first is to learn the technique of the move. Visualize yourself doing it with perfect, flawless technique. Feel it, and understand it COMPLETELY! Next is to rationalize it. What is the worst thing that can happen? How could this bad thing happen? Why am I scared? You'll realize the worst that could happen is a small crash. You're scared of pain, and pain is irreverent. It will correct you so you won't make the same mistake again. Having a spotter will minimize the chances of experiencing a painful crash to a great extent. The last is to have fun. If you're having to force the learning process of the move you won't get it. When I was learning it the first few crashes weren't too fun. Then I let go of the desire to land the move and just started focusing on what is important: The technique, the thrill, and the moment. I can't release your fear, you have to do it yourself. Stop being frustrated and focus on fun."

[mjp]

My preferred technique is to look at it, imagine me doing it... almost 'trick' myself in to thinking i'd already done it. Then go away, do something completely different (it usually happens with precision jumps, so I'll go do some vaulting or arm jumps). Come back, and just do it.

[ron hill io]

i just look at my jump for ages, breath alot, shuffle my feet, close my eyes for a second and think how cool it would look if i was doing the jump, and jump! and hopefully beast it

[Sam]

A quote I heard a while ago "Fear comes from uncertainty" is something that really helps me on my way; although it's obvious, it really helps me. If you're 100% sure about something, you won't be scared enough not to do it. That's why when you do a jump once, you can usually do it the second time with such a little or no build up at all. When you're in a gymnastics room, you can go jumping into the foam pit with no fear, because you're sure nothing bad will happen, you're certain of it.

That in mind, when I come across a jump and get ready to do it, I know I'm not stood there forcing my body to do it for no good reason. I'm about to do it because I know I can make it. Knowing you can do something and actually doing it are 2 very different things. This is the moment you're in fear. You know you can do it, but you're still scared, why? Personally I think it's down to uncertainess. It's something new. You see potential for danger. It's only natural you're uncertain and scared.

So when I'm in this very position I tell myself that I'm stood here for that reason and that reason alone is all the certainess I need. Because this is down to insinct. Your insinct doesn't trick you. If your body feels you can really do something, do it. That's the whole reason you're stood there. Or I could just walk away and act like my body randomly prepeared itself for something but instead I let my fear take control over my own honesty.

Then If the basic reasons don't work I'll throw in some crazy fantasy like "the ground is splitting away and lava is rising, safe land is ahead of you... NOW MOVE, ARE YOU A FOOL?!" Do or die.

Then finally Do it or Don't; you don't want to mess with your head too much. I've messed with my mental side so much It's put my whole day under depression. Not a great benefit. Like I said; if your body knows it's capable, it will prepear itself. It won't prepear itself for no good reason. Unless you're been egged on by someone