Hooping and Poi

[sprouts2go]

I started hula hooping about 4 weeks ago. I love it. I spend a lot of time picking the hoop off the floor so I get a great workout on my waist. We do a lot of arm exercises also.
I wanted to firm my arms up faster and was thinking of Poi. Anyone try it and if so do you think it would be great for arms?

[iwuvmydoggy]

what's hooping? :)

yep, poi is good, i think. it also helps with your coordination!

edit: LOL i am having such a blonde moment filled day! i feel retarded! LOL i know what hooping is.. *rolls eyes at herself*... gawd.. *sigh* disregard that question... sorry. lol

[cara4art]

Lots of people hoop around here in SF - every time we go out to certain street festivals, etc. there are people hooping, and it's a fun workout. I was thinking of taking a class to try it out for sure, as I got to do some free hooping at one festival. I used to have a hula hoop as a kid, so it's easy for me to get back in. Lots of people have sworn by hooping for whittling the middle too, plus it's really fun, especially with electronic dance music!

[contessa20]

I have tried and tried and tried hula hooping for years and just canNOT seem to get it. My husband says he's always been the same way. Even as a kid I just couldn't seem to do it.

What is Poi?

[iwuvmydoggy]

I have tried and tried and tried hula hooping for years and just canNOT seem to get it. My husband says he's always been the same way. Even as a kid I just couldn't seem to do it.

What is Poi?

aw i'm sorry! lol i was never very good at it, either, but i always had fun trying :)

poi is what "fire dancers" do... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toQpCVh0vzE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IjdnMvBW_A and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hapxOp3i43M

[contessa20]

aw i'm sorry! lol i was never very good at it, either, but i always had fun trying :)

poi is what "fire dancers" do... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toQpCVh0vzE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IjdnMvBW_A and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hapxOp3i43M

Aha... okay, I've seen that before but just didn't know what it was called. Looks like fun though.

[iwuvmydoggy]

i was watching some music videos on youtube & found this one, where this girl has some pretty cool hooping skills: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kGqLKinAxg

[sprouts2go]

Words can wound more then a sword.
Nice matters

[iwuvmydoggy]

My son has a developemental disability and I really hate when people misuse the work.
Thank you for uderstanding.

well it's not as if i knew that about you and said it deliberately, so i am very sorry that you were offended by my comment. i will be more careful from now on.

[climbing]

Bumping an older thread. I'm a hooper. I have always felt it went hand in hand with raw food/fasting/vibrant plant based lifestyles. :)

I began in March of this year and I was a natural at it right away. It has since become a part of my spirituality. Sacred dance. :)

[MysticTree]

Bumping an older thread. I'm a hooper. I have always felt it went hand in hand with raw food/fasting/vibrant plant based lifestyles. :)

I began in March of this year and I was a natural at it right away. It has since become a part of my spirituality. Sacred dance. :)

I hoop too ... as does Revvell.

I've only been hooping a little over a month and loving it.

[Revvell]

I hoop too ... as does Revvell.


Yep, yep, yep, but I wouldn't call myself a natural at it ... by any stretch.

Revvell (http://www.facebook.com/RevvellsFitnessJourney)

[MysticTree]

You look very natural but I appreciate it took hours of practice and lots of determination.

I'm not a natural either but I feel I am starting to pick things up more quickly than I was which is a step in the right direction and I got the spiral - I think you'd call it - in class the other day faster than anyone else.

[Revvell]

Yeah, it's funny how hard you have to work (or, I do) and then how smooth and flowy it looks once you get it. Congrats on the spiral! Not sure what that is. Everyone seems to have different names for the same move. You KNOW I want vids!!!!

[MysticTree]

What it is I am talking about is this>

waist hoop and turn with the hoop and then raise the hoop straight up and then straight back down to the waist. Rinse and repeat until dizzy or exhausted

[Revvell]

Uh huh. That's what I call a corkscrew, if you're lifting from the back. I think some call it a vortex and, obviously some call it spiral. ;)

[MysticTree]

I can do it better lifting from the front. From the back is a bit hit or miss still and then there's the whole hooping the other way thing to master :eek:

[Revvell]

Uh yeah. So, I learned that way as "The Scoop" as you sort of scoop it up with one hand, yes? I'm working on the Corkscrew up and down in reverse now; yet, today, thigh/leg and shoulder hooping. Just keep going down and "trying" it....

[cara4art]

"Bumping an older thread. I'm a hooper. I have always felt it went hand in hand with raw food/fasting/vibrant plant based lifestyles.

I began in March of this year and I was a natural at it right away. It has since become a part of my spirituality. Sacred dance." - climbing

Couldn't agree more! I finally got into hooping a little over a year ago - finally signed up for a beginners' hoop class series then. By the second class, I knew I was hooked! Turns out I'm a natural, and it totally reconnects me with all kinds of good stuff - sacred dance indeed! I had ballet for 4 years as an adult and took to that too, so dancing is there for me. A wonderful bodyworker I have who is highly-attuned to the needs of movement artists encouraged me to take up some form of dance again, since he saw I had it in my cells. I've taken several go-rounds of classes since, watch a lot of hooping videos, and practice a lot. My latest intensive that I took nearly 3 weeks ago was with twin hoops - so much fun and a terrific exercise to boot. Doing off-body moves with two hoops really nails one's upper body for sure if one hasn't gotten any strength with other stuff first. But with the twin hoops and all, you'd be surprised how quickly things happen, because it's a lot of repetitive moves that kind of sneak up on ya as far as the effects. I go to weekly hoop jams here too, usually outside in one of the city parks. During the winter we're indoors at a circus arts rehearsal space which is cool because of the 40-ft. ceilings - plenty of room for tosses etc. On August 14th I'm going to another intensive by my main teacher here, one for intermediate-advanced hoopers, featuring rolls, tosses, more flow etc. We had this in our last series with her but one can always review and expand on what one was initially exposed to. My teacher has a wonderful, intuitive approach to hoop dance - this is the way she teaches because it's all about flow. Everybody who sticks with hooping has their own groove once they find it.
Oh, and by the way, before hooping, green smoothies totally rule - ultimate high-energy elixirs for high-energy hooping! And at our hoop jams, people often bring fruit and water - all good and compatible!

[climbing]

Ahhhh! It's so awesome that so many of you guys are currently hoopers. I wasn't sure if I'd get any responses when I bumped the thread. I'm excited because I like to blab on and on about it whenever I can. When I first got into it I called my mom and babbled on nonstop for like 1/2 hour and then she was like "I've never heard of this... hooping." lol :D

I've been into dance since I was a little kid. My passion began from watching Michael Jackson and Paula Abdul and other artists back then. I took some "jazz dance" classes when I was about eight and that was my first experience learning choreography and what not. After that I went through a rough while in my teens and didn't dance much but then got into the rave scene that was flourishing in California around that time. I discovered trance music, candy bracelets, glowsticks... it was on. Strangely enough there weren't a lot of hoopers around that scene back then. It was more about glowsticking and strings and gloves and stuff... I used to be super into glowsticks. :D

Anyway tho, I got out of that scene and then like ten years later got into hooping. Weird how my dancing has come in this cycles/waves. Hooping is the one style that feels like it is MINE... more than any other form of dance I've done. It is just so sacred and beautiful, sexy without being "slutty"... it's everything good and pure and holy to me. :)

[sprouts2go]

I have tendonitis in both arms and have not been allowed to hoop for over a year!!
I think they should let me hoop. I know holding the collapsed hoop in the left hand hurts my wrist so I try to carry it in the open position over my shoulder. I plan to start hooping. I mean come on they are allowing me to do Zumba.

[rpage]

if you have not seen this video it is worth the time. very cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYlDB-bYiRk

[Revvell]

if you have not seen this video it is worth the time. very cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYlDB-bYiRk

Thanks! Bookmarked and subscribed.

[Adam4man]

I bet Poi would be a great workout to trim up your arms. Just be sure not to pop yourself in the dome :)

[Revvell]

I bet Poi would be a great workout to trim up your arms. Just be sure not to pop yourself in the dome :) It's actually a whole body workout and "popping yourself in the dome" is likely to happen... other places as well.

[climbing]

Haha... happens no matter what your toy. All I can say is thank God I'm no longer using the massive green weighted 40 something inch hoop I learned on. I think people were beginning to suspect I was the victim of domestic violence.

I still whack myself all the time with my smaller lighter hoops... it still hurts, just doesn't mark as bad. lol

You totally know you're a hooper when you get bashed super hard in the eye, lean forward, tears spilling down, temporarily blinded, and your first thought is: "Damn.... it was worth it." :D

[R'Mila]

Wow, I didn't realize how much more there was to the hooping I did in childhood! I've just watched some really cool videos. I reseached classes in Atlanta and did find one. I'm going to take my family and try it out soon.

[MysticTree]

Wow, I didn't realize how much more there was to the hooping I did in childhood! I've just watched some really cool videos. I reseached classes in Atlanta and did find one. I'm going to take my family and try it out soon.

Do cos even if you find it a little frustrating at first the challenges are so rewarding and I am having a fab time. My class breaks til the 19th now and that seems like a long time. Just as well cos a) I can't pay for the new block til I get paid and b) the next two weeks I wouldn't be able to get there even if the class continued cos I won't have transport.

[Revvell]

Yup! totally worth it. I've been working/playing with women over 40 who would like to eliminate 25+ pounds and they are slowly getting into it. The largest woman in the group was ecstatic this morning when she found she could keep the hoop up! She was so cute and delight-filled! LOVE working/playing with my ladies!

[R'Mila]

I love the low-impact nature of it. But you still seem to get a pretty good workout. I coordinate the employee wellness program at the local hospital and this looks like a great fit for the employees. I would love to bring it here. We only charge our associates $10/month to take as many classes as you want [too bad you don't work here in the states, Mystic :(] I only see 2 instructors instructors and their schedules look a little stretched, but we'll see.

[Revvell]

Where are you located?

[R'Mila]

Atlanta, GA

[Revvell]

Atlanta, GA

Check http://meetup.com for teachers. There are LOTS of hoop happenings out there one the east coast.

[Revvell]

My first burn ~ I've been hooping just about 4 months now. Didn't plan on doing it but it was FUN!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pb0wGl5YqU&feature=channel_video_title

[foodtalkyum]

Phew, hooping is hard work but yet at the same time easy I guess. Haven't done this in years. You can easily over do it with hooping so be careful. I know the wii has some hoop games. Might check into those. I need to just go buy me a hoop now I guess lol.

[Revvell]

You can easily over do it with hooping so be careful.

Easily? Oh please. You get tired, stop. You feel good, keep moving. It's always about consciousness ~ not fear. One thing that REALLY irks me is people spreading fear. Get up, get mooving!

[bonzer]

Just watched the 'burn' video. You did great. We are starting a hooping class at our local gym. I think I'll give it a twirl. It's been 30 yrs. since I last hooped, I wonder if its like riding a bike. Hmm.

Peace, Bonnie

[snoops]

Unfortunately not at all like riding a bike. I went out and bought one after I watched Rev's video. I can't even make it go around once....:(

[Revvell]

I wonder if its like riding a bike. Hmm.

Peace, Bonnie Well, I could ride a bike when I was a kid but couldn't hoop for the life of me. As an adult, it took some doing to get it going. LOTS of persistent practice. I've seen women who can pick up a hoop and play with it for hours. For me? Nahhhh! Not even with what I know now... although, I will say....it's more fun than pretty much anything I've done in awhile... alone. I have Sand Bells which are also fun yet, more fun with someone to play with.

[Revvell]

Unfortunately not at all like riding a bike. I went out and bought one after I watched Rev's video. I can't even make it go around once....:(

Adult sized? The bigger and heavier, the better. The ones I give my new students are 40-42" in diameter and weight about 1.5-2 #'s.

One tip ~ be sure your clothing is made of natural fibers. Anything slippery/shiny will make the hoop drop. Also, gotta have gaffer's tape or friction tape on the hoop. Some makers are using all vinyl. Hard to hoop with all vinyl-tape. O.k., I think that was two tips. :)

[R'Mila]

That was pretty spectacular, Revvell!! I'll have to check out the link to teachers when I get home, since my work computer is blocking the site.

[Revvell]

"This woman talks about how she went from walking with a cane to dancing with a hoop. She’s overcome morbid obesity (surgery isn't "overcoming") and arthritis to become an older hula hooper spreading the hoop joy in her community of Fort Wayne, Indiana."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_3Nv6ZZSA4&feature=player_embedded

[climbing]

Easily? Oh please. You get tired, stop. You feel good, keep moving. It's always about consciousness ~ not fear. One thing that REALLY irks me is people spreading fear. Get up, get mooving!

Well, no one should fear hooping exactly but they do have a point. I have overdone it so many times, and sometimes I don't realize it until after I'm done. There have been times the endorphins were so high and I just kept going and going and then 3 minutes after I was done, I threw up and had to lay down for hours because my body was so overheated. I think the reason this can happen easier with hooping than other exercise is because hooping is just so fun you don't always realize you are overdoing it.

But yeah, you're right, no fear, just be careful to listen to your body even more than normal!

[jackpeter58]

There are people hooping, and it's a fun workout. I was thinking of taking a class to try it out for sure, as I got to do some free hooping at one festival. I used to have a hula hoop as a kid, so it's easy for me to get back in. Lots of people have sworn by hooping for whittling the middle too, plus it's really fun, especially with electronic dance music.

[climbing]

My first burn ~ I've been hooping just about 4 months now. Didn't plan on doing it but it was FUN!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pb0wGl5YqU&feature=channel_video_title

So awesome! :)

I recently had a sesh with my friends twin mini's...it was my first time double hooping let alone with minis and it was great! If you think regular hooping is a work out, get your hands on some mini's... I'm in great shape and I actually had a pain in my side after going off with these things... unbelievable.

[Revvell]

I've got minis too! Check out HoopDeeDoo's videos on YouTube. She does some amazing mini stuff.


So awesome! :)

I recently had a sesh with my friends twin mini's...it was my first time double hooping let alone with minis and it was great! If you think regular hooping is a work out, get your hands on some mini's... I'm in great shape and I actually had a pain in my side after going off with these things... unbelievable.

[KatyJane]

Hopping! Heh, used to do it all the time when I was a kid. Great times. I recently got the idea of getting a trampoline. I told the neighbors it was for my kids, ha! Then, of course, I'm the one who uses it the most. But only when it's dark and no-one's watching.

[climbing]

I've got minis too! Check out HoopDeeDoo's videos on YouTube. She does some amazing mini stuff.

Thanks for the heads up, she is awesome!

[Revvell]

Thanks for the heads up, she is awesome!

You're welcome. *smiley face since I don't like the one they have here*

[climbing]

So I finally went and bought tubing, cutters, connectors, and ordered 50$ worth of pretty tapes online last night. I'm officially a hoopmaker! I made my twin mini's and they are awesome, not decorated yet tho, have to wait til my tapes arrive.