“Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.”

- Moliere

Let your mind sing, your face glow and your spirit dance!  Usually known as a childhood pastime, HOOPING in making a dramatic resurgence into the world of fitness and fun!

Hooping Facts:

• appropriate for all ages
• accessible for all seasons of the year
• inexpensive
• low impact exercise
• only one piece of equipment is required – a hoop!
• no previous skills are required – only practice and determination
• fun to practice with others…or on your own
• hoop instruction can easily be found free online!

Hooping Benefits:

• tones all areas of your body
• will burn up to 300 calories in only 30 minutes
• hooping is similar to Kickboxing, Boot Camp and step aerobics type exercise in intensity and cardiovascular fitness (based on the  2010 study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise)
• brings happiness, joy and play into your life
• relieves stress and tension
• helps with coordination, balance and endurance
• boosts your self esteem
• may make you feel sexy and attractive
• will bring a healthy glow and light to your face

 

Remember to keep trying!  Keep practicing every day until your body and your mind “click” and you finally “get it”.  This experience is very similar to learning to ride a bike.  You may hit your head, shoulder, back, toes or other body parts with the hoop while you are learning…and you may even get some bruises.  It’s all part of the hooping experience.  Don’t let it get you down.  You can do it!

It took me 2 full weeks of trying to hoop (at 30 minutes a day) just to get the hoop to stay up around my waist.  I’d never hooped as a child and I thought it would come easily.   But, it didn’t.  I was frustrated and I wanted to give up.  Luckily, I loved hoop so much that I decided to keep going. I found determination and belief in myself and…finally…I did it!

After 1 year of weekly hooping, I had learned the basics (waist hooping, halos, hooping in both directions, walking while hooping and hooping with different leg positions).  I took time to try new hoops – various sizes, made of different materials and watched YouTube videos over and over.

Six months later, I felt more comfortable trying new tricks like:  chest hooping, floats, corkscrews, jumps, arm tricks and attempting to learn isolations.  Now, I’m learning new tricks every week and keeping myself motivated (and inspired!) by my local hoop groups, YouTube videos and creating my own hoop routines.

After 2 years of hooping, I became a Certified Hoopnotica Hoopdance Instructor – Levels 1 and 2.  My teacher, the beautiful and wonderful Jacqui, was patient, kind and enthusiastic.  I felt uncomfortable with my weight and intimidated by the young girls with slim bodies…but Jacqui made me feel like my hooping experience was just as important as anyone else’s.  I enjoyed my training very much and I’ve never regretted it.

I love teaching hooping and seeing how excited people get when they finally learn a new trick.  It’s an amazing feeling!

It’s been a long journey, but one filled with joy and increased confidence.  If I can do it, you can do it.  I believe in you!!

Tips to learning hooping:

1. Practice every single day.  Even if it’s for 5 minutes.
2. Every week or so, watch and try out a new trick.  Online tutorials on YouTube (see links below) are perfect for this!
3. When you learn a new trick, treat yourself to a new hoop.  Pick your favorite color or different style.  Click here or here or a watch a video here for tips on how to find the perfect hoop size/material for you!
4. If you are able, try hooping somewhere new.  If you usually hoop inside, try outdoors.  If you hoop at your house, try venturing out to the beach or hike a mountain…or just hoop with friends.
5. Hoop to different tempos of music.  See how your hooping style differs with dance music, or slow songs or instrumental vs vocal.
6. Invent your own hoop move!  Sometimes, while learning a new trick, a mistake turns into an awesome new move!

Hoop Classes:

• $15 each per 60 minute group class or $45 for a 4 week group session
• $50 for a 60 minute private lesson

 

Recommended Books/DVDs:

1. Hoop Technique with Robert Porter and Sprial, 2010 (DVD)
2. Hoop Lovers by Deanne Love (DVDs and PDFs)
3. Hoopnotica (DVDs)
4. The Hooping Life (DVD or Download)
5. Hooping:  A Revolutionary Fitness Program by Ariane Conrad and Christabel Zamor
6. Hoop Dance Fusion (DVD)

 

Recommended Online Tutorials:

• Hooplovers
• Hoopnotica
• Babz Robinson
• Caroleena
• Fire Sandra

Testimonials:

“Gina’s hoop dance classes are a blast! Not only do you burn tons of calories and tone your middle, but you also have fun and laugh the entire time! Best workout ever. Gina gave excellent instruction and was very encouraging to all her students. She also loves hula hooping and brings a wonderful enthusiasm to all of her classes.” Jacqueline W.

“Gina is a tremendously talented hooping instructor.  She works well with students of all ages and abilities.  I’m looking forward to taking more of her classes!“ - Kristen K.

“Thank you Gina for introducing me to hoop dance! Gina is a spirited and talented teacher and I will be forever grateful for all she has taught me. I’ve never been one to enjoy working out and have always struggled with finding a form of cardio exercise that not only I can stick with, but I actually enjoy and that is exactly what I found with hula hooping. Gina is a kind and compassionate instructor and through the many hoop dance classes I’ve taken with her, she has gifted me with a way to not only work out and move my physical body, but she has given me an outlet to connect with myself in an immensely fun and creative way. If you’ve been looking for a workout that feels more like playtime, give hoop dance a try!“ - Heather H., Reiki Practitioner, Massage Therapist and owner of Heather Horton, LMT, RYT.