What kind of Aerial Hoop do I need to get? A guide to your first Lyra purchase

Hi there,

my daughter (11 years old) wants an Aerial Hoop and is 85cm tall when sitting, very slim and a beginner. Which one is suitable? Single point, 2-point or completely without attachment? Which suspension parts do I need for a concrete ceiling room? I would be grateful for the information.

And we are always happy to provide these and help you navigate through the purchase of your very first hoop and not only.

In this case, we start we the aerial hoop size.

What aerial hoop/lyra size should I get?

We recommend a 95 ring because your daughter is already quite tall and will most likely grow a little more. Usually, we add to the seat height, in your case 85 cm, + 10 cm to find out the ring size. Read here our article explaining how to measure an aerial hoop size. But in a nutshell:

1-point, 2-point, or no point? What is the difference?

1-point, 2-point or no point is a matter of preference, but there are advantages and disadvantages for each one of them.

A single-point hoop is easier to assemble and use in a smaller space. However, some poses can feel shaky. Single-point hoops rotate easily even when mounted without a swivel. If you don’t want your hoop/lyra to spin, we recommend a two-point aerial hoop. To get more spin, it would also be important to have a swivel. The 1-point hoop swings however in all directions easily.

A 2-point aerial hoop is necessary for things that should also be exercised above or between the two suspension points, as the aerial hoop hangs more stable in two points. It swings back and forward and provides good support for difficult poses, but requires more space.

With an aerial hoop without a point, you have the advantage that you can convert it into a 1- or 2-point hoop and you can try both. To do this, however, you have to buy 1 or 2 of our variable suspension points separately. Also, a zero-point hoop looks nicer and this variant would be our recommendation for this case.

How do I hang the aerial hoop? 

You can rig or hang your equipment in many places and that is great news in terms of versatility. But in order for this to be also safe, you need to have in-depth knowledge about the material resistance of the surfaces or places where you rig your equipment. Although we have the experience and we have also completed rigging courses, we can give you great advice on what you can buy, but we cannot personally test the area where you want to rig your equipment.

This is why we always recommend definitely getting advice or help from either a professional rigger, a structural engineer or a circus professional. Safety should always come first.

To hang your hoop to the ceiling, you can use a universal ceiling suspension or a bridge suspension. In this case, you can add 4 special concrete screws.

You also need a carabiner with a screw lock or a quick link carabiner and a round sling with a wire rope insert or polyester rope insert. Here is our video with examples of how to hang different hoops with round slings.

Here is also a video showcasing different other possibilities of hanging your hoops.