Aerial Silks vs lyra: Which one is right for you?

Choosing between aerial silks and lyra (aerial hoop) can feel like a big decision, especially if you’re just starting your aerial journey. Each apparatus has its own unique challenges, strengths, and learning curves. As someone who has trained on both, I can tell you firsthand that neither is easy—but one may suit you better depending on your body, goals, and preferences.
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My Aerial Journey: How I Discovered My Favorite Apparatus

I didn’t actually start with either silks or lyra—I began with pole dance. But I quickly ran into a big problem: my hands were just too sweaty to grip the pole! No matter how much I chalked up or wiped my hands, I found myself sliding right off. It was frustrating because I loved the movement and strength required for pole dance, but my body just didn’t cooperate with it.
That’s when I found aerial silks. It was still extremely hard, but at least I wasn’t slipping off the apparatus like I did with pole. Instead of relying on grip strength alone, silks allowed me to use wraps and techniques to hold myself up. I committed to training regularly, and even though it took time, I started to see real progress.

A year into my silks training, I decided to try lyra (aerial hoop).
And let me tell you—I was NOT prepared for how painful and challenging it would be! Unlike silks, where you can use wraps and fabric to support yourself, lyra is a metal hoop that digs into your body. On top of that, you have to invert right away to get into the hoop, which requires a lot of core and upper body strength from the very start. After that first class, I didn’t take another lyra class for an entire year.

But eventually, I gave it another shot. Slowly but surely, I got better, and I even performed a couple of pieces on the hoop. However, time became a big factor for me. When I first started aerial, I had hours a day to train. Now, my schedule is packed, and I need to focus my efforts. Since I personally find silks to be better for full-body strength and a little kinder on my body, I chose to dedicate my time to it.

But that doesn’t mean you have to choose just one! If you’re wondering which apparatus is right for you, here are some key things to consider.

Aerial Silks: The Pros and Cons
Pros:

✅ Uses wraps to help with grip (great if you have sweaty hands!)
✅ Builds full-body strength, especially core and grip strength
✅ Easier on the body in terms of impact (less metal digging into you)
✅ Offers endless creativity with wraps, drops, and sequences

Cons:
❌ Requires a lot of patience—it can take a while to feel confident in the air
❌ If you’re afraid of heights, it may feel intimidating (silks are usually rigged higher than lyra)
❌ Wraps can be confusing to learn at first

Lyra (Aerial Hoop): The Pros and Cons
Pros:

✅ Great for fast progress—you can learn beautiful poses quickly
✅ Develops core and upper body strength very effectively
✅ Often lower to the ground, making it feel less intimidating
✅ Can incorporate dynamic movement like spinning and swinging

Cons:
❌ Painful at first! The hoop digs into your legs, back, and hips
❌ Requires immediate inverting strength—you have to get into the hoop right away
❌ Can be rough on the lower back, especially with repeated tricks

So, Which One is Right for You?
At the end of the day, you don’t have to choose—many aerialists train in both! But if you do want to focus on one, think about what’s most important to you:

• If you love flowy movement, dynamic drops, and building endurance, silks might be your best bet.
• If you prefer compact shapes, spinning sequences, and a more grounded feel, lyra could be the one for you.

No matter which one you choose, aerial training is an incredible journey that pushes your strength, flexibility, and creativity. And who knows? Maybe you’ll start with one and fall in love with the other later—just like I did!

What about you? Have you tried both silks and lyra? Which one do you prefer? Let me know in the comments!

CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW to check out these Practice Aerial Silks and Lyra I use to train AT HOME from Amazon: (Paid Commissions Earned on Affiliate Links:
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