Ever find your motivation for training has completely disappeared? That’s been me for a few weeks now, it totally sucks but it got me thinking about what I can do to get it back.
I’ve been doing pole and aerial arts for about 6 years now. It’s my full-time job and although I love it and know how lucky I am to be able to do my hobby all day, it does mean that I lose my mojo occasionally. Over the years I’ve come to know what helps me get back on track.
Listen to your body
Sometimes your body is trying to tell you that it needs a break, listen to it! There’s nothing quite like what we do, and I’m sure I’ll never fall out of love with it. Although they do say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Give yourself a week off to let your muscles completely recover and give your mind a rest. You won’t lose all your strength and forget loads of moves by doing it and you’ll probably come back feeling refreshed and ready to train. If you ae having a break, read my blog post on Coming Back after a Pole / Aerial Break.
Focus on a different aspect
We can often get so caught up in trying to achieve new moves that we can forget that there’re so many different ways to enjoy pole/aerial. My favourite thing to do when I’m feeling unmotivated is to put on a song and just dance. There’s no pressure to do tricks though I often find that after a couple of songs I’m itching to start adding more moves in anyway! Or if you don’t enjoy that have a really sweaty conditioning session. It doesn’t matter if your toes aren’t pointed or the exercises aren’t complicated or pretty, but you will feel amazing after! 
Train with someone/Have a lesson
I train on my own so for me booking in a lesson always gets me excited to train! I want to practise again as soon as I get home! If you’re unable to go to a lesson then training with a friend is really good fun. You can and try doubles moves or things you wouldn’t think of on your own. If you’re going to classes, booking a couple of private lessons where you can really work on what you want/need to can be amazing to give you a kick up the bum! And if you have a session planned with someone else you’re much more likely to stick to it!
Go over old moves
I love having a couple of sessions of just going over “easy” moves. Or looking through books and doing moves that I’ve forgotten about. This always makes me realise how far I’ve come and gives me a real confidence boost.
Try something different
If the top of the silks seems to be getting further away, it may be time to try something else. You can replace one of your lessons with another activity. Or have a couple of weeks off and do something else instead. You’ll probably feel fit and motivated to come back stronger! Or at least not totally overwhelmed by trying to get a certain move. If you want to keep improving your upper body strength you could try things like rock climbing, gymnastics or another aerial art, or if you’re like me and don’t want to use your arms too much there’re things like horse riding, running or trampolining (I’m currently addicted!).
Set a fun goal
If you’ve been working on the same things for months, it can get really frustrating. It’s hard finding motivation to go to your training session if you know you’re going to be going over things that you’re not motivated to do in the first place. Setting a fun goal like writing a routine can really take the pressure off. It’ll give you something new to focus on.
Be inspired
Watching youtube videos and scrolling through Instagram always provides me with inspiration if I’m struggling with what to do and it always makes me want to run into the studio to try a new super cool move! Find us on Instagram Unique Aerialists.
I hope this helped if you’re currently struggling to find your motivation, what else do you do to get it back? xx
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