Technique Tip: Triple Star
- Aerial Physique
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Triple Star is a beautiful and awe-inspiring progression from Single Star and Double Star, but it requires significant height. As a general guideline, plan for a minimum of about 22 ft / 6.5 -7 m, but always remember this can vary based on your studio/rig setup, your height, and the type of silks you’re using.
Before training Triple Star, make sure you feel confident with:
Single Star
Double Star
Practicing the Triple Star Wrap low, before taking it higher
⚠️ As always, aerial arts are inherently dangerous, so please do not attempt this skill without the eye of a qualified coach nearby and always train with a crash mat under you.
✔ The Setup
Triple Star begins from an S-Wrap. You can use any S-Wrap entry you prefer. Then you'll add an additional S-Wrap on top, a thigh wrap, and 2 belly wraps. That's a lot of wrapping and will take up a good amount of fabric!
The full wrap consists of:
S-Wrap → thigh wrap (Catchers) → S-Wrap → thigh wrap (Catchers) → 2 belly wraps
We definitely recommend practicing the wrap pathway lower to the ground first so you can feel the pathway clearly. Keep in mind you might run out of tail for the 2 belly wraps when marking it low.
🤸♂️ Shape and body position
For all Star Drops (single, double, triple), we want a wide, active straddle.
Let's break it down:
Avoid piking too much (legs drifting forward and torso folding)
Engage your glutes and reach long through the legs to keep the straddle wide
Keep your core active and connected
Chin is slightly tucked to protect the neck and keep your spine long
🙋♀️ Arm pathway: “V for Victory”
Arms stay overhead in a V shape, not a T.
V for victory
T for trouble
If your arms drift into a T, especially in Double or Triple Star, there’s a greater chance of getting your arm hit by the pole of the silks, which can cause injury. Keep the V shape consistent. Don't trust your arms will hold the V? Then planning on grabbing the tail with both hands overhead as you drop.
↗ Work in Progressions
Triple Star is a progression of Single and Double Star so if you're not well versed in these drops or if it's just been a while since you've done one, we recommend reviewing them. If the height required for the Triple Star feels scary, working up to it with Single and Double Stars is a great way to calm your nervous system and make sure you feel comfortable and confident. You want to control the drop, don't let the drop control you!
⭐ Single Star
Begin from a same-side hook and add a thigh wrap and a belly wrap. This drop can cause some discomfort on the wrapped thigh so a common modification is to add an additional thigh wrap before wrapping the belly. This can make the landing feel a bit more comfortable (one thigh wrap can work, but two often feels better). From there, maintain your wide straddle, keep the core tight, then release top hand and top foot.
🌟 Double Star
Double Star begins from an S-Wrap (there are many entries, use the one you can complete confidently, especially when working at height). From your S-Wrap, add a thigh wrap and a belly wrap. The Double Star wrap is an S-Wrap with a Single Star wrap on top! Lift the shoulders to the side, keep arms overhead, maintain the strong straddle, and rotate down with control.
✨ Triple Star
Now you're ready for the Triple! Remember: 2 S-Wraps → thigh wrap → 2 belly wraps. The first S-Wrap can be any S-Wrap entry you like. Once you're in the S-Wrap, wrap the thigh, bring your hands back to the pole under your hooked knee, then unhook the knee and meathook to the side to bring the leg around the tail and rehook to create the second S-Wrap.
Don't forget the thigh wrap after the second S-Wrap. ⚠️ The thigh wrap is your safety! When you drop the S-Wraps create the rotations and the thigh wrap stops you at the end.
When you add the belly wraps, be mindful they’re not riding too high on your rib cage. Keep them placed in a way that feels secure and allows you to maintain breath and core connection.
Set your body position:
Shoulders lifted to the side
Arms overhead in a V position (V for Victory!) - avoid arms wandering into a T (T for Trouble)
Keep your legs turned out and active
Keep your core active and connected
Chin is slightly tucked to protect the neck and keep your spine long
Release your top hand and top foot at the same time
As you rotate down, focus on freezing and letting the silk rotate you down. Stay tight and connected throughout with arms.
A helpful way to frame Triple Star is to think of it as more of a roll than a drop. That mental shift often makes the timing feel less daunting and helps you stay organized in your body.
Take it slow and make sure you're not just comfortable but confident with each progression before moving on. You've got this! 💪
Triple Star as well as the progressions and many other star drop variations are among the tutorials included in Aerial Physique TV, your aerial sidekick for training and teaching. Our library features hundreds of tutorials, live class replays, lesson plans and more, all organized so you can find what you need fast.
Instead of scrolling Instagram for “inspiration” and falling down a rabbit hole of social media, you can just pull up the app and search by skill name, level, or apparatus, save your favorites, and build playlists. It’s like Netflix, but for aerialists. 🎬
