Yesterday I talked to a client who is just a few weeks into her summer layoff. She stopped having regular ballet classes just a week ago. While she said she’s been doing some other exercise, she also declared: I’m already out of shape.
Realistically, if you’re a young person in your 20s (for example), you won’t actually “get out of shape” and lose muscle this quickly. Research suggests you’ll start to lose muscle 3–4 weeks after you are “inactive.” It’s also suggested that you can get back to your peak fitness level more quickly after a period of inactivity than when you originally started.
Your body has the capacity to maintain a high level of fitness. The problem is your brain. You need to train your mind for resilience as well.
Time off doesn’t have to stress you out
Being realistic with yourself about what you need is going to help you enjoy time off without stress. If you’re coming out of a season where you felt great physically and mentally, you might be motivated to simply keep up with your training and activity levels.
If the season wasn’t your best, you may need a longer period of true rest or time away from dance to recover mentally. This is something to give yourself permission to take, especially now that you know you won’t be instantly losing tons of strength.
Use your time away from dance productively
Establishing goals for a level of productivity is going to help you feel good about the time off. It can mitigate any guilt you might create in your mind if you accomplish some things you find fulfilling.
Before you jump into action, give yourself time to truly reflect on what went well in your season and what you’d like to improve. This way you’ll be able to set goals and intentions around what you’d like to see shift in your next dancing season.
The truth might be that you want to fully disengage from dance for a period of time. If that’s the case, how will you find movement that’s enjoyable and motivating?
- Try a new workout class
- Sign up to work with a personal trainer for dancers
- Consider health, nutrition, and lifestyle coaching for direction, support, and accountability: book your coaching consultation here
- Get active with friends or family
- Plan for activities that involve movement that makes you feel good, like amusement park visits, museum trips, hikes, or swimming
As the season gets closer: 5 ways to feel more ready
When it comes closer to your next dancing season, work to feel prepared both mentally and physically.
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Get back into the studio.
If you’re still feeling resistance, find a friend to go with you. Maybe re-enter with a class that’s outside of your genre of focus. Keep it low stakes. No pressure to do 5 pirouettes on day one. Instead, give yourself permission to take baby steps towards your full dancing potential.
You might begin by just taking barre or putting your pointe shoes on for 10 minutes at the end of class. Really think about what you can handle and how you can find inspiration as you get back into it slowly.
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Stay aware of stress surrounding your food choices.
Stressing out about what is the “right” thing to be eating or what amounts of food are “perfect” is counterproductive. It will only lead you down a path towards guilt and overthinking.
Instead, connect to what feels good about your food choices. Focus on foods and meals that provide your body with energy and easy digestion. The more you connect to mindful eating, the better you’ll get at meeting your body’s needs with ease.
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Create a schedule that’s flexible but intentional.
During the season, most dancers have very regimented schedules. Your rehearsal schedule is dictated to you, and you might have outside work hours that are set or consistent.
Give yourself the flexibility in summer to make space for some spontaneity and extra time with friends or family. If someone invites you to go to the beach, you don’t want your workout plans to get in the way.
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Find support to create goals.
If your goal is to go back into your season feeling stronger and more prepared than when you started last season, the best way to accomplish that is to work backwards from the goal.
It can’t just be about physical preparation. Keep in mind we tend to overestimate what we can accomplish in shorter periods of time (days or weeks) and underestimate what we can accomplish with more time (months or years).
If you’re struggling to find clarity on your goals or achieve them, coaching could provide the support and accountability you need to make your goals a sustainable reality.
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Check in with your mindset.
Your internal narrative and self-awareness have a huge impact on how you feel in your body. When dancers accept that some body change is normal and to be expected during time off, they’re much gentler with themselves. With this approach, you’re able to take the changes (which are usually small) in stride, which facilitates a much healthier approach as you get back into your dancing season.
By avoiding extremes, the fluctuations come and go with ease. In terms of mental approach, if you let yourself let go of the attachment to always being “in shape,” you’ll have much greater odds of actually staying in shape.
Remember, your perspective on your body is built in your mind…
As a dancer, you may have heard: your body is your instrument. And it is, but it’s also so much more. Your body is your home. It’s the place you’ll spend your entire life.
When you find you’re feeling overly concerned about “being in shape,” it can be helpful to come back to the intention of caring for yourself. Above all else, you want to nourish and care for your body so you’ll feel your best from the inside out.
For dancers, in a world that’s so aesthetically focused, it can be hard to come back to that intention on your own. If you’re struggling to put your well-being first, reach out. Start your coaching journey by scheduling a complimentary coaching consultation call here.
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