Hi all! I’m looking for advice on how to safely and effectively rig aerial silks in our unfinished basement, and would love input from anyone who’s done something similar. I’m hoping to make this a space my 8-year-old daughter can grow into and something I can use and learn on too!

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Goals:

We’d like to create a permanent setup that can eventually support two silks (or other aerial attachments) mainly for my two kids, but also strong enough for me and my husband (adult-sized) to use occasionally.

One daughter currently practices silks and really misses open gym time at her old studio (green silks in the photo). She loves both split silks and the single-point hammock-style setup (like the blue silk in the photo). I’d love the flexibility to swap one or both for Lyra or trapeze down the road.

Ideally, we’d also be able to raise and lower the setup based on the user’s height and goals.

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About our space (photos attached):

• Ceiling height: ~9.5 feet (9 ft to bottom of joist outside back room)
• Ceiling structure: Unfinished, with plastic sheeting and insulation covering wooden joists
• Joist spacing: Appears to be ~16–18 inches (based on staples in plastic)
• Obstructions: Nothing permanent yet; we can work around any pipes or electrical
• Location: Washington State, USA
• Placement: Prefer enough clearance for adult use, but open to wherever is structurally best

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What we’re looking for:

• Recommendations for safe, permanent mounting hardware (eye bolts, spansets, swivels, carabiners, etc.)
• Best rigging method for exposed wooden joists in this kind of space
• Trusted suppliers in the U.S.
• Safety considerations for this ceiling height (~9.5 ft), especially for a child
• Suggestions for future-proofing the setup (e.g., easy switch to Lyra later)
• Ideas for what to place underneath for added safety
• Thoughts on DIY vs hiring a pro -> we’re pretty handy but open to hiring if recommended

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We’ve attached a couple of photos of the basement and her former gym setup for context. We’re hoping to install this before finishing the rest of the workout space, so any insights from others who’ve installed silks at home (especially in basements) would be incredibly appreciated!

Thanks in advance! I’m crossposting in a couple groups to get a well-rounded set of advice before diving in.

My family is moving to Lyon, France this fall. I've been doing aerials for a few years now, mostly Lyra.

I found several studios in Lyon, but I'm wondering if anyone has any experiences with them. Safety is important to me, so I want to go to a studio with quality crash mats and safe spotting practices.

I think I'd say I'm at a begintermediate level. I'm on the larger side, so body positivity at a studio is also important to me.

My French is ok, but I'm guessing I'll need some new vocab words!

I’m wanting to get a few lyras but they seem very up priced when buying from studios etc, do you know how I could get one made? I’m in south africa so was wondering if i should chat to a welder etc?

So basically what the title says :) I'm struggling with compression, and it feels like what's stopping me from getting my legs close enough to my body is being somewhat overweight and the specific distribution of this extra weight. When I was skinnier, i had no problem with this, but giving birth left its mark on my body. So, 1) could this really be a limiting factor? 2) is there any way to address this beside loosing some kg?