Where can I buy my own silk?

Posted by: Heather on January 23, 2012

While every mother bird likes to see her little ones take flight and leave the nest, Mama Silk has some important information for her fledgeling silkies:

The answer to this question is, ‘You only get the answer to this question when you are ready.’ Why? As Spiderman’s Uncle Ben and others have said, “With great knowledge, comes great responsibility.” If Mama Bird pushes the babies out of the nest before their wings are fully developed THEY LAND ON THEIR HEADS AND DIE. This is the general consensus among NYC aerial teachers who ROCK and put YOUR safety first.

Aerial arts are incredibly beautiful and strength building. And, aerial can be dangerous.

-Check with your instructor to see if they think you are ready to train with a buddy in addition to your ongoing training with a qualified instructor (who should be the same person – don’t go cherry picking people to get the answer you want if you think your usual instructor will respond ‘DENIED!’)
-If your instructor doesn’t think you’re ready, ask why, and keep taking class until you get the thumbs up
-Never do aerial on your own (see reference to the ‘buddy’ above. PS: your roomie who can’t see you and has their headphones on in another room doesn’t count)
-Never attempt new skills without a qualified instructor present
-Always use appropriate mats
-Check, double check and triple check your rigging
-Examine your equipment and hardware before each use
-Take a rigging lesson that covers the particular set up for where you will be rigging
-If you don’t know how to safely rig your own silk, you are not ready to train on your own
-Just because ‘someone else has rigged here before’ doesn’t mean it’s safe. If you don’t know the person who installed the rigging or had it inspected, do your own due diligence.
-Don’t buy aerial yoga stands off the internet unless Mama Silk gives you the OK (there are lots of crappy set ups commerically available – don’t get me started)
-Well designed portable aerial rigs are available. Just ask.
-If you want to rig in your living room/apartment/patio, hire a qualified rigger to do the job right. We can recommend excellent people.
-If you aren’t ready to shell out money for equipment, rigging, and lessons, you aren’t ready to train on your own
-There are Open Workouts available at several locations in the NYC area. Ask Mama Silk which ones are insured.

Aerial is fun, and it can be dangerous, deadly dangerous. Know your limits, know what you don’t know.