I did a class here and there about 4 or 5 weeks after I gave birth and now I am back to going once a week along with the other yoga/fitness classes. It’s been a frustrating process – this whole “starting from scratch” feeling. But it’s all coming back a little faster than I anticipated. The foundation of strength I built up is still there thankfully! And maybe lifting a 15 lbs baby all day every day has helped a bit too!
I want this series to be about documenting my personal progress, encouraging others to go out and find their own “fitness identity”, highlighting aerialists that I look up to, reviewing fantastic workout clothes + fitness products, etc. I think sometimes it can be hard to realize that you have it within yourself to be good at something like this. (I’m not “good” by the way – but I know I can be if I try!) A lot of people say things to me like, “WOW. I wish I could do that!” …. GOOD NEWS. You can! Maybe you’ll try out aerial silks and it won’t be your thing but I promise that you have your own “fitness identity”. There is something you enjoy doing that will get you up and moving. I tried for a very long time to do crazy intense cardio workouts at home, to run, to go to the gym on my own and use the machines – I hated all of it. It annoyed me. It was confusing for me. I wandered around the gym without a plan and very little understanding of what I needed to work on. Group fitness turned out to be my thing. Aerial silks excited me and I wanted to go to class to learn something new! Not to mention, it wasn’t long before I also wanted to go to see the friends I had made too! I think that excitement is important. It keeps you going even when you’re tired and just not feeling it.
I’m not a life coach. I’m not in amazing shape. I eat donuts on the weekend, drink too much coffee and not enough water. But I’ve found the thing that motivates me and makes me feel better about myself. And I know if I want to be better at it then I have to eat a few less donuts and drink a little more water. ;] I’m still going to drink all the coffee though because … 4 month old.
What is something that you love to do that gets you moving? Or is there something you want to try that you think you would love? Tell me!
There’s not a ton of advice out there on the internet since we are a little bit of a rare breed, but what I’ve taken from everything that I have read is that first and foremost, you should consult your doctor (obviously) and second, listen to your body. I’ve had a surprisingly easy pregnancy so far and I can probably attribute most of that to the fact that I am in such good shape from aerial silks and the fitness classes that I’ve been taking for about a year now. Had I been feeling super tired or really sick, it wouldn’t have been an option for me to continue – so I really feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I’ve read so many great things about keeping up with your fitness routine (modifying as you go) as much as possible. It generally leads to a much easier birth and who isn’t hoping for an easier birth?! ;]
If you’re pregnant and you’ve stumbled across this little ol’ blog because you’re in search of someone to give you answers on what is ok and what isn’t – just know that unfortunately there is no blue print guide for the pregnant circus performer. There just isn’t. Because there is no truly “typical” pregnancy. We are all so different! So consult your doctor and if they give you the go ahead – be smart, listen to your body, and know your limits. This is most assuredly not the time to learn new tricks or stretch your abilities. I’m not a medical professional by any means but if you are new to silks and still find a lot of what you’re doing to be a huge struggle, I would discontinue until after baby arrives. I find that I feel wonderful after a class and not out of breath, sick, dizzy, etc. If at anytime I feel differently, I’ll be putting silks on the back burner!
If you continue to do silks – be prepared to answer questions from friends/family/strangers. I say “be prepared” because they wont always come in a friendly format. Most people mean well, but their questions may come out sounding much like an accusation that you do not care about your baby, that maybe you’ve simply forgotten that you’re pregnant, or that you are not smart enough to have spoken to your doctor. Probably not what they mean to infer, but infuriating none-the-less.
Safe flying to you and your aerial babes! <3
So I turned to the internet. My Instagram feed is mostly aerial silks, yoga poses, babies, and cats nowadays. I see a lot of people tagging their workout clothing in their posts so I’ve started checking them out! There seem to be some surprisingly awesome (unheard of? well I had never heard of them!) companies out there. I’ve chosen to feature Onzie.com this time around! That one piece would be *perfect* for an aerial performance!
