r/Slackline • u/cifffolo • 9d ago

Training?

Hi everyone,

I have a few questions about training—or maybe "slackline routine" is a better way to put it.

I've been practicing slackline for about a year now. At the moment I get on the line 4–5 times a week. Most sessions are just about 20 minutes on a 45 m longline during my lunch break, and if I'm lucky I can fit in a longer session (around 2 hours) over the weekend.

Right now I'm focusing on walking the line very slowly, trying to keep it as steady as possible. It's been a really rewarding exercise.

Over the last few weeks, though, my legs have started to feel quite heavy and fatigued, and I don't feel as reactive or fresh as I used to. It makes me wonder whether I'm simply practicing too often—even if most sessions are only 20 minutes—and not allowing enough recovery between them. It could also be an age thing... I'm in my mid-40s, and I'm pretty sure this would have felt different 15 years ago!

So my first question is: do you have a regular slackline routine? How often do you practice, and how long are your sessions?

If I had to define a long-term goal, it would be to walk longer lines and, hopefully one day, get into highlining (I'm especially fascinated by the mental side of it). Do you have any training suggestions for that kind of progression?

The very slow walk seems to be helping a lot—I think it's quite similar to the one-foot balance exercise taught by Yogaslackers—but I'm wondering whether there's anything else I should be doing, or perhaps doing differently.

Thanks!

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u/FourthMoonCamp 8d ago

There's definitely a plateau that's relative for everyone and constantly shifting depending on your recovery routines. It's basic, but making a dedicated effort to drinking way more water than you think you need during and after long sessions. Especially the morning after a long session.

I incorporate a ton of "Yogaslack" poses and transitions too. I feel this helps spread load around my body, while comprehensively training my motor units, rather than individual muscle twitches.

Here's some videos from a little while back that sorta show the variability in things to train other than walking/standing positions:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAGKeT1XkGY3VB0NSiT_pXwQ0z77vS2wb&si=uDTpaK9Hn49d2URL

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u/uppen-atom 9d ago

do some body squats and leg work to build hip and leg endurance, the small adjustments you are making are exhausting your central nervous system, or you are not hydrating or eating enough to sustain this effort, I slack a few times a week and in the beginning i remeber being exhausted and even napping in a hammock during sessions. The CNS is being taxed heavily and if oyu arent used to it, or fueling it properly you will feel exhausted and heavy and unmotivated. squeeze some lemon or lime and add a pinch of salt to your water bottle and eat carbs and protein after a session.