We could all learn something from Olympic champion Alysa Liu’s commitment to rest

Alysa Liu is not competing in the 2026 to 2027 figure skating season.

Tang Xinyu/VCG via Getty Images Alysa Liu is taking another step back from competitive figure skating.

In 2022, she quit because she was miserable.

This time, she's breaking to 'fine-tune' her skating.

It could be a step towards normalizing resting before you're so exhausted your body forces you to.

Alysa Liu is taking a break from competitive figure skating, but not because she's burned out.

The 21-year-old Olympic champion wrote on Instagram that she will be sitting out next year's season to focus on personal growth and fine-tune her skating and artistry.

She told NBC Sports on Tuesday: "I really want to improve my skating, and I wanted to take the time to do that for myself and just to evolve, and then I'll be back after that is done." It's not uncommon for a public figure to announce a break from their work, but it's almost always for health or personal reasons.

Earlier this month, Ariana Grande 's people announced that she would be taking a break amid "endless, ongoing public scrutiny." Simone Biles stepped away from gymnastics for two years until 2023, citing mental health concerns.

Liu is ostensibly doing the opposite: pacing herself so she doesn't run herself into the ground.

This is particularly notable for an athlete, whose career-spans are typically shorter.

Taking a step back while at the top of your game might seem counterintuitive, but her career trajectory suggests the opposite.

A preventative break Liu retired from figure skating in 2022 at the age of 16, but returned two years later, with renewed vigor, and bagged gold at the 2025 World Championships.

She went on to win two gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.