# How to Become an Aerial Instructor Aerial silks, hammock and lyra teachers train with schools, not one governing body. Learn what schools ask for, why rigging and insurance come first, and what to check before you teach. Updated 2026-10-28. Also on the [web page](https://studiofinder.ca/guides/how-to-become-an-aerial-instructor). # How to Become an Aerial Instructor An aerial teacher holds the safety of students in the air. Learn your skills, your rigging and your insurance rules before you learn to market classes. This guide covers silks, hammock and lyra (aerial hoop). ## Know the field first We found no single governing body for aerial teacher certification. Each school sets its own entry rules, content and fees. Read our guide on aerial silks, lyra and aerial yoga to see how the apparatus differ. ## What schools ask for Two examples show the range. They come from the schools' own pages. Dates, prices and rules change, so ask the school. **Aerial Physique, Level One silks (online).** - 2 to 3 years of silks practice, age 18 or older. - A safely rigged setup of at least 12 feet (3.7 m). You send photos. - An application video of set skills, and a $25 review fee. - Content includes cueing and spotting, anatomy, lesson planning, risk assessment, injury prevention and basic aerial rigging. - Certification needs a skills demonstration, a lesson plan and a one-on-one teaching session. It is valid for 2 years. - Price on the page: $1,100. The next enrolment opens in May 2027. **Pura Vida Studio, Level 1 silks (in person, 2025 listing).** - 40 hours of content over two weekends. - At least 2 years of silks experience and a minimum age of 15. - Content includes rigging and safety fundamentals, anatomy and injury prevention, spotting, teaching safety, and business and insurance basics. - CPR and First Aid certification is required for the certificate. The school offers it as an extra 5 hours through the American Heart Association. - Price on the page: $1,000, without CPR. The pages we read list silks courses only. Ask each school for lyra and hammock courses. ## Rigging and safety - The courses above teach pre-use equipment checks and spotting. That is not a rigger qualification. A qualified rigger or structural professional designs, installs and inspects every rigging point. - Follow the equipment maker's instructions for every item. - Do not rely on a certificate alone. Check the rig before each class. - Learn spotting and how to cue a safe exit. - Take a CPR and First Aid class. The American Red Cross runs classes. We did not find a single public standard for aerial rigging in the sources we checked. Ask your insurer and your venue for their rules. ## Insurance Many general policies do not list aerial work. Alternative Balance, one US insurer, says its cover includes aerial yoga trapeze, hoops and hammocks when the practice centres on fitness, flexibility and therapy. It excludes performing arts, circus movements and flying trapeze. Its page gives a ceiling and rigging height limit of 15 feet. That is one insurer's rule, not a standard. Read each policy before you teach, and tell the insurer the apparatus and the heights you use. Independent instructors who rent space should carry their own policy. ## Teach your first class 1. Practise your skills until you teach below your own level. 2. Train in a studio where a qualified rigger or structural professional has designed, installed and inspected the rigging, with mats below. Learn the pre-use checks your trainer teaches, and never rig a point yourself. 3. Write a lesson plan with a warm-up, a skill, a cool-down and an exit. 4. Cap the class at a number you can spot. ## Teacher training Other teacher guides: [yoga](/guides/how-to-become-a-yoga-instructor), [Pilates](/guides/how-to-become-a-pilates-instructor), [barre](/guides/how-to-become-a-barre-instructor), [pole fitness](/guides/how-to-become-a-pole-fitness-instructor) and [hoop dance](/guides/how-to-become-a-hoop-dance-instructor). ## Sources - [Aerial Physique: Level One silks teacher training](https://www.aerialphysique.com/l1tt-online) - [Pura Vida Studio: Level 1 silks teacher training](https://www.puravidastudionc.com/silksteacher-training) - [Alternative Balance: aerial yoga insurance guide](https://alternativebalance.com/aerial-yoga-insurance-guide/) - [American Red Cross: CPR classes](https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr) ## Questions ### Who certifies aerial teachers? We found no single governing body. Schools and studios run their own programs. Ask the studio where you want to teach, and ask your insurer, what they accept. ### Can I rig my own equipment? Do not guess. Rigging holds a person's weight. Learn it in a course, follow the equipment maker's instructions, and ask a qualified rigger to check the setup. ### Can I teach aerial yoga with a silks certificate? The apparatus and the safety rules differ. Check the course scope and your insurance policy. Insurers may cover one activity and not another.