Hooping Tips and Tricks for Beginners (from a newbie)

In honor of the YM's hoop dancing classes starting this summer, I'm resurrecting this blog post from my SparkPeople blog from Thursday, December 17, 2009.

1. I once read people in a regular hoop class cheer new and continuing hoopers when their hoop falls to the ground. This is to keep them from feeling ashamed, embarrassed, discouraged. I incorporated this into my own practice. If my hoop falls, I cheer the time it stayed up rather than focusing on the fact in fell.

2. Remember YOU do not need to rotate for your hoop to rotate. :o)

3. Keep in mind your hoop only needs to hit two spots on your body to continue rotating. So you can push it forward and back with your abs or side to side with your um sides. You don't need to make circular movements with your waist/hips. In fact, if you do make circular movements the hoop will fall.

4. I found when I first started I would "wind up" my hoop really fast and really far to get it started. Then I wasn't able to keep the momentum so it would immediately fall to the ground. You'll want to experiment and find the "wind up" that's right for you. Try fast and slow and you'll likely end up adjusting to somewhere in the middle.

5. "Pumping" fast will make your hoop travel up your body. "Pumping" slow will cause the hoop to travel down.

6. If you hoop starts to fall, pump faster. If it's gotten farther down, bend your knees and then pump faster. Keep pumping faster with your knees bent until it pops back onto your waist. Then return to "normal" pumping.

7. Try to relax your neck and shoulders. Think about keeping your shoulders AWAY from your ears and squeezing your shoulder blades back. (This is a new thing I'm working on so I thought I'd add if for you as well. *smiles*)

8. Be sure to stretch before and after.

- Neck: drop neck to right shoulder. Hold. Roll down through the center and come up on the left side. Hold. Roll down through the center and come up on the right side. Hold. Repeat.

- Shoulders: Roll shoulders back a few times. Then roll forwards a few times. End with a few to the back.

- Sides: Reach right arm out to right side of body. Bring right arm up by ear. Bend at waist over to the left side. You should feel the stretch go through your side and into your hip area. To deepen the stretch...breathe and reach your right arm out further to the left side. Slowly come back up to starting position. Repeat on left.

- Quads/Thighs: Stand with feet comfortably spaced between your shoulder width. Bend both knees. Keeping left knee softly bent, bring your right leg up behind you. Hold at foot and try to have right knee pointed to the floor. You can hold your left ear with your left hand to help with balance (or grab a chair, or even use your hoop!). Hold. Release foot slowly to floor. Repeat on left.

MOST IMPORTANT: Enjoy and have fun!!!!