Fighting Osteoporosis with the Hoop!

"You'll break your hip if you don't start taking meds." 

That's what 57-year old Pam Theobold heard three years ago when her doctor diagnosed her with osteoporosis. Rather than start the medication Pam decided to try exercise, but soon got bored with weight lifting and mindless walking on the treadmill.  She decided to give the hoop a try after seeing a woman on TV hooping. 

Friendlier looking, more colorful, and cheaper solution than medication. 
Picture via flickr

After one year of consistent hooping she revisited her doctor. Imagine her surprise when it was reported that she had the bones of a "35-year old" and she showed no further bone loss! Hooping had significantly helped slow the signs of her osteoporosis! 

Uhm. Wow! 

Pam, now better known as HoopDeeDo has been a hoop instructor for over two years now and has a great website with endless resources for tutorials and videos. Here is some great twin practice: 

Definitely check out HoopDeeDo for tutorials as she commits to doing a new one each week and already has a massive catalog of beginner and advanced moves. 

Way to go Pam! Quite the inspiration. Quite.  

Check out the Hoop Dee Do website

Pam's YouTube page

More about Hooping and Osteoporosis on Hooping.org

Up for a Challenge (Time to Get Twisted Like a Pretzel.)

I first saw this tutorial back when it was posted in May and definitely thought it was interesting - but wasn't all too amped to get up and learn it. Moves that are more technical than flow-based usually have that effect on me, like, 'OH HEY WOW COOL....uh, I'll, uh... learn it.... later." But! Today I woke up ready to challenge myself and add something truly new to my hoop repertoire. 

It is also getting down to the last few classes I will be teaching at the very first location I ever taught hooping. Some of those ladies have been with me for years and I want to learn some 'wow factor' moves to leave them with for their self practice. Not that they couldn't scour youtube for inspiration - but it's always more fun to learn in class - at least you can ask the teacher to slow down and show ya some new angles!

Pretzel twist here we go! 

Inner Space Core Wrapping with Ann Humphreys

oh how I wish it were still Hoop Path... 

So glad to have this video as a reminder 

Mind Blowing Mini Hoop 3 Beat Weave

Hot DAMN. 

I just learned the behind the back chase weave at HPV so this is going to have to wait while I bask in the glow of knowing something instead of being frustrated by the learning process. (I already have so much to work on!) The only problem I have with these weaves is finding a way to incorporate them into practice in a way that is smooth. Ah, practice makes perfect...

Stitch Rippers Tutorial: How to Make a Hoop Bag

I really need to get on this biz-nas. Seriously I carry a hoop almost every single place I go "just in case" the need to hoop is oh-so overwhelming and I have to bust a move.  That's how I roll. This tutorial makes this bad making thing not look too scary. Hmmmm....



Safire is adorable.

How Doth the Lovely Butterflop...

This seems like one of those moves that looks deceptively simple...

But it is really pretty! Yeah, I am going to have to learn this one. I love little innovations like this - where there's just that something extra to make a performance pop. 

Hoop Tutorials I WANT to Learn: Circus Style Moves w/ Jon Coyne

This morning, Jon Coyne was the featured tutorial of the day on hooping.org. Usually, I placidly watch the featured tutorial while sipping my morning coffee and thinking "yep, that's cool...anyway, next link," but after watching these I honestly found myself wanting to get up and hoop! Then I checked out his YouTube channel and saw the treasure trove of crazy circus style moves he has listed. Win!

Pizza Toss + Sommersault Catch

In the past few weeks I have successfully done the pizza toss a few times, so it gives me hope for this move. (But, I love that he has links to the 'prerequisties' in the video. Total bonus points on that one, Jon.)

Foot Hooping in Lasso Above Back While Bent Over*

(* awesome move...but it needs a new name.  Lasso back? Lasso bridge? <--- Because your body looks like a bridge while on the ground?)

Anyone else as inspired as I am? Now to navigate the wet grass outside to get a few of these crazy moves going! 

That Bastard Son is Pretty Hot

Watching this I can already tell it's the type of thing I am really not even going to try and learn. Maybe down the road, but right now I have no idea how I would easily flow into this during a session.

But, that doesn't make it any less spectacular. I so envy admire people who can see new ways to move the hoop so easily (or seemingly so.) 

If you are more of a go-getter than myself, this is definitely an impressive combo. Check it out.

Try Hoop Trix for Hoop Tricks

YouTube, you so scary.

With a ridiculous number of hoop tutorials clogging up everyone's favorite hoop teacher, YouTube, it is fabulous to know that someone took the time to organize and classify some of the info out there. 

Hoop-Trix.com has things organized by On the body, Off, Isolations, Twins, etc. - with lots of categories in the subsections as well! The battle of which key words to use may finally be behind us! That, and finally not ending up with 14 pages of basketball content when I type in "hoops."

Naw, dude. The other hoops. 

Check it out: hoop-trix

Scissor Switch = Hoop Rut Cure.

I have gotten waaaay out of the routine of actually trying to learn new "tricks" with my hoop. Overall, I don't mind - I love just getting lost in the circle and figuring out new things for myself. Sometimes though, I lose momentum that way. Ah, hoop ruts. 

A tutorial is a quick, easy way for me to get back in the zone. 

Time to bust out a big hoop to learn this one.

Time to Get Your Face On.

People look at your face first - you may as well understand and control the message you are sending. It's time to put your face on. What I am speaking to is performance make-up: big, bright, colorful and (most certainly) over the top. It completes a costume and goes a long way in selling an act or persona. 

Tash from the Gyronauts explains how to do some quick and easy colorful eyes, sure to draw attention.

As someone who got (way) out of the whole make-up habit, I was surprised how much adding color to my face really changed the way I felt and thought about practicing and performing. Suddenly, I believed that I was a performer. When you feel it, the audience can see it. But, you don't have to be entertaining a crowd to experiment. Just the process of "getting ready" makes it feel as though I were preparing for something important, and I used that energy in my practice - even when it was only for myself.  (And hey, if you are terrible with make-up and end up looking like a clown caught in a hurricane - that's fine too. It's all about trying something new and discovering something you didn't know was there.)

Behind the Back 2 Beat and 3 Beat Weave

Michelle Hazzard created an incredibly informative and well put together tutorial for some pretty unique hoop moves! Below she breaks down a behind the back 2-beat and 3-beat weave. Sound a bit crazy? I know I can barely understand the 3 beat weave going in front of me! But Michelle really put together a great tutorial for these moves with everything explained clearly, broken down and with helpful links for learning foundational moves.

Combos!

Learn some sick combos in less than 1 minute! Now that is a video made for my attention span. This weekend I realized that I am most certainly a flow hooper rather than a trick hooper so combos/tricks/moves aren't where my mind naturally goes. Glad it's where other's go though!

Choreography! Breakthrough!

Remember last week when I was looking for SOMETHING to help me understand choreography and hooping better? Something to help me get used to counting with beats and working with structure? Well, as I was checking out what my Boot Camp Day 2 assignment is on HoopLovers I found this:



Simple and easy to understand choreography routine! YAY! Finally! I am going to try and learn this today so that I can get used to counting like this and adding an intentional look into my practice. As she says, the free flow is great - but, when you are working on consistency it just won't cut it!

I hope you guys find this as helpful as I have.

Isolation Sequence Tutorial

Perfect week for a sequence video! I am still working on figuring out how on earth people choreograph routines (whenever the music comes on, I just want to move however I am feeling...) and this isolation tutorial is a great template. 

She presents the moves well and then ties everything together at the end. Using music to make the timing more dramatic makes everything seem complete and polished. I love good hoop tutorials. There is a ton more from HoopLovers here: hooplovers.com

Help Me Hooping Idol

If you have been on Hooping.org the past few weeks you know that the Hooping Idol contest is taking place, wherein hoopers submit videos on a theme each week and are judged by a panel. I sat this one out, but there are some great hoopers in the mix!

While I was watching this week's "Flow" entries I was thinking what perfect timing it is to have such great material to review when thinking about my own foray into choreography. 

Check out the thread here

When watching ask yourself:

1. What about this video do I like?
2. Does it hold my interest? Why? Why Not?
3. What would I change? 
4. How can I incorporate things I like into my style?

It's so easy to watch a million videos and still not enact new things into your practice. Really take a sec to think about how you feel about the video and why. Flesh things out and then get up and try your own! I already have a few ideas after watching this morning...

Adding the "Dance" into Hoop Dance?

I have been thinking a lot about choreography lately. There comes a point in your practice when you think, "okay, I have the moves - now how do I put them together?"  I want to floooooow, dangit!

I thought that I would solve this problem by asking the computer for some choreography tips. What I found were possibly the worst instructions for "How to Choreograph a Hoop Dance Routine" ever:

Instructions

things you'll need:

• Hoops

1. • 1
     Use colorful hoops so that they can be easily seen by the audience. You can even get glow-in-the-dark hoops or light up hoops for a special effect.(okay, cool. Use pretty hoops. Will do. Thanks.)
   • 2
     Have dancers use the hoops to create various shapes. Pair the dancers with one dancer standing behind another dancer with her hoop held high. The dancer in front can hold her hoop low. Play with different shapes such as a vertical and horizontal figure 8.(Dancers? As in more than just me in my house? Uhhh...)
   • 3
     Create a large circle. Have dancers hold each other's hoops instead of holding hands. They can also do a ripple bringing the hoops in and out of the circle.  (This isn't a group routine. What's a "ripple" ring...it sounds...funny. Come on #4 and #5 - bring me the knowledge!)
   • 4
     Do tricks in the hoop dance routine such as hula hooping around the neck, waist, arms and feet. Have dancers jump over the hoops or dive roll through the hoops. Spin or twirl the hoops on the floor for a different level in your dance routine. (Yeah, a dive roll seems like something I would naturally progress into. And, I am definitely going to set my hoop on the ground and hop over it. Yes. This will be impressive.)
   • 5
     End the hoop dance routine in a large but tightly packed group.Have each dancer hit a pose utilizing the hoop.(Have a lot of people stand next to each other and pose. So, recreate a "on our way to prom" photo.) This creates an interesting shape and also makes for a great picture.

Add hoops for an awesome show
stopping finish!

So, it wasn't quite the eye opener for which I was hoping. Today I am going to try and break down a routine for a song approximately 3 minutes long. Will I have any idea what I am doing? Not really! But I plan to keep going until I figure it out! There are a few things that I know I'll need to do before getting started:

I just want to learn the worm

Hooping, for better or for worse, has given me the confidence to learn other styles of movement and dance. While it is my dream to be an amazing break dancer who can do a my own version of the epic dance scene from Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (who's with me?) I would really settle for mastering any of these moves:

(teacher = half funny, half "please stop acting and just teach me the worm please")

I did learn to moonwalk from YouTube so I have faith. Am I the only one nursing somewhat delusional dreams of break (or other types of) dancing greatness? And if so, who will join me in my amazing Romy and Michele dance number? 

Have you wanted to try to move in different ways inspired by groovin' with your hoop? 

Cartwheel How To

It's tutorial Friday! Haha!
Remember Acro Hoops? 
Doing super awesome summersaults and cartwheels is fun with or without your hoop and if it's been awhile since cartwheeling was in your daily schedule here  is a how-to from the ninja hooper's themselves:

Where Do I Go Next? 5 Tricks to Add to Your Practice After Mastering Waist Hooping

By the time you have become a seasoned hooper, you are used to exploring the troves of YouTube to find the best new tutorials for hoop tricks. But, I remember in the beginning I had no idea what to look for, which tutorials were good or even where I should go next after getting my waist hooping down. If that sounds familiar these five videos may help. They break down some great beginner/intermediate moves in easy to understand, well explained tutorials. If you have been wondering about the next step - these are great moves to practice over the weekend.

Waist to Lasso


Hooping at the Knees