Hoop Downsizing

16 Sep


*Disclaimer: Lots of numbers, abbreviations and general hoop geekiness below

When I first started hooping, I was on a mission to find the “perfect” sized hoop. I read forums and obsessed a little about it before I finally made the decision to start with a 42 inch 100 psi 3/4 inch circle of plastic and tape (outer hoop above). It did turn out to be the perfect hoop for learning and I loved it. I thought it would probably take years before I would abandon my first BIG HOOP love. But then,  I “outgrew” it for my daily practice.

Sooner than I had expected, the time came for me to expand my horizons a bit. I was feeling limited. I was getting bruises (especially while learning the shoulder duck out…that move is brutal!). My next hoop was a 42 inch “lightweight” performance hoop (middle hoop above)…and it made such a HUGE difference switching to a lighter hoop. It wasn’t all that much smaller (same tubing), but the weight (or lack of) made it super easy to throw around off body tricks. I used both hoops quite happily until I started to get into breaks and reverses. A big groovy hoop just doesn’t cut it for a fast, crisp break/reverse!

I had read about people “downsizing” their hoop and I was in AWE at those who were using hoops in the 30-38 inch range. At the Hoop Technique workshop, Rich and Spiral told us their “story” and it was then that I realized that Spiral had pretty much pioneered the “shrinking” of the hoop size…and Rich had helped figure out the best plastics with his famous “tube experiments”.

So once again, I was on the hunt. While I was at the worskhop, I noticed that nearly everyone was using a 1/2 inch hoop…with most of them being made out of super lightweight polypropylene (also nicknamed “polypro”).  Click here to see Danielle spinning her polyro hoop. While I haven’t jumped on the polypro bandwagon quite yet, I’m hoping to buy one at Hoopcamp. I did opt for an HDPE (high density polyethylene) hoop (inner hoop above…photo was taken after I cut it down to a 38). The HDPE is a little more rigid than the polypro…I’ve heard it described as “polypro training wheels” 🙂

My silver HDPE hoop is a 36 inch hoop and I adore it. It’s light & peppy. It does what I tell it to do…and it does it FAST. Sometimes a little too fast 🙂 I’m still learning how to treat it so we can flow together. But for the most part, we have a lovely relationship.  I’ve found that my magic hoop size is a super lightweight 38″ hoop. Shoulder hooping is SO much easier with a 38″, compared to the 36″. Nothing can beat the 36″ for speed on the off body moves….but it can be a bit more challenging for core hooping.


I bought my silver hoop from Rich and Spiral…but when we were in Bozeman, my friend Mary and I made a bunch of our own HDPE hoops and found them to be rather easy to make. Well, I should say that Mary and Matt made them 🙂 I just reaped the benefits. Rich gives detailed instructions here.

I keep lots of sizes on hand…and I go back to the bigger sizes when I’m learning something new. But for now, my go-to hoops are 36 inch and 38 inch.  My size may not be your size. Everyone has a hoop that just feels right. Maybe you have no desire to do off body work or breaks and you’re content with the big slow groovin’ hoops! That’s awesome. I just like to do things fast 🙂 The moral of the story: if you want to spice up your hoop practice a bit…switch up your size!

If you would like to buy a high performance hoop, check out these vendors:

HappyLoveHoops
Hoop Horizon

Here is a write up on Hoop City by the fabulous Kendra (HappyLoveHoops) about her experience with polypro hoops:
“Once you go polypro”

Discussion on Hoop City regarding HDPE & Polypro

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The Hoop Rack: Innovative Hoop Transport

7 Sep


When Lora showed up at the Bozeman Hoopers meetup with this sweet rack on her equally amazing cruiser, I knew that I MUST share it with you!


Lora found the instructions detailing how to make it on Hooping.org. It seems to be a popular setup for Burning Man hoopers, but of course could be used by anyone.


Ride on, Lora! Love it.

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The Hooping Family Tree

31 Aug


Lara of Superhooper fame is taking on a HUGE project…and I love it. She is creating a “Hooping Family Tree” to show the beautiful connections between all hoopers.

Click on over to her site right now and enter your information, including your “hoop parent”! It only takes a minute. You can also support this project by shopping at Superhooper and Hoop Pretty.

If you aren’t reading Lara’s blog, Hooposophy, on a regular basis…you should be! Her writing is thought-provoking, original, and intelligent. I love me some Lara!

Bozeman Hoopers

28 Aug


The Bozeman Hoopers meet up 4 blocks from our campsite in Bozeman…so you can imagine how excited I get on Friday mornings! We’ve been riding our bikes down there the past couple of weeks…and we’ll be here for one more session before we head West.


I’ve learned so much from these ladies! It’s so fun to hoop with different people everywhere we go because everyone has such different styles and each is interested in different movements.  I try to be very intentional about seeking out hoopers in the cities we visit for this reason. The Bozeman group is especially delightful because everyone is super new to hooping (just this summer)…so there is a different energy there than there is with a group that has been hooping for a long time. Love it. More photos here.

Questions of the day: Who do you hoop with? Do you have a hoop group that you meet up with? If it appears that you are the only hooper in your area…have you taken steps to start a group?

Spinning Light

26 Aug

On Tuesday night during the full moon…the Bozeman Hoopers gathered to spin light together! We took my Superhooper LED hoop and went into the middle of a very dark Lindley Park and hooped until midnight.

I’m sure the squirrels were dancing to Michael Franti right along with us. You can see more photos from our blissful night here.

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Bike + Hoop = True Love

20 Aug

I am in love with my cruiser. I am in love with hooping. So why not combine the two!? Matt recently rigged the Burley so I can carry all the hoops as I bike. In this photo, we were loading up to go to the Bozeman Hoopers Friday meetup. And it was so.much.fun!

It’s a group that just started meeting this summer…and it was such a blast to teach each other new moves and hoop it up on a beautiful summer day in Montana. I have a feeling I’ll be doing A LOT of hooping while we’re here 🙂

Hooping In Small Spaces

12 Aug

We live in a very small space…and sometimes we can’t get outside to hoop due to rain or heat. So we hoop inside! The photo above is in our main living area in the RV…the girls are playing with my poi hoops, but I am also able to waist and shoulder hoop with up to a 38 inch hoop.

Sometimes after everyone falls asleep at night, I hoop hoop hoop in my little space until I “work it all out” 🙂 I love the release it provides after a long day. It’s even more fun to use my LED hoop inside in the dark…my own personal light show.

I do miss having a large indoor private space to hoop in whenever I want. I got spoiled at my parents house this summer with their large basement and mirrors! But I will take my hoop time however I can get it now (even if it means I am the spectacle of the RV park).

Where do YOU hoop when you can’t hoop outside?

Hoop Technique Wrap Up

12 Aug


While perusing Hoop City a few weeks back, I came across a post by Danielle that talked about the upcoming Hoop Technique workshop in Boulder. Being that we were in Golden (just 20 minutes away), I practically shouted “HECK YES!!”. Sprial and Rich’s online videos have inspired me immensely in my hoop journey, and I knew I had to go.


Matt and the girls dropped me off on Saturday at the Boulder Circus Center for the first day of my hoop bliss. The workshop started off with the typical circle up and name sharing. There was a diverse mix of hoopers, some who had just started hooping and some who had been hooping for many years. Two participants drove all the way from the Des Moines area (we have friends in common!) and another flew in from Atlanta.


There were only about 25 hoopers, which made it a lot easier to connect with others and with Rich and Spiral. There were at least 4 participants who teach hoop dance or perform professional in some capacity (Rainbow Michael, Danielle Odette, Tammy Firefly, Ali Cerulli Avalon and up and coming hooper Nick Guzzardo)…so beyond just learning from Rich and Spiral, we could watch these more experienced hoopers tear it up and learn from them as well!

The first day we focused a lot on isolations & isopops and learned more about space and energy. The second day was focused on time and flow, and we did a lot more “practicing”.

Here is a more detailed explanation of the program from their website:

Hoop Technique Theory encompasses a broad range of hoop movement and vocabulary oriented around four key concepts: Space, Energy, Time and Flow. These four concepts provide a framework for creative expression and expansion. Through exercises, theory and instruction, our focus on these concepts will increase awareness of what’s possible and encourage exploration. Each concept can be applied to any move and can be understood as a lens through which it can be examined and experienced.

  • The concept of Space explores the relationship of body and hoop to the space we occupy while hooping.
  • Energy refers to the physical and emotional energetic tones we can utilize to enrich and deepen the quality of our movement.
  • Time relates to speed, acceleration, direction changes, rhythm, tempo and beat.
  • Flow is the personal mastery of creative movement; effortless transition from move to move guided by expertise, muscle memory and inspiration. For us, flow unlocks the bliss and transcendent joy of hoop dance.

Some of the moves that were covered:
Isolations, Extensions, Isopops, Isobreaks, Antispin, 3d Moves, Dynamic Stalls, Sustained Spinning, Variations of Reverses.


The workshop had a very holistic feel to it…with every possible aspect of hooping explained and unpacked. Rich, being an architect, has a very interesting way of seeing the hoop. In explaining his isopop theory, he got out his trusty whiteboard and drew out how the hoop would be moving and pinpointed the exact point on the hoop where the rotation would occur. It was EXTREMELY helpful and it clicked instantly in my head. I’m not saying I can isopop like Rich, but at least I understand how it works! I love his approach to hooping and the means by which he explains it. On his blog, he diagrams and tests different plastics for the most perfect hoop…which makes him the ultimate hoop geek. 🙂 Love it! I have to admit that before going to this workshop, I didn’t really have an interest in doing isolations and other non-core movements…but Rich changed all that! His style is so unique and clean…you can’t help but to be inspired.


Spiral balances out Rich’s popping and isolating and lends a softer, more feminine touch on the hoop. Much of her teaching at the workshop focused on sustained spinning and flow. Her teachings really helped me, because right now I’m still trying to figure out which movements combine well with others and flowing from one move to the next without thought.


Spiral is a true artist in the hoop, always looking to take her practice to the next level. She has been hooping for 8 years and is a “pioneer” in the hoop world….always exploring and expanding her repertoire and passing her knowledge along to others. I was particularly interested in her time spent in “circus school” in Vermont and I enjoyed reading her online journal of her experiences there. She is an incredible performer and she takes her craft very seriously! I feel so blessed to have learned from her in person.


The hoopers in Colorado are a delightful bunch of beautiful people and I am so happy to have had the opportunity to be a part of it…even if it was just for a few months. I also just can’t say enough about Rich and Spiral and the fantastic energy and enthusiasm they bring to the hooping community. They do have tour dates set for Canada: Vancouver on Sept. 25, Victoria Sept. 26, Hoop Camp in Santa Cruz the next weekend, and Montreal Oct. 9 & 10. There will be more in the U.S…but they are not scheduled yet. Be on the look out for their new DVD, which is scheduled to be released in late September!

And now the countdown to HoopCamp begins…I can hardly wait!

[Click here to see all of the photos from the workshop + click on photos above to enlarge]

Hooping: A Short Film

10 Aug

Hoop Technique Sneak Peak

9 Aug

My mind is still reeling from all of the amazing teaching at the Hoop Technique workshop I attended this weekend in Boulder, Colorado. Spiral and Rich were fantastic and I have MUCH to share! I have photos and video and will be working on those in the next couple of days…but I wanted to give you a little “sneak peak”.

The above video was taken during a break as Rich demonstrated some of his Isopop techniques. Enjoy!

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