Though lightweight circular hoops for play and exercise have been around since ancient times, the term "hula hoop" emerged in the 1800s. British sailors who had seen traditional dancing on the Hawaiian Islands coined the term “hula hoop” because the body movements required for keeping a hoop up resembled the hula dance. Popular in England at the time, children used a stick to twirl the hoop or else they spun it around the waist. People now consider hooping an effective form of exercise. It is fun, low impact and burns as many calories as a treadmill workout.
Hoop Selection
Hold a hoop in front of you so it is touching the floor. For the average person, the top of the hoop should be between your stomach and your chest. If your waist size is bigger than average, you may want a slightly larger hoop. Larger hoops will rotate more slowly, which makes hooping easier. A smaller, faster-rotating hoop is more challenging. Once you get the hang of hooping, you may wish to use a smaller hoop to give you more of a workout. If you can’t find a suitable hoop, you may want to make your own.
Technique
Place the hoop around you and hold it against your back, parallel to the floor. Push it around your waist to give it a good spin. Create enough momentum so it doesn’t start out wobbling. Put one foot in front of the other and shift your weight back and forth from foot to foot to keep the hula hoop moving. Use a rocking or pumping motion rather than a circular hip motion. Let the hoop move around you, relying on your hips and abdominal muscles to keep it moving. When your hoop starts to fall, lengthen your spine and rock back and forth a bit faster.
Direction
As a general rule, right-handed people hoop counterclockwise while left-handed folks tend to prefer clockwise. Many people are an exception to this rule. Try both directions to see which works best for you, according to hooping.org.
Perseverance
It may take a while to get the hang of hula hooping. Keep at it. You’ll soon get used to the movement, developing confidence and skill, advises hooping expert Betty Shurin in a GAIAM Life article.
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