How to progress faster in aerial silks
You've been training aerial silks for a while now. You've nailed a few basic figures, your climb is getting smoother, and you're starting to feel at home on the fabric. But maybe you've hit a wall. Progress feels slow, and those impressive drops and sequences still seem far away.
Don't worry - that's completely normal. Aerial silks progress isn't linear, and there are concrete things you can do to improve your aerial skills faster. We asked our trainers at Flying Stars for their best advice, and here are 11 tips they swear by.
1. Master the basics first
We know it's tempting to jump straight to the flashy stuff - dramatic drops, complex wraps, Instagram-worthy poses. But every advanced move is built on a foundation of basics. If your footlock isn't clean, if your hip key is shaky, if your basic climb is inefficient - you'll struggle with everything that builds on top of them.
Spend time drilling your fundamentals until they're second nature. A clean, confident basic figure is far more impressive than a sloppy advanced one.
2. Train your climb
Climbing is the foundation of everything in aerial silks. It's how you get into position for figures, and it's the most physically demanding part of your training. A strong, efficient climb saves your energy for the actual figures.
Practice climbing every session. Focus on technique - using your legs to push rather than your arms to pull. Set small goals: one more climb than last week, or climbing a bit higher each time.
3. Build grip strength
Your hands are your lifeline on the silks. If your grip gives out, nothing else matters. Many students hit a plateau simply because their grip can't keep up with the rest of their body.
Work on grip strength both on and off the silks. Dead hangs, farmer's carries, and towel pull-ups are excellent off-fabric exercises. On the silks, practice holding positions for longer. Even something as simple as hanging from the fabric for 30 seconds between exercises builds grip endurance.
4. Core strength is everything
Almost every figure in aerial silks requires core engagement. Inversions, straddles, climbs, even simple sits - your core is always working. A weak core means compensating with your arms, which leads to fatigue and poor technique.
Dedicate time to core-specific training. Hollow body holds, leg raises, planks, and bicycle crunches all translate directly to the silks. Even 10 minutes of core work after each class makes a massive difference over time.
5. Film yourself
There's often a gap between what you think you look like on the silks and what you actually look like. Filming yourself is one of the fastest ways to improve your aerial silks technique.
Record yourself performing figures and compare with correct technique - watch your trainer's demonstrations or reference videos. You'll spot things you'd never notice in the moment: bent knees, sagging hips, misplaced hands. It's uncomfortable at first, but incredibly effective.
6. Cross-train
Aerial silks don't exist in isolation. Complementary disciplines can dramatically accelerate your progress. At Flying Stars, we offer several classes that pair perfectly with silks:
- Pilates strengthens the deep stabilizing muscles that support every movement on the fabric
- Stretching improves the flexibility you need for beautiful lines and extended figures
- Core Stability targets exactly the strength foundation we mentioned earlier
Students who cross-train consistently progress faster, get injured less, and develop more well-rounded skills.
7. Understand plateaus
Plateaus are not failures - they're a normal part of the learning process. Your body and brain need time to consolidate new skills before they can build on them. Sometimes you feel like you're going nowhere, and then suddenly everything clicks.
When you hit a plateau, don't panic. Instead, shift your focus. If you're stuck on a particular figure, work on a different one. Revisit basics and refine them. Often a plateau in one area is your body telling you to strengthen something else.
8. Train both sides
This is the advice nobody wants to hear: train your non-dominant side. If you always climb with the same leg forward, always do your hip key on the right, always drop from the left - you're building imbalances that will limit you later.
Start early. It will feel awkward and frustrating, almost like being a beginner again. But bilateral training prevents injuries, unlocks more complex sequences, and makes you a significantly stronger aerialist overall.
9. Recovery matters
Progress doesn't happen during training - it happens during recovery. Your muscles repair and grow stronger when you rest, not when you're on the silks. Pushing through exhaustion leads to poor technique, injuries, and burnout.
Prioritize recovery:
- Rest days - at least 1-2 days between intense silks sessions
- Sleep - aim for 7-9 hours; this is when your body does most of its repair work
- Nutrition - adequate protein for muscle repair, enough calories for your activity level
- Active recovery - gentle stretching, walking, or yoga on rest days
10. Set specific goals
"I want to get better at aerial silks" is not a goal - it's a wish. Specific goals give you direction and let you measure progress.
Instead, try:
- "I want to hold a star for 5 seconds without adjusting"
- "I want to climb to the top in 3 climbs"
- "I want to do a clean single star on both sides"
- "I want to complete the drop sequence without stopping"
Write your goals down. Share them with your trainer. Check in on them monthly. When you hit one, celebrate it - then set the next one.
11. The long game
Here's the most important tip of all: aerial silks is a years-long journey. Not weeks, not months - years. The aerialists you admire online have been training for years, sometimes decades. Comparing your chapter one to someone else's chapter twenty is a recipe for frustration.
Fall in love with the process. Celebrate the small victories. Enjoy the feeling of being upside down, the satisfaction of a figure finally clicking, the community of people who share your passion. The progress will come - and when you look back six months or a year from now, you'll be amazed at how far you've come.
Ready to level up?
Whether you're working on your first climb or refining advanced drops, our trainers at Flying Stars are here to help you reach your goals. Join us for aerial silks classes, or complement your training with Pilates, stretching, and core stability sessions. Book your next class and let's make progress together!
