Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ariel Hensley on May 29, 2011 at 11:44pm

Don't worry- it'll come to you! Hoopers come in all different shapes and sizes, belly or no, and you just have to find a way to move that fits you. :) I had the same problem when I was learning to butt and chest hoop, because of all that jiggly junk up in my trunk. (I'm not sure I used that slang correctly... but whatev.) For weeks I despaired that my curvy body was making it difficult for me to hoop. Some more experienced hoopers told me that the problem wasn't my body- it was just my newbie-ness! With some encouragement, I persevered. Now I can wiggle my jiggle like a pro! All it took was practice.

Hooping is definitely is possible for people of all shapes and sizes. Skinny people have trouble with it too :) Practice, practice, practice, and soon you'll be wondering why it was so hard in the first place!

StudentPermalink Reply by Sue on May 30, 2011 at 6:29am

Ariel is right.  It's just practice and timing.  The timing of the pushes is everything and that's what the practice gives you.  We last spoke (on-line) last year when you had just started and I think I remember advising you to get a bigger hoop.  Were you able to do that?

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on May 30, 2011 at 9:40am

Sue's suggestion of a bigger hoop was my first thought when I read your post.  My second thought was that maybe you could wear a sleeveless leotard or some other garment under your hoop clothes that would help smooth things out while not overheating you.  I've hooped in a dance leotard, and it's not too bad, especially if you're using a large, heavy, gaff-taped hoop that can maintain its spin on slicker fabric.

 

Most of all, though, it's what Ariel and Sue said - practice makes progress.  You'll get there as long as you keep trying and stay aware of what's making the hoop go wonky and how to save/correct the spin. It may mean pushing a bit harder at one contact point; it may mean trying a different stance, or turning into the spin.

StudentPermalink Reply by Oseaana on May 31, 2011 at 10:24am

Thanks for all the great advice and support.

 

@Sue - I did get a bigger hoop and it is much easier than with the smaller hoop. So thanks for that advice!

 

@CircularPraise - I was thinking that too about a leotard or something to kinda suck it in and smooth it out. LOL!

 

I do think that recovering after the hit-the-fat-roll-wobble is something that comes with practice. This weekend at our family cookout I was hooping with my neice and she pointed out that I am moving way too fast.

I was beginning to think the bigger hoop was too big and was going around too sloooooow. I never thought of slowing my movement down to match the hoop. Duh! I also wasn't getting as tired and out of breath so quickly. Thank goodness for my neice pointing that out!

 

Of course she picked the hoop up and was hooping and dancing and walking right away. *grrrrrr!*

 

 

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on May 31, 2011 at 10:31am

Glad you're finding your way, Oseaana, and that your niece was able to help you figure out part of the solution. :) 

 

Enjoy the journey - the discoveries (about the hoop and yourself) along the way are so much more important than how fast you pick up moves and skills.  And when you feel ready to share, post a video or two.  We love to see each other in action, and everyone is always very supportive. 

 

If you're having trouble with something, you can post a video of that too, and other hoopers may be able to figure out what needs tweaking to resolve the issue.

StudentPermalink Reply by Oseaana on May 31, 2011 at 10:56am

I will definitely post a video when I am actually able to do something for longer than a minute. LOL! I joined the online classes here and will be taking them outside with me while I practice. So I am looking forward to getting more and more practice in this summer!

Permalink Reply by Shannon G on June 1, 2011 at 8:48pm

I've been hooping for a couple of months now and I also have a double belly! I'm 5'4" and weigh 260 lbs ... I have three hoops, a 54" diameter, a 52" diameter and a 48" diameter full of water (which I love, it practically stays up by itself and it's soooo meditative when I get into a groove). I had a WICKED hard time keeping it up but with lots of practice, I can hoop for a fair amount of time. I can't really do any tricks yet, I can off body hoop and a few other easy things, but I'm learning! I try to hoop a bit every day - which can be tough when it rains because my house is too small for my monster hoops, lol - but most of all, I just have fun with it. Just this past week, I've learned the hip bump to recover. It was tough!!

 

I wouldn't worry about wearing a leotard or any other body slimmer. I just hoop in whatever feels comfy, usually a tshirt and yoga pants or some other comfy pants.

 

You can do it!

 

Ps - I totally understand your frustration about your niece -  a friend of mine who swore she had no clue how to hoop just picked up a small one and started hooping, walking around while hooping and just being generally awesome at it. I'm *trying* to be supportive of her but wow is it tough whenI can barely take a couple of steps while hooping, myself!!  :)

StudentPermalink Reply by Oseaana on June 2, 2011 at 7:48am

Wow! A water hoop? Where'd you get that? It sounds awesome!

 

Thanks for the support. I tried the leotard/slimming thing and quickly ditched it as it hot as heck here in upstate New York. LOL! I do fit it easier to keep the hoop going if I have a bare belly anyway. Watch out neighbors!!! :)

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on June 2, 2011 at 8:04am

If you go the DIY route, you can make your own water hoop by pouring a few ounces of water into the hoop before you connect it.  Plastic connectors, black plumbing tubing and waterproof tape at the connection would probably be best for that type of hoop, although someone who's actually made one would be able to give you better directions than I can.  If you don't want to make it, you can buy a Wave Hoop in the toy section of a Mart-type store and then add tape for additional grip and weight.

 

As for the layering, I totally understand. I wouldn't be able to do it either.  I find a cotton or cotton/spandex sleeveless top works best for core hooping, although I'm sure a bare belly would be better.  My practice space is my church fellowship hall, though, and there are too many people with keys for me to feel comfortable hooping in my sports bra with no shirt there, know what I mean? ;)

Permalink Reply by Shannon G on June 2, 2011 at 12:26pm

I made it! It was super easy ... Like CircularPraise said below, I made a hoop with irrigation tubing and a connector (I think it was 1" 100psi that I got at Lowes), and then added a couple of big glasses full of water  right before I connected the second end of the tubing. You can add as much or as little as you like, I wanted a really heavy one. I didn't have any waterproof tape so I just used regular duct tape, which worked pretty well. No leaks so far, anyway.

It took me some practice to get it going though, it's really wobbly when you first start it spinning because of the water but it evens out and then spins beautifully because of the weight.

Permalink Reply by Rachel on June 3, 2011 at 3:33pm

Shannon,

 

I have a 54 inch hoop that I purchased.  Now I'm shorter and weigh more than you but I have been trying to hoop with that thing and I just can't.  I spin it once and it goes around because of the momemtum and then it just drops to the ground.  I tried, rotating slow, and fast and still nothing.  I thought maybe the hoop was too big because 54 inches is pretty huge,even for myself (I weigh 450, at 5'4").  The lady who sold it to me said she hooped with it for a while before she shipped it out so now I'm thinking the same thing.  Maybe my rolls on the sides of my stomach is keeping me from being able to hoop.  I also thought maybe a smaller hoop would be better but if other people can hoop with a 54 inch hoop then its probably me and not the hoop.  I dont know what to do.  It's beautiful but its just collecting dust.

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on June 3, 2011 at 5:01pm

Rachel, are you going side to side or front to back when you hoop?  Maybe you need to change your stance.  I've seen people trying to hoop side to side and not be able to get it, then switch to a forward and back movement, with one foot slightly in front of the other, and get it right away.

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