Many gymnasts train for hours each week, yet the skill that often determines success is the one they are rarely taught: how to train their minds.
A gymnast stands at the end of the balance beam, preparing to perform a skill she has completed hundreds of times in practice. Physically, she is ready. Her strength, technique, and preparation are there. Yet in that moment, something changes. Fear takes over. Doubt creeps in. The skill that once felt automatic suddenly feels impossible.
For countless gymnasts, this scenario is all too familiar.
The public often sees gymnastics as a sport defined by flexibility, strength, and technical excellence. What many do not see is the invisible battle taking place inside an athlete’s mind. Behind every routine are moments of pressure, fear, perfectionism, self doubt, and emotional challenges that can impact performance just as much as physical ability.
As conversations around athlete wellness continue to evolve, many experts are beginning to ask an important question: Why do athletes spend so much time training their bodies but so little time training their minds?
For Jenell Givelber, founder of Gymnastics Mental Game, the answer became impossible to ignore.
A Mental Performance Coach, retired U.S. Army Reserve Colonel, leadership expert, and parent of a competitive gymnast, Givelber has spent decades helping people perform under pressure. Throughout her military and corporate career, she witnessed how confidence, resilience, and emotional regulation often determined success in high stakes situations.
What surprised her was discovering that many of the same performance challenges existed inside gymnastics gyms across the country.
“As a parent, I watched talented athletes struggle with fear, confidence loss, pressure, and mental blocks,” says Givelber. “Many of them had the physical ability to succeed. What they lacked were the tools to manage the mental side of performance.”
That observation became the foundation for Gymnastics Mental Game, a company dedicated to helping athletes develop the confidence, resilience, and mental skills needed to thrive both in competition and in life.
The Silent Challenges Many Athletes Face
Mental struggles in gymnastics often remain hidden.
An athlete may appear physically healthy while battling intense fear before performing a skill. Another may struggle with competition anxiety despite consistently performing well in practice. Others may experience perfectionism so severe that mistakes feel devastating rather than educational.
One of the most misunderstood challenges is the mental block.
To outside observers, a mental block can appear irrational. An athlete who successfully performed a skill for months or even years may suddenly become unable to execute it.
According to Givelber, these situations are not signs of weakness.
“A mental block isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign that the brain is trying to protect the athlete. Once we understand that, we can begin rebuilding trust and confidence.”
Rather than focusing solely on motivation, Gymnastics Mental Game teaches athletes the science behind these experiences. Athletes learn how the brain responds to pressure, fear, uncertainty, and perceived danger. By understanding what is happening internally, they become better equipped to manage challenges when they arise.
Confidence Is Built, Not Born
One of the most common misconceptions in youth sports is that confidence is something athletes either have or do not have.
Givelber believes the opposite.
“Confidence isn’t something athletes are born with. Confidence is something they build through understanding, preparation, and experience.”
Through coaching, workshops, digital programs, and educational resources, Gymnastics Mental Game helps athletes develop practical strategies to strengthen confidence over time. These tools include visualization, emotional regulation techniques, focus training, performance routines, and resilience building exercises designed specifically for gymnastics.
Unlike generic sports mindset programs, every aspect of the curriculum addresses situations gymnasts regularly encounter.
The goal is not to eliminate fear or pressure. Instead, it is to teach athletes how to respond effectively when those feelings inevitably appear.
“The most successful athletes aren’t the ones who never struggle,” Givelber explains. “They’re the ones who learn how to respond when they do.”
Helping Parents Become Part Of The Solution
Athletes are not the only ones affected by the mental side of sport.
Parents often experience their own uncertainty when watching a child struggle with confidence, fear, or performance setbacks. Many want to help but are unsure what to say or how to respond.
Recognizing this need, Gymnastics Mental Game provides education and support for families as well.
Parents learn how confidence develops, how pressure influences performance, and how communication can either strengthen or unintentionally undermine an athlete’s self belief.
For Givelber, this work is deeply personal.
“As a parent, I experienced the same fears and frustrations many gymnastics parents experience. That’s one of the reasons I created Gymnastics Mental Game. I wanted families to have access to the tools and support I wish I had when we began this journey.”
The Skills That Extend Far Beyond The Gym
Although gymnastics is the vehicle, Givelber believes the lessons learned through mental performance training have a much broader impact.
The resilience that helps an athlete recover after a disappointing meet can help them navigate future academic, professional, and personal challenges. The emotional regulation developed under competitive pressure becomes valuable in leadership roles, relationships, and everyday life.
“The skills that help a gymnast recover after a fall on beam are the same skills that help a young adult navigate college, relationships, careers, and life.”
This philosophy has become central to Gymnastics Mental Game’s mission.
While better performance is often a natural outcome, the ultimate goal is to help athletes develop qualities that remain valuable long after their competitive careers have ended.
“Medals are wonderful, but confidence, resilience, emotional regulation, and self belief will serve an athlete long after their competitive career is over.”
Award Winning Mental Performance Coaching For Gymnasts
In recognition of her impact on athlete development, Jenell Givelber was named Best Mental Performance Coach for Gymnasts in the United States of 2026 by Best of Best Review. This honor reflects her specialized approach to helping gymnasts overcome mental blocks, build confidence, manage performance pressure, and develop resilience both in sport and in life.
A New Era For Athletic Development
The future of gymnastics may not be defined solely by stronger athletes or more advanced skills. It may also be shaped by a greater understanding of how the mind influences performance.
As awareness grows, coaches, parents, and athletes are beginning to recognize that mental performance deserves a permanent place alongside conditioning, flexibility, and technical training.
For Givelber, the mission remains straightforward.
“Every gymnast trains their body. Very few are taught how to train their mind. Yet when athletes struggle, it’s often the mental game, not the physical game, that determines the outcome.”
Through Gymnastics Mental Game, she is working to change that reality, one athlete, one family, and one competition at a time.
To learn more about Gymnastics Mental Game, coaching opportunities, educational programs, and mental performance resources, visit Facebook, and Instagram.