Rest Days & The Myth of "No Pain, No Gain"

MYTH: “Rest is for the weak”

MYTH: “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger”

MYTH: “It’s the days when the body aches, desire is low, you feel tired & weak…those are the days when champions train.”

You’ve probably heard these phrases in fitness culture before. They’re meant to sound motivating, but at Elevated Aerial, we believe true strength comes from balance, body awareness, and sustainability; not from ignoring pain or pushing yourself into burnout.

Our mantra is simple: Fitness. Fun. Empowerment.

That means building strength in a way that supports your body, celebrates progress, and keeps movement enjoyable for the long term.

Listening to Your Body Is a Skill

Professional athletes and elite performers don’t succeed because they ignore their bodies; they succeed because they learn to understand them. They also have coaches, trainers, and physical therapists to help build recovery plans into their routines. For the non-professionals, the key is learning how to recognize the difference between challenge, discomfort, fatigue, and pain.

Exercise, Recovery, and Muscle Growth

After a tough workout or aerial session, it’s normal to feel sore. Trainers call this DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). During strength training, tiny micro-tears form in the muscle fibers. As those fibers repair, the muscles become stronger.

That repair process happens during recovery.

Without rest, the body stays in a constant cycle of breakdown without enough time to rebuild. Rest days are not “lazy days”; they are an important part of the strength building process.

Discomfort Is Normal; Pain Is Not

If you take aerial classes with us, you’ve probably heard this phrase before:

“Discomfort is normal. Pain is not.”

Some movements in aerial arts are uncomfortable at first. Skills like sitting on the metal bar of a hoop, tying feet into silks, or gripping the pole with your inner thigh can challenge areas of the body that aren’t used to that kind of pressure. Similar to this discomfort of ski boots on the first day of ski season, your body will gradually adapt to the pressure.

But sharp pain, joint pain, or lingering injuries should never be ignored.

If a movement feels wrong, stop and reassess. Progress in aerial arts comes from consistency, patience, and practice; not from forcing your body past its limits. The goal is to become stronger and more confident, not injured and discouraged.

Recovery Is Empowerment

Rest days don’t mean you have to do nothing at all. There are many ways to support your body and continue progressing while still allowing recovery.

Click the carrot to the left for a few ideas:

• Cross-train with lower-impact movement like walking, biking, swimming, or yoga

• Train around injuries when appropriate; for example, focusing on upper body or core while resting a sore knee

• Foam roll, stretch, and improve flexibility

• Prioritize sleep, hydration, and nutrition

• Reflect on your goals and celebrate how far you’ve come

Recovery can still be active, intentional, and productive.

Fitness Should Feel Sustainable

At Elevated Aerial, we want students to feel stronger, more capable, and more connected to their bodies; not punished by fitness culture. Movement should challenge you, but it should also bring joy.

Learning when to push yourself and when to rest is part of becoming a stronger athlete, aerialist, and human being. Give yourself permission to recover without guilt. Your body will thank you for it, and your progress will be better because of it.

Real empowerment isn’t about pushing through pain. It’s about building a body and mindset that can thrive for years to come.

Ready to Train Smarter?

If you’ve been looking for a fitness community that values strength and sustainability, we’d love to welcome you to Elevated Aerial.

Our classes are designed to help you build confidence, improve fitness, and discover what your body is capable of in a supportive, encouraging environment. Whether you’re brand new to aerial arts or returning after time away from movement, we meet you where you are and help you progress safely.

Come experience fitness that feels empowering, movement that feels fun, and training that supports your long-term goals. Book a class and come fly with us.

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Article by Mindy Cochran. Mindy is a practitioner, teacher, and performer of aerial silks, aerial hammock, and aerial hoop; as well as a health columnist for Montana Woman Magazine. Her column shares expertise for elevating health & wellness that she has acquired through her certifications as a personal trainer, nutrition coach and life coach. To connect with Mindy on Instagram, please visit: www.instagram.com/aerial.mindy; or visit her Linktree here.