Workshop: Hula hoop¶

A summary of the tricks can be found in the video attached to the original file.

Technical aspects¶

What's worth knowing?

The cheapest "backyard" hula hoops need to be weighted. This can be done by wrapping the hoop with colorful electrical tape.

A hula hoop from, for example, Decathlon or a similar store is already a bit heavier, but very slippery. It's worth lining it on the inside with tape that increases friction: fabric tape, GAFFA/proGaff tape, or a non-stick bandage from a pharmacy.

Emilka and Anka from hooping.pl have summarized the technical aspects of hula hoops very well. You can find their two-part guide on YouTube by searching for: hooping.pl jak dobrać idealne hula hoop.

Hula hooping is not primarily about spinning on the waist, but about doing many tricks with it off the body: spinning on the arm, neck, ankle. Look for movements that will make it easier for participants to get into the prop, rather than emphasizing the essence of hula hooping as spinning on the waist. This is one of thousands of possibilities.

Remember: people with different movement experiences will come to the workshop. One might have a sedentary and calm job, another might be an extreme sports enthusiast. Spinning on the waist requires integrating the movements of the entire body and will not be immediately obvious to everyone. Everyone "gets it" at a different pace, and that's completely normal.

Safety reminder¶

Do not use hula hoops with bumps.

After training with such a hoop, we get a lot of bruises. The effect of the exercises can be deceptive: we often see skin discoloration from the enormous weight of the hoop. The muscles work much less with such a hoop than with a regular hula hoop.

The heavier the hoop, the more it spins "by itself" and requires less effort from us. When we use a light hoop and it's a challenge, but achievable, the abdominal muscles really work.

Starting and distributing equipment¶

Possible ways to distribute hula hoops:

• rolling the hoops to individual participants
• hula hoops lie in the center of the circle; everyone takes a hoop, but only one person can be in the center at a time
• if people double up in the center, everyone puts the hula hoops back and we start again
• rules for the group version: no talking, no pointing with fingers or head to indicate order
• support before the start: a few deep breaths and eye contact between participants
• lifting the hula hoop on index fingers in a group; fingers should be straight, not hooked

Warm-up¶

This part can be narrated with a story, e.g., a journey around the world.

• we are driving cars: the hula hoop is the steering wheel
• we get into a helicopter: we spin the hula hoop on the floor and jump into it a few times
• we make a train or a caterpillar: we lean the hula hoop against our stomach and the back of the person in front of us, connecting the whole group or subgroups this way
• challenges can be added to the train: squat, jump, twist, Mexican wave
• the wagons scatter and we form pairs: in pairs, we use one hoop, shake hands as if greeting, and try to spin the hoop together
• variations in pairs: spinning in both directions, different tempos, passing the hoop to the other person's wrist, jumps, dance, and music
• individual airplanes: we hold the hula hoop in front of us with an underhand grip and accelerate, spinning around our own axis

Tricks¶

Recordings of tricks are in the additional video attached to the original folder of materials.

Games and activities with hula hoop¶

More detailed activities from this workshop:

• Ball Race with Hula Hoop
• Three Hoops
• Partner Juggling with Hula Hoop
• Pictures
• Building Machines

Shorter variations and inspirations:

• needle and thread: in a circle, we hold hands, and the hula hoop travels around; everyone must pass through it without letting go of hands and without using their fingers for help
• needle and thread variation: hoops of different colors and sizes travel in the opposite direction
• needle and thread variation: hoops are moved on the floor with feet or passed to each other on the foot
• hot hula hoops: analogous to musical chairs
• obstacle courses
• 1-2-3 juggler look-at-me: a game without a hula hoop

Source closing¶

If you find the knowledge gathered in these materials useful and want to express your appreciation, you can follow the author on Instagram and Facebook: @wyhulana.

See you next time!

Wiktoria Witenberg