Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Hula Hooping - My Troubleshooting

Hula Hooping is kind of a tricky deal.

I pulled my Hoopnotica travel hoop from its packaging and clicked it together. Child's play. A big gold circle with grippy-strippy pink tape. The hoop is innocent and bawdy at the same time. I like that it holds onto the 1950's crisp-clean past while simultaneously conjuring up an image of glitzy circus or burlesque performers.

This is just what my hoop looks like

Remember how I watched all of those YouTube videos of hooping? Some were graceful and others awkward; most were proficient. Nothing prepared me for how it felt to be inside a hula hoop this side of age 13.


Circles are chic. In my head I keep trying to think sophisticatedly, because I look ridiculous. Note to self: do not hoop anywhere near that full-length mirror. Yet.

Ok. I did manage about 7 rotations before my hoop flopped down past my knees, plummeting haphazardly to the floor. Seven is a good number. If we're talking about the seed of life design, or perfect numbers. Not when the goal is anywhere from 15 minutes to and hour.


Although the seed of life concept may not be all bad. It usually represents the start of something new. Like the Bible's seven days of creation. Hula hooping is nowhere near that hard. Hopefully.

Today I've more than doubled my initial results. There's hope. At least two different women whose stories I've scoured the internet reading took a couple weeks to get the hang of it. Instructional videos advise rocking front to back, but I have better success rocking also slightly side to side. Think Northwest to Southeast. And my feet have got to be wide apart, but still in a parallel plane. I can't make one in front of the other work.

Hooping in Crocs isn't as comfortable as being barefoot. Or wearing my Merrell barefoot shoes. That's just a preference thing...those Hoopnotica ladies are always barefoot.

So this is my initial reaction to hooping. I will keep updating week-to-week.




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