Malcolm's Warm Up at Hoop Fest

video courtesy of Jaguar Mary

hehehe

I'm Loving This Post Hoop Path Flow

Yesterday I was finally back in the zone with a fully rested body and ready so ready to practice! I wanted to try out everything that was continuing to resonate with me from Hoop Path, so I ended up doing a lot of tracing and folding in this video. I love when new techniques really open up my body and make me explore new spaces. If the hoop is dropping - something is going RIGHT. 

Definitely reached a new state of bliss thanks to Hoop Path. 

One of the most important things in the hoop community is feedback. It makes a real difference when learning and growing as a hooper - so, please, if you have a second to leave a comment on the YouTubes please do. Seriously it means so much to hear from people. Don't you think? 

Okay. Time for some more blissed out, inspired hooping! (Then finishing packing for Hoop Fest - for real this time. Huzzah for so many hoop adventures.)

My Very Caffeinated Hoop Dance Practice

Here is the video from my 'break outta that RUT!' practice from yesterday. There is some new passing and chest and back rolls in here that I normally would never even try  for fear of the hoop falling. Didn't care this time! Definitely just went for whatever I was feeling - and I was feeling very high energy after lots 'n lots of coffee. (4 cups in 2 hours. That's how I roll.)

I want to try and work more with:

-the under the leg to isolation combo around :38

-the behind the back to on the body pass around 1:43 

-whatever the heck I did around 1:54, 

-back roll & turn + grab at 2:38, 

-and the little toss around 3:03 and the pass at 3:34

Wow, I actually studied one of my own videos. See, because I didn't already know exactly what I was going to do! Such a fun practice.

Trying Out Some New Things

Ah, the hoop rest this weekend definitely paid off. Seriously, is there anything better than ordering take-out and watching movies ALL DAY? (No.) Here is what I watched, for no particular reason other than my recommendations for the next time you are browsing Netflix for longer than you are actually watching a movie. (That can't just be me, right?)

Earth Girls are Easy

Manhattan Murder Mystery

White Men Can't Jump

Empire Records

Last Action Hero

After all that vegging, I felt BEYOND ready to hoop this morning. I have a ritual before any 'big hoop day;' I clean my whole house. Is that weird? I don't know - I just always feel better when everything is clean before I start hooping. Hmm. Just another TOTALLY NORMAL thing I do.  

Anyway, here is the practice from today. Just goofing off and trying a few new things.

DubStep Hooper

When I am in the hoop, I never think of tricks or crazy fancy moves - I always just want to flow. I like creating shapes and exploring patterns with the circle - something about it makes me feel very whole and complete. I love getting lost in the music and not knowing what my body will do next, but getting to experience whatever happens as the song builds or moves.

Sounds so fluffy and new age, right?! Ah, yes. Well, I can't believe it myself sometimes. But, I will tell you - there is no better stress reliever than a nice little hoop session. 

(Also, highlights the interesting mow job out back - love it!)

Spinner at Heart

You know, all week I have been struggling with my hoop. Trying to master "tricks." Trying to understand choreography. Today I took a break. It's been rainy outside and I decided to just do what I like to do when I hoop - which is spin. Sustained spinning, where you keep moving in a circle throughout your hoop dance, is by far my favorite hoop style and the one that sets my mind at ease. 

I did a little spinning today. I haven't felt as good as I do now all week.

Hooping Warning

hello folks.

this is just a basic practice vid in my backyard - but, just in case anyone else was ever thinking about doing something like I did, please DON'T stand the way I do about 50 seconds in. Okay, you probably wouldn't. But it is really important to watch form when you practice. My knee is in throbbing pain now.

Luckily I have several friends who are Physical Therapists. Unluckily, they will probably see this video and be... frustrated... that anyone thinks standing on their inner arches is, like, ya know - SUCH an awesome plan! Usually I am slightly proud of my injuries - this time, not so much. What about you? 

Haha, hoping you have better hoop luck than I did today!

The Breakdown: Poly Pro

The hoop world has been buzzing about poly pro for awhile now and I am, admittedly, a late adopter. But! I finally got mine yesterday and am happy to review my thoughts.

My first impression was that there just wasn't much to this hoop. Not necessarily a bad thing, except when you account for the cost. Be prepared to spend $50+ (including shipping) for a hoop that has none of the 'wow' factor of opening a beautifully taped and sparkly hoop. It is very plain, and looks almost used when you get it because of the sanding. I know that they are coming out with colored PPE hoops soon, so if you are looking for more 'umph' I would wait and get one of the colorful ones.

I happen to love plain jane hoops and excitedly began to play. I had a lot of questions before getting my hoop that I was happy to finally answer.

What is different? 
As everyone says, speed. I have to react faster, because the hoop moves faster around me. The smallest touch will launch it. I made this video to show the difference in speed between comparable hoops. Watch the rotation of the hoop around my waist for each and the speed of the vortex to see how quickly and fluidly the PPE hoop moves without any added effort from me:


 

The hoops used in this were: 

(blue hoop) 33" 125psi, 2 grip tapes

(black hoop) 33" 123psi, inner tape only

(clear hoop) 32" PPE hoop, sanded inside, no tape 

(the PPE hoop is 30", but I didn't close it completely so it 

would stay a comparable size to the other hoops)

Can I still do all the same stuff? 
Yep. I was afraid that the speediness of the hoop would mean I was back to square one with some moves, but I was able to do everything I could do before, only it looks prettier! There are even a few things that are less scary with this hoop. Back and chest rolls with such a light hoop don't seem nearly as dangerous if they catch you in the face. (so fun.)

Hunter/Bjork

Here is some recent hoop practice shot after working with a new private client. The lesson went so well that I was filled with this amazing positive energy, which was really communicated in my practice.

Before I hooped, being "filled with amazing positive energy" is something that I 1) didn't think was true or possible, and 2) never, ever, EVER would have said.

Welp, color me wrong.

It was exactly how I felt and it made a real difference in my ability to stop OVER THINKING every hoop session. I think next time there is cause for celebration, I may just bust out my hoop and see where it takes me...

(Bonus? The amazing, anatomically challenged, skeleton behind me watching the performance. It was impossible for him to clap at the end, but, I am sure he wanted to.)

Gym Shorts and a Leotard = Fashion Hooping.

I'm telling you, one of these days I will have a video where my tiny little oven is not my co-star. But for now - kitchen hooping (with mad style.)

Pretty Hoops in Interesting Places

Do you want to see some really pretty hoop pictures? 
Yay! Me too! I love high quality hoop pics so I am happy to say that after many months the kymspins.com redesign is complete!  (go check it out) 


It has an awesome gallery of some beautiful hoop shots - with all hoops shown for sale. Setting everything up was a two-day event during the biggest snow storm we've had - but I think it all paid off. 

Hoop: "Artistry" 

I had a great time with my buddies Michelle and Jen brainstorming, styling the shoot, setting up props and making this happen. Many, many thanks to my lovely sister Cyndi for doing the whole website, as my skills really end at checking my email and this blog. 

If you didn't catch this post I am attempting to make hooping work full time for me and it is a journey that is so exciting, but also a bit scary, so if you know anyone who needs a hoop - or just likes pretty, pretty hoop pics please pass it along!

I love hoop sites so if you have one and want to be added to my hoop site/blog list then please leave it in the comments!

(I am going to do a fav pics from gallery post as well! Stay tuned...)

The Hoop Journey: Before and After

This first video is a short snippet of me trying out a few things when I first started hooping. It seems like a million years ago, but was really only about 3 or 4. That big green hoop was one of the first I had ever helped to make and I still have it today.

When I First Started Hooping
 

This second is from earlier in the week. My goal here was not to perform a bunch of tricks or show off all i could do - it was really just to be in the moment, listen to to the music and move as I was feeling (and as my very, very small hoop space would allow - you’ll hear me crash into something more than once.)

Spinning with Flow 

Watching these two videos I am struck by so much. One, everyone starts somewhere! Don’t worry about being clunky or silly! Two, I am so much more at ease with myself now. I am not afraid of the camera - and pretty much forget about it - and my clothing, movement and expression all reflect much more confidence at the outset.

That doesn’t mean it’s not scary. Sharing something about which you care deeply is a very difficult thing. In the first video, any rockiness or mistakes I look at as sweet, and with some nostalgia. In the second video, the mistakes SCREAM out to me, making my face burn with embarrassment that someone else might see me making a mistake.

But.

Then I start to think about that scene in Back to the Future, when Michael J. Fox is chatting with his future father in the school cafeteria. George McFly is an avid Sci-Fi author, but never lets anyone read his work because “what if they don’t like it. i just don't think I could handle that type of rejection.” Of course, in the beginning of the movie we see George has lived a life ruled by fear. The alternate ‘happy ending’ has him having shown his work, fear and all, and ending up a successful author. 

Who wouldn't want to read that?

If you haven’t seen the movie, or don’t know what I am talking about (really? TBS shows it ALL the time, come on now) the take home message is that it is very hard to put something of yourself out there, but you have to stand up to fear or you will never get the opportunities for which you are waiting.


You can’t wait for it to be easy, or for the time to feel right - just move forward and go for it! Maybe in another 4 years I will look back on this and chuckle at where I was today - but, for now, I am glad that I feel good enough to try, to put myself out there and embrace the opportunities that are created when you stop worrying about what anyone else thinks.