As we know, your aerial training not only challenges you physically, but also engages your mind and builds your confidence. However, along with the thrill and excitement, it's essential to prioritize the cool-down phase after each session. Cooling down is not just a ritual; it's a vital component that aids in restoring your nervous system and stretching out highly used areas like your forearms, neck, and shoulders.
Grab a yoga block and join me in this 5 minute cool down video:
After an intense aerial class, your body's sympathetic nervous system is likely in a heightened state due to the adrenaline rush and increased heart rate. This heightened state can persist post-session, leaving you feeling a bit jittery or on edge. The cool-down phase helps shift your body into the parasympathetic nervous system state, promoting relaxation and calmness.
Aerial classes involve significant engagement of muscles, particularly in the forearms, neck, and shoulders. These areas tend to get worked quite a bit, leading to potential soreness and stiffness. Stretching these highly used areas helps improve flexibility, increase blood circulation, and decrease muscle soreness, enabling a faster recovery.
An effective cool-down involves gentle stretches, mobility exercises, and controlled breathing. In addition, to the simple cool-down routine in the video, if you have the time, the end of class is typically most appropriate for any deep passive stretches like over-splits or middle splits as your body is likely warmed up for it. The start of class should include more dynamic and active movements to prepare you for what's to come in the air.
Cooling down after training is basically saying, "Hey body, thanks for rocking that class!" 🙌 It's your ticket to recovery, so you can continue to train for years to come. Plus, it's like hitting the reset button for your mind and muscles. 🔄
Next time you end an intense aerial session, take a few minutes to cool-down—it's your secret sauce to restore, relax, and make your muscles say, "Oh yeah, thank you!" 💛
Bookmark this page to easily refer back to it after your next training session.