The Joy of Hula Hooping

Hula hooping is a playful and rhythmic flow art that involves spinning a hoop around your body. From a mindfulness perspective it’s a fun and easy way to get into a state of flow, while at the same time enhancing coordination, balance, and core strength. On this page we’ll look at hoop selection, how to hoop, and the I’ll recommend a few of the best YouTube channels for hula hooping.

The right hoop

Selecting the right hoop is essential for successful hula hooping. According to science the smaller a hoop is the faster you have to spin it, and the bigger and heavier it is the slower you need to spin it. The general rule is that your hoop should at least reach your bellybutton when stood on its edge. I’m very tall and when I first started hooping I bought the cheapest hoop I could find. Yes, I am somewhat of a cheapskate. It was small plastic loop for kids that was way too small for me. I found it impossible to do more than 2 or 3 spins before the thing fell to the ground. I then bought huge hoop about double the size and suddenly I could hoop.

How to hula hoop for beginners

Find a spacious, unobstructed area to practice. If you want to, create an ambiance by playing your favorite music. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, and place the hoop around your waist. Gently rock your hips back and forth, feeling the rhythm and flow of the hoop. 

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Once you’ve mastered the basics it time to move beyond the traditional waist hooping and experiment with different movements. Explore hooping with your arms, legs, chest, and even hands. Incorporate spins, jumps, and graceful transitions to create a personalized hula hooping style that resonates with your unique leitmotif.

Focus on your breath as you flow with the hoop. Take deep, intentional breaths, syncing your movements with each inhale and exhale. Feel the energy flowing through your body as you connect with the hoop's rhythm. This conscious connection between breath, movement, and the hoop will deepen your experience and enhance your mind-body connection.

Like any skill, hula hooping requires practice and persistence. Start with shorter practice sessions, gradually increasing the duration as you build stamina and confidence. Celebrate even the smallest achievements, such as maintaining the hoop's momentum for an extra rotation or mastering a new trick. With time and dedication, you will witness your hula hooping skills flourish.

Hula hooping on YouTube

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This is a website on mindfulness, and while hula hooping is a form of mindfulness practice, I’m no expert with the hoop, so here are three excellent YouTube channels.

Hooplovers

On Deanne Love's channel you’ll find hundreds of tutorials suitable for beginners and advanced hoopers, covering various techniques, tricks, trouble shooting, transitions, and flow sequences. She specializes in teaching so this is my go to channel. She adds a new hoop dance tutorial video every week. You’ll love her Aussie accent.

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Bee Varga the Hula Hooper

This is my favorite channel. I guess I love her quirky personality. Bee started hooping as a true total beginner adult - overweight, unfit, and with no background in fitness. She has a lot of videos for beginners.

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Hula Hoop Institute

The Hula Hoop Institute offers a variety of hula hooping content, including tutorials, hoop dance showcases, and interviews with hooping enthusiasts from around the world. The channel provides a blend of educational and entertaining videos for hoopers of all levels.

Hoopsmiles

Hula hooping is dominated by woman so it’s nice to see a channel produced by a man. His channel is orientated more toward total beginners. While the other channels focus on traditional hoops most of his videos explain how to use smart hula hoops. He also has an excellent Facebook group.