Nutrition Essentials for Young and Old Aerial Athletes

This pattern is seriously undermining performance, recovery, and overall health. Our aerial workouts are demanding. They require explosive power, sustained holds, and significant muscular effort. Training on an empty stomach means you're running on fumes, unable to give your best effort, and setting yourself up for injury and exhaustion.

The Problem with Late-Night Eating

When we eat a large meal close to bedtime, we create a cascade of problems:

Disrupted Sleep Quality: The body needs 2-3 hours to properly digest a meal. Eating late forces the digestive system to work overtime when it should be resting, leading to fragmented sleep, difficulty falling asleep, and less restorative rest. Athletes of all ages need quality sleep for muscle recovery, growth hormone release, and cognitive function.

Digestive Distress: Late-night eating can cause acid reflux, indigestion, and stomach discomfort. The body's digestive processes naturally slow down in the evening, making it harder to process food efficiently.

Metabolic Disruption: Eating late can negatively impact blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity, affecting energy levels and potentially contributing to weight management issues.

Gut Health Concerns: Recent research shows that meal timing affects our gut microbiome—the beneficial bacteria that support digestion, immunity, and overall health. Eating late disrupts the natural circadian rhythm of our gut bacteria, potentially compromising digestive health and immune function.

Impaired Recovery: Without proper pre-training fuel and with late-night eating, the body struggles to repair muscles effectively, meaning you're not getting the full benefit of your hard work.

Please, everyone: prioritize eating dinner BEFORE you come to evening practice. Even if it's an earlier, lighter meal at 5 PM before a 6:30 class, it's infinitely better than training on empty and eating at 9 PM.

New Classes to Elevate Your Training!

We're excited to announce several new classes designed to enhance your aerial performance:

Aerial Conditioning and Flexibility (Floor-Based) - Starting Monday nights in a few weeks at 6pm with Ms. Cynthia! Build the strength and flexibility foundation that translates directly to improved aerial performance.

Circuit Training on Aerial Apparatus - Starting Tuesday nights in a few weeks at 6pm with Ms. Cynthia! Take your apparatus training to the next level with focused, high-intensity circuits.

Beginner Sling with Conditioning and Stretching - Starting this Tuesday with Ms. Lauren! Perfect for those ready to explore sling while building essential strength and flexibility.

These classes are perfect complements to your regular aerial training and will help accelerate your progress!

Join Our Competition Teams!

We have exciting opportunities for athletes ready to take their training to the next level:

Ensemble and Solo Competition Teams: Open to any student who has completed the first half of our red level curriculum and beyond! Training nights will be Mondays starting in December. Join us for our all-ensemble competition happening right here at our studio this Valentine's Day! This is a perfect opportunity for newer competitors to experience the thrill of performance in a supportive team environment.

Elite Competition Track: For athletes ready to pursue higher-level competition, we're now training for:

• USAAO Qualifiers
• Aerialympics competitions (virtual and live events in May)

Whether you're just starting your competition journey or ready to train for national-level events, we have a path for you. Reach out to us for more information about tryouts and team placement.

The Foundation: Macronutrients for Aerial Athletes

Just like gymnasts, aerial artists require explosive power, strength, endurance, and flexibility. What our young athletes eat directly impacts their ability to train hard, recover quickly, and perform at their best. Let's break down the essential building blocks of a performance-focused diet.

Carbohydrates: Your Child's Primary Energy Source

Think of carbohydrates as the premium fuel that powers every climb, inversion, and hold. Complex carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables provide the sustained energy needed for those demanding training sessions and future competitions.

Smart carb choices include:

• Fresh or frozen fruits
• Sweet potatoes, corn, peas, and beans
• Whole grain bread, oatmeal, rice, and pasta
• Milk and yogurt

Aerial training relies heavily on the body's carbohydrate stores to support high-intensity, explosive movements. Making sure your young athlete has adequate carbs before, during, and after training will help them perform at their best.

Protein: Building Strength from the Inside Out

Protein is the construction crew that repairs and builds the lean muscle our aerial athletes need. After an intense training session of climbs, holds, and conditioning, protein helps those hardworking muscles recover and grow stronger.

Aim for your child to consume 20-30 grams of protein at each meal and snack, spread throughout the day. This consistent intake, combined with their training program, supports muscle development, enhances strength and power, and helps prevent injuries.

Excellent protein sources:

• Lean meats, fish, and poultry
• Dairy products like Greek yogurt and cheese
• Plant-based options like beans, lentils, and tofu
• Nuts and nut butters

Healthy Fats: Essential for Overall Performance

Don't fear the fat! Healthy fats are crucial for hormone regulation, brain function, energy, and absorbing important vitamins. Young athletes should aim to get at least 30% of their daily calories from healthy fat sources.

Include these healthy fats:

• Avocados
• Nuts, nut butters, seeds, and seed butters
• Fatty fish like salmon
• Olive oil and olives

Important timing note: While fats are essential daily, limit high-fat foods right before training or competition, as they digest slowly and may cause stomach discomfort during activity.

Hydration: The Often-Forgotten Performance Booster

Water is absolutely critical for our aerial athletes. It regulates body temperature, lubricates joints, and transports nutrients throughout the body. Encourage your child to drink water consistently throughout the day, with special attention before, during, and after training sessions.

Timing Matters: When to Eat for Optimal Performance

Pre-Training Nutrition

3-4 hours before training: Offer a balanced meal rich in carbohydrates with moderate protein and fat. This gives the body time to digest and provides sustained energy.

For our evening classes, this means eating dinner by 4:30-5:00 PM for a 6:30 or 7:00 PM class. Yes, this feels early, but it's what athlete bodies need.

Closer to training (30-60 minutes before): A lighter snack focusing on easily digestible carbs with a small amount of protein works well if they need something closer to class time.

Practice with different foods and timing to discover what makes your child feel their best during training.

Post-Training Nutrition

The 45-60 minute window after training is golden for recovery. Offer a meal or snack that combines protein (for muscle repair) with carbohydrates (to replenish energy stores). This refueling helps prepare their body for the next training session.

For evening classes: Have a recovery snack ready in the car—chocolate milk, a protein smoothie, a turkey sandwich, Greek yogurt with fruit—something they can consume on the way home. This addresses immediate recovery needs without requiring a large meal at bedtime.

The Supporting Players: Vitamins and Minerals

Young aerial athletes need adequate vitamins and minerals to support performance, recovery, and overall health. Focus on these key micronutrients:

Calcium: Essential for strong bones that can withstand the impact and stress of aerial training

Vitamin D: Necessary for calcium absorption, bone health, and muscle function

Iron: Critical for oxygen transportation—especially important for athletes engaging in intense exercise

Magnesium: Involved in energy metabolism, muscle function, and nerve transmission

The best approach? Provide a varied diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Before considering supplements, consult with a sports dietitian or your child's healthcare provider, as excess intake of some nutrients can cause problems.

Practical Tips for Aerial Parents

1. Plan dinner early on training days: Set an alarm if needed—getting dinner in 3-4 hours before class is non-negotiable for performance
2. Prep recovery snacks: Keep portable, protein-rich options in your car for the ride home
3. Make it colorful: A rainbow of fruits and vegetables ensures a variety of nutrients
4. Stay consistent: Regular meal and snack times support stable energy levels and healthy circadian rhythms
5. Listen to your athlete: Food preferences matter—work with them to find nutritious options they enjoy
6. Lead by example: When families eat well together, kids develop healthy habits for life
7. Communicate with us: If your child seems exhausted or is struggling in class, let's talk about whether nutrition timing might be a factor

A Note to Our Adult Athletes

I know you're juggling careers, families, and training—and many of you are also conscious of your weight. But I want to talk about something even more important: how nutrition timing affects your performance, recovery, and overall health. For years, I taught evening classes without prioritizing a proper dinner beforehand, and I paid the price with hormone imbalances, chronic inflammation, poor sleep, and constant muscle fatigue. After our move this summer, I finally started eating a real meal before teaching my evening classes, even if it meant dinner at 4:30 or 5pm, and just having a small snack when I got home at 9pm. The difference has been incredible—my strength has increased, my muscles recover so much faster, my hormones have balanced out, my inflammation is under control, and I'm finally sleeping well again. I was working against my own body for so long, and I don't want to see you make the same mistake. Your aerial goals are within reach—let's make sure your nutrition timing is supporting them, not undermining your health the way it did mine.

Looking Ahead

As we prepare our athletes for incredible opportunities—from our Valentine's Day ensemble competition to USAAO qualifiers and Aerialympics events—remember that nutrition is training too. Every healthy meal, properly timed, is an investment in your child's performance, recovery, and long-term success in aerial arts.

The path to becoming an elite aerial athlete isn't just about hours on the apparatus. It's about respecting the body's needs for proper fuel, adequate rest, and recovery. Let's work together to give our young athletes every advantage.

Here's to fueling our future champions—one properly-timed, nutritious meal at a time!

Questions about nutrition for your young athlete or interested in our competition teams? Reach out to us at Eternal Aerial Arts. We're here to support your child's aerial journey, both in the air and on the ground.

Ms. Peggy

Download these additional resources for more resources for fueling aerial workouts:

Nutrients That Fuel Performance

Fueling Strategies for Gymnasts

Fueling Strategies: Snacks