The number-one question new students email us before booking their first class at Shine is some variation of: "I've been wanting to try aerial, but I don't know if I should start with silks or lyra or pole. What do you recommend?"
Fair question. All three look beautiful on Instagram, all three are offered at Shine, and if you've never done any of them, they probably look basically interchangeable from the outside.
They are not. I've taught all three for over a decade.
But here's the thing most "which one should I try first?" articles get wrong: you don't actually have to pick between silks, lyra, and pole up front. At Shine, we've built two beginner classes that make the choice much simpler:
- Intro to Aerial Fitness — our beginner class that covers both aerial silks AND aerial hoop (lyra) in one session.
- Intro to Pole Fitness — our beginner pole class.
So the real question isn't "which of three apparatuses should I pick?" It's "do I want to be upside-down on fabric or spinning on a vertical pole?"
Quick answer
- Curious about silks or lyra? Book Intro to Aerial Fitness. One class, both apparatuses.
- Specifically drawn to pole? Book Intro to Pole Fitness.
- Want to feel genuinely strong? Pole.
- Low upper-body strength? Lyra.
- Most dramatic to perform? Silks.
The two beginner classes at Shine
Intro to Aerial Fitness (silks + lyra combined) is the on-ramp for anyone drawn to the "aerial" side of circus arts. Over one class, your instructor walks you through both aerial silks AND aerial hoop (lyra). You get hands-on time with each, learn the foundational grips and shapes, and leave with a clear sense of which one calls to you more.
95% of new aerial students can't tell the difference between silks and lyra from a video. Once they try both for 20 minutes each, the answer becomes obvious. Picking from outside is guessing. Trying is knowing.
Book Intro to Aerial Fitness — first class is $10.
Intro to Pole Fitness is the on-ramp for anyone drawn to pole specifically. Pole is its own world — different vocabulary, different clothing (fitted shorts, no leggings), different strength curve. We teach it separately because the technique doesn't overlap much with aerial.
Book Intro to Pole Fitness — $10 first class.
What each apparatus feels like
Aerial silks: two long pieces of fabric. You climb, you wrap, you drop. The signature controlled vertical drop that unspools the silk mid-fall is one of the most dramatic things in circus arts. Significant grip and arm strength required from day one.
Aerial hoop (lyra): a single steel ring, about 30 inches across. You sit on it, hang off it, spin in shapes. Most forgiving aerial apparatus for beginners — you can sit on it from day one. You'll have 5+ shapes in your first month.
Pole fitness: a vertical metal pole. One of the most demanding full-body athletic disciplines in the room. You will be sore in muscles you didn't know you had. Moderate progression at first, then exponential once your grip builds. First invert within 2–3 months.
Honest side-by-side
| Factor | Silks | Lyra | Pole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting class at Shine | Intro to Aerial Fitness | Intro to Aerial Fitness | Intro to Pole Fitness |
| Beginner-friendly | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Upper-body demand | High | Low | Medium → High |
| Visual drama | Very high | High | Medium → High |
| Translates to general fitness | Medium | Low | Very high |
| What to wear | Leggings + fitted top | Leggings + fitted top | Shorts + fitted top |
Still can't decide?
If you're curious about silks OR lyra: book Intro to Aerial Fitness. You'll meet both.
If you specifically want pole: book Intro to Pole Fitness.
If torn between pole and aerial: book both Intro classes — one weekend each. $10 for your first class in either.
What you shouldn't do is spend another month trying to decide from the outside. One hour on the actual apparatus will tell you more than every "silks vs lyra vs pole" article on the internet put together — including this one.
— Dima Shine, Co-Owner, Shine Alternative Fitness
Related reading
What to Expect at Your First Pole Fitness Class in Las Vegas · Aerial Hoop (Lyra) for Beginners · Is Aerial Fitness a Good Workout?