Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Martika* of MartikasMysticDesign on April 9, 2011 at 11:21am

I personally don't use minis, I'm just not that coordinated with my left hand :(, but I wear bracelets (wood,leather, natural fibers)on my wrists to prevent any serious burns. If I get my timing off and grab the hoop near a wick for a weave, I'll end up brushing the wick on my wrists. It's not a serious burn doesn't blister or anything but it's annoying to have soreness on my wrists.For the most part practicing with your fire hoop(unlight) can help lots but when your in hooping bliss things happen so having a little extra protection couldn't hurt.

 

I practice the same length of time with my fire hoop (unlight) as I do with my normal hoop(2-3 hours a day). It really helps you become more comfortable with your toy, I think it really shows when the hoopers that practice with their fire toys unlight and the ones that just try to do normal hooping stuff with their fire toy without practice first.

 

Burn safe and I hope things smooth out for you.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scunshine on April 9, 2011 at 12:24pm

Thanks! I definitely notice the benefit of unlit practice with the regular fire hoop, these minis are rough though. Those spokes get me even when they're not lit. perhaps it's a sizing issue? I'll for sure have to work with them unlit more often anyways. Didn't think about bracelets (I usually go sans jewelry for any hooping), I have a few large metal ones that may work as shields, lol.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Martika* of MartikasMysticDesign on April 9, 2011 at 3:16pm

if your using quick wicks you could try it on smaller minis and see how that works. if it gives you more room for weaves and what not

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scunshine on April 10, 2011 at 5:36pm

oh I wish I had quick wicks, those babies would be on my regular (smaller) minis in a heartbeat!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tracey*Hula Hoopla* on April 9, 2011 at 3:39pm

YA... I just wrote about this on FB today because a friend posted pics of me with my fire minis from last night.

I'm glad you opened this dialogue.

I agree that fire minis feel a whole lot more dangerous than my fire hoop, or even poi.  With poi, your grip is always in the handles, the poi have swivels, etc, but with mini hoops your grip changes with different moves, the wicks/hoops are always rotating so you have to be really careful to grab in between the wicks. (I mark this spot with white tape - is that 'cheating?')

I'm going to share what I wrote on FB about this picture:

"MINI HOOP JOURNEY: so it's been almost a year playing with these babies- mini fire hoops- much different in weight and rotation than simple mini hoops- and that 'Truly Freaked Out and Humbled by the nature of the fire' feeling is *starting* to go away... Shortened the wicks by a few inches, that helped. Still Humbled (I'll never NOT be humbled by the fire) but rising above and moving towards grace.... I no longer burn myself , drop or fumble them. Growing and learning~ challenges are gooood !! You just gotta TRY. "

I have been playing with fire for 7 years and getting to know a new toy takes time. And lots of practice. I need more practice with these babies.  Yes I have burnt my forearms.  I tried to get the poi girls in my troupe to give them a whirl (since there are so many crossover poi/mini hoop moves) but they won't go near them (yet!)... they prefer their fingers tucked nicely in little handles.

SUGGESTIONS FOR 'MOVES':

I guess what I do can be broken down into these categories: -static movement, spinning movement, and combinations of the two.  Since I don't have hundreds of 'moves' in my fire mini flow, I start slow and try to build suspense with body movements instead of approaching it like a furious whirlwind.

(in no particular order)

-flowers (smaller simpler flower are possible compared to poi)

-windmill

-butterfly

-just vertical side whirls, change levels, change timing,(one arm up one down etc or moving together)

-hold them statically (?is that a word?) and move your body, using the hoops to frame you, your face.

-stack them so it looks like one and move every way possible with that, then separate them

-hold one statically and move/spin the hoop with the other arm, then alternate.

-spin/stall/change direction/spin/stall/change direction... stalling both or one, alternating, different direction, same direction,

-embrace fast flow mixed with stops, focus on contrasts within the spin, and facial expressions

-change levels with your body (what can you do on your knees or on the ground)

-hold them out to the side, hoops vertical, and 'wave' them like fans with snake arms (I do this when my shoulders get tired)

-just really trying to explore the space in, around, and through the circles, and in, around and with my body. We're inventing as we go.

So... here's the pic from last night, it looks like I am assessing 'where' my grip is, thinking hard! heehee They have 3 spokes on each hoop.

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scunshine on April 10, 2011 at 5:35pm

Thanks for posting in such detail! Those are some great ideas, I'll have to try to incorporate them :D

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cass McKenney on May 13, 2011 at 9:01am

I got my synergy fire minis (20 inch) a few weeks ago and have burned them maybe ten times. The weaves take practice and sleeves help immensly. Im really stoked on the windmills and corkscrews and poi style flowers. I agree that practicing un lit is great for your confidence in hand placement but the more you light up the less anxious you will feel when coming across one of those spines. I cut the sleeves off of an old hoodie and put thumb holes in it. (cotton!) Ill post a vid soon. If you want to expand your doubles knowledge buddy up with a poi spinner to share moves and arm rotations. Have fun!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alli Rae on May 24, 2011 at 3:36am

Wow, this thread is great because I am having some detachable wicks built for me soon. I'm torn about what size wick I want. My theory is that I should aim high by picking something that seems more advanced than I need because if I invest a lot of money, I want something I'm going to use for awhile. It worked for me with my LED hoop, but its a lot different when there's fire involved, especially using fire minis.What size spokes do you use and does anyone have any advice for me?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cass McKenney on May 24, 2011 at 8:46am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH4VYsBrPRo

 

http://www.synergyfirehoops.com/collections/frontpage/products/doub...  1 inch wicks with a 4.5 inch spine

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sarah Sunshine on May 24, 2011 at 12:33pm

I've done this a few times and really need to practice more for the summer! The first person I ever saw do fire minis is Rich, so I like to watch his videos for inspiration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axoHbexdJD8

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CGzCI6hXys

 

 

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Lisa Love on May 26, 2011 at 12:19pm

Wear protection. I noticed that when I started doing that, that I was not so consumed by fear and was able to relax a bit and try other moves.

• ▶ Reply