So although I’ve been teaching, I took a break from active training and performing for a few months.

Well I’m over it and ready to be back. (Also, guess whose rib seems to have lost its wanderlust!!)

I’m lucky, because I teach and am at the studio a few times a week. I haven’t been away from the trapeze, I haven’t lost my pullups or my calluses, I still get to play on the silks. But active training is a lot different, and I have lost some of the progress I was making.

It’s still frustrating, especially since I had just started getting into straps. (I could show you nothing impressive, but I was and am proud of the massive personal gains I made there.)

But tomorrow I start a corde lisse workshop, and I am incredibly excited. And on that note, let’s talk about jumping back into training after taking time off.

Ease In

You’re going to be sore again. You remember the crazy way your shouders felt the day after your first aerial lesson? Who knew that armpits could even get sore?? Prepare to feel that again.

You’re going to be bruised again. Remember those suspicious questions from your doctor about why your thighs are bruised and your wrists look like they’ve been tied? They’re coming back!

Give yourself a day or two or six between training days at first. You’ll get back to where you were soon (much sooner than the first time, I promise!), but not if you kill yourself first.

Don’t compare yourself now to yourself then

I am SUPER BAD at this. But it’s important, especially if you’re easily discouraged.

You probably lost some strength. It will come back! And probably much quicker than the first time around.

You probably forgot a lot of moves. Grab someone who knows what they’re doing and go over them again. Muscle memory is a powerful thing (it’s why I can recreate so many of my high school cheer routines still, 15 years later). You likely haven’t “lost” the know-how, you’ve just buried it a little deeper in your brain. If you used to take notes during class (you should!), these will be immensely helpful.

Realize that you can carry on just like before

Why is this a thing? Why do we believe that taking a break equals stopping? Sometimes you just need a break. In my own case, I had some personal stuff that needed dealing with and just didn’t have the mental reserves to devote to training. Maybe it’s money or time related. Just come back when you’re ready and get in the air.

Take a couple of weeks to go over what you forgot and to get your muscles used to working again then carry on like you never stopped.

 

Really, don’t overcomplicate this.

And I will happily keep you updated on my corde lisse progress 😀