At Home Aerial Circus Rigs: Hidden Risks and Things to Consider
At Home Aerial Circus Rigs: Hidden Risks and Things to Consider
At RI Circus Space, the safety and proper training of our students is our top priority. We care about our students as individuals and put a lot of effort into providing an encouraging and safe environment for learning, as well as, creating detailed, progression-based curriculums that are tailored to fit each class.
Recently we have been getting a lot of questions about rigging at home. While we absolutely understand the potential benefits, convenience and appeal of an at home rig, we also understand the serious potential risks, especially for beginner / intermediate students and children of any level.
In this post, we have outlined some of those risks and some questions to consider before investing time and money in an at home rig.
Why Home Rigging is Not Recommended:
We hate the thought of any of our students getting hurt from practicing circus and do everything we can to mitigate risks in our studio. In good conscious, we can not support beginner / intermediate students of any age accessing home rigging systems without a coach present for several critical reasons:
Injury Risk: Home environments lack the controlled safety measures of a professional studio. This significantly increases the risk of injury.
Lack of Foundational Rigging Knowledge: Proper circus rigging requires strong foundational knowledge. Equipment must be correctly rated and sourced from reputable suppliers, not general retailers like Amazon or Home Depot. Rarely do structural engineers understand the forces generated from aerial work. Circus riggers are a highly specialized group who work with structural engineers to develop a comprehensive rigging plan that can withstand the dynamic load of human acrobatics.
Inexperience with Skills: Aerial circus skills can be complex. Most of the skills we teach have multiple steps and at each step there is a risk of getting stuck or falling if it is not done correctly. This is why having a skilled instructor present to ensure that each skill is correctly executed is key, especially with beginner and intermediate students who are still working on mastering the fundamentals.
Inconsistent Training: Training at home can lead to inconsistent practices and a decreased emphasis on proper technique. Sometimes even training with good intentions of practicing what was taught in class can backfire if the nuances of the technique are not pointed out. It is also easy to forget that training with other people in a class setting is half the fun, sometimes training solo doesn’t end up being as enjoyable as anticipated.
Understanding the Risks
The dangers of attempting new skills without proper instruction and progression cannot be overstated. Aerial skills become more complex as people advance in their practice and some will take weeks to months to fully understand and execute properly.
In a studio setting, coaches evaluate each student’s strengths and assign skills and drill accordingly. Children especially learn by mimicry and may be compelled to try something they’ve seen and not been taught (or have been taught but have not mastered). Children also sometimes have difficulty assessing risks, especially when a structured learning environment is replaced with at home play and expectations for proper form and technique are not enforced. There is a significant risk of injury when individuals try skills beyond their level without understanding the mechanics or safety protocols.
Our studio policy is clear: no student should attempt a skill they have not been taught by a qualified instructor. This ensures their safety and adherence to proper learning progressions. Practicing aerial arts at home without proper supervision, especially for beginners or children, is highly discouraged due to the risk of injury.
Industry Best Practices
Many professional circus arts and aerial organizations publish articles on the topic of at-home rigging. While professionals in rigging and circus arts may have varying opinions, they universally emphasize the gravity of at-home rigging. This complex task should only be considered by advanced adult aerialists who are educated in rigging for dynamic loads. It is never recommended for beginners or children at any skill level. Additionally, rigging from trees or the structural elements of your home is strongly discouraged. Below are some well-written articles that delve into this subject.
Rigging at Home Series, Assessing Your Space - Monument Aerials, Flagstaff, AZ
Rigging from Trees, Magical or Moronic? - SassyPants Aerial (Laura Witwer), New York, NY
Rigging and Training at Home - Aviary Aerial & Circus Arts, OH, MI, & IL
Key Considerations Before Practicing Aerial at Home
If you are still considering setting up a home rig, ask yourself the following questions:
Rigging and Safety:
Is the rig compliant with industry safety standards for *human* dynamic and static loads, and spinning?
What are the risks of rigging from trees or beams in existing structures?
Is the area large and flat enough to position an aerial rig safely?
Do I trust the company's credentials and safety testing protocols from which I am buying the rig?
Do I understand the additional rigging equipment needed, including proper ratings and trustworthy distributors?
Can I periodically and thoroughly inspect all equipment for damages?
What is the best-sized mat to buy?
Do I understand how to practice safely without a trained professional?
Do I have a safety plan for potential injuries or accidents?
Will I train alone, or have someone to supervise and call for help in an emergency?
Insurance:
Does my home insurance cover the aerial rig or potential damages?
What happens if someone else gets injured using the rig on my property?
Budget:
What is the full cost of this investment, including rig, rigging equipment, mats, and apparatus?
How often do I need to replace components, and what is the annual cost?
Does the manufacturer offer a return policy for defects?
Can I resell my rig if it’s not used as much as anticipated?
Resources:
Is it worthwhile to hire a professional structural engineer or circus rigging expert to assess my setup?
Where can I learn more about safe home rigging and aerial practice?
We urge all individuals and parents to carefully consider these questions and the potential risks before setting up a home rig.
Moving Forward
We think it is wonderful that our students are so motivated and excited about circus training, we just want everyone to be safe while doing so. We strongly encourage students to engage in other cross-training forms of physical activity that can complement and enhance their studio aerial work. Participating in other sports, doing at home workouts or going to the gym, swimming and playing at the beach and stretching are all great ways to stay fit and improve performance in class.
Your understanding and cooperation are greatly appreciated as we work to ensure a safe and effective learning experience for all our students.
