a little less than a year ago, i saw kristen at mediatinker.com pick up a hula hoop and give it a try while she was on vacation in australia. i had heard that hooping was fun but i never thought that it would be something that i could be interested in trying myself. i’m a horrible dancer and generally have very little rhythm or skill, so i put the thought aside for many months.
then i saw kim werker tweet that she was going to give it a try and my interest was renewed. i started looking around online at different kinds of hoops, sizes, tutorials, videos, and, wow, i was sucked in really quick! i mentioned to KP that i was going to give it a shot and he just laughed. all the more reason to buy one, methinks.
after much anticipation, the hula hoop arrives!
i invested in a 42″ collapsible hoop from spirithoops and i love it (be warned that if you order from them, their shipping is SLOW! if you want your hoop fast, i suggest ordering from hoopnotica or even etsy!) i got it and immediately wanted to hoop, and you know what, i sucked, just as i thought i would. it did nothing but hit the floor the first few days i hooped.
i was not discouraged though and, after i had talked about buying the hoop on flickr, and then posted my picture of it, more people started to gain interest. it inspired me to keep going with the hoop and prove that someone even as uncoordinated as i could pick it up and make it work.
after working on it for a day, i was able to keep the hoop going long enough for some pictures! mission accomplished!
next up: i learn to move around while hooping. not an easy task!
Annika
I’m so fascinated by this! You’re the first hooper (?) I’ve known. It looks like you’re doing it in a fairly small space, which makes me wonder… I might have to try it.
Apr 07, 2009 @ 1:09 PM
Michelle
I took a hooping class about two years ago and I loved it. I never was able to pick up some of the more difficult moves, but was able to life the hoop up over my head while it was spinning, keep it going up there around my hand, and then back down to my hips. I’m not sure if I can still do it. It’s so much fun though!
Apr 07, 2009 @ 1:35 PM
mai
you’ve gotten so good! i’m going to buy my own one of these days.
Apr 07, 2009 @ 1:46 PM
jenn
I’m fascinated. I’m inspired. And I love that Hoopnotica website.
Apr 07, 2009 @ 4:35 PM
Kim
I grew up in, and am still part of, a music scene where hooping has been popular for quite some time. But I never tried it. I was afraid to look like an idiot and so I just watched the hoopers and never joined in.
Seeing you get so into it, and having my 45-year-old home care nurse wax rhapsodic about the hoop she bought from a guy in Van Courtland Park, was totally inspirational to me. And now I love it, so thanks!
I’m so stoked to bring my hoop with me to DelFest next month, and actually hoop in public. Maybe.
Apr 07, 2009 @ 4:50 PM
Steph
I’ve been sucked into this hooping craze thanks to you! I just bought a hoop from hoopnotica.
I’m really excited about it, and am thankful that I won’t look silly because I’ve got fellow hoopers to back me up!
Apr 07, 2009 @ 11:31 PM
Sarah
I totally didn’t realize there was a “hooping” craze on. We used to do it for kicks at parties on the beach when I taught in the Bahamas, with Kalik beer in hand* and frequent dips in the ocean. I just never thought of it as, you know, exercise… it’s fun, though!
*Probably the beer calories offset anything you might burn in the hip swiveling. Not advised.
Apr 08, 2009 @ 12:00 AM
Knitterella Purl
This is inspiring! Hooping is probably a great exercise because there are many ways to keep it interesting. My mom bought an elliptical, and the most that I could do was change my iPod playlist! My enthusiasm didn’t last long.
Is this a workout where you ‘feel the burn’?
Apr 08, 2009 @ 12:37 AM
Therese
If you hula hoop enough, you definitely feel the burn. (Try the Wii Fit version. Goodness!)
I learnt to hula hoop when I was a kid and was good enough to win a few contests with it. To get started with learning to move with it, I suggest just trying baby steps from side to side, as your hips will be moving in the proper direction to easily pop up a falling hoop.
Apr 08, 2009 @ 1:51 AM
Craptina
You gotta start the new fad, huh? It’s encouraging to know that you were not good at it at first. How many inches down on the waist so far?? THEN the gals will be hooping!
I’m really glad you are back to blogging! The updates were fun with so many photos, but it’ was missing your voice.
Apr 08, 2009 @ 11:43 AM
Gina
You’ve definitely started something! Thanks for all of the information!
Apr 08, 2009 @ 4:53 PM
Heather
Well, I know you were the one who inspired me to get my hoop! But I am still in the ‘it keeps falling to the floor’ stage. But guess what? Today a student who is also a personal trainer is coming for an appointment with me to teach me to hoop!! I told him we had to go over his transcript and boy is he in for a surprise:)
Apr 09, 2009 @ 8:09 AM