Taking a Break?

Here’s What You Should Know Before You Pause from Cheer, Tumbling, or Gymnastics

We get it—life gets busy. Between school, vacations, other activities, and sometimes just needing a breather, taking a break from cheer, tumbling, or gymnastics can sound like the right move. But before making that call, there are a few important things we think every parent and athlete should know.

When an athlete takes a break, it’s not just time off from practice—it’s time away from consistency, progression, and muscle memory. Skills that took months (or even years) to build can start to fade surprisingly fast without regular training. Strength, flexibility, and confidence all take a hit, and coming back after time off often means starting over in some areas. That’s not to scare you—but we think it’s important to be realistic.

For athletes in All Star cheer, it's even more impactful. Cheer isn't just tumbling—it’s jumps, stunts, dance, and team-based timing. If an athlete continues tumbling but steps away from team training, they’re missing critical pieces of the full routine. They might stay strong in their individual skills but fall behind in stunting and performance experience. The longer the break, the harder it is to reintegrate at the same level.

From a coach’s perspective, consistency is everything. When athletes train regularly, we’re able to safely and steadily push them to their next level. But when there’s a gap in training, we have to go back, recheck progress, rebuild trust in their bodies, and recalibrate everything from technique to timing. Sometimes athletes return eager to jump back in but struggle with frustration when their skills don’t come back immediately.

That being said, we’re big believers in mental health and listening to your body. Breaks can be necessary—and sometimes the right decision. But if your athlete plans to return, it’s worth having a conversation about what that return might look like and what they might need to do to regain lost ground.

If your child is feeling burnt out or unsure, let’s talk about it. Sometimes a class adjustment or a temporary schedule shift is all that’s needed to help them recharge—without losing momentum. We’re here to help your athlete grow in the way that’s best for them, but our goal is always to set them up for long-term success.

We also want to point out the social side of training. Teams build chemistry, trust, and rhythm over time—not just through skills, but through shared experiences. When an athlete takes time off, especially in a team setting like All Star cheer or group gymnastics, they miss out on bonding moments, group dynamics, and learning to work with different athletes. These connections are just as important as physical skills and can make all the difference in how an athlete feels about returning after time away.

Finally, we want you to know that we’re in your corner. Whether your child is thriving, struggling, or somewhere in between, our goal is to guide, support, and cheer them on—literally. We want every athlete to feel confident and proud of the progress they’ve made, no matter where they’re starting from or where they’re headed. So if you're unsure, let's have a conversation. Taking a break might still be the right choice, but it doesn't have to be the end of the road—and it definitely doesn’t have to be a decision you make alone.

So before stepping away, take a moment to weigh the full picture. And if you're still unsure, reach out. We’re more than happy to help you navigate the decision in a way that supports both your athlete’s goals and well-being.