Hoop Isolation Learn Along: Take One

mmK so I have a great fear of video cameras that I'm trying to get over. It's so terrible that it didn't occur to me that I should take videos of Tristan for his first few weeks - like, I just erased their existence from my brain. But my love of hooping is stronger than my fear of videos and I really, really, really hope to get more moms into hooping (and indie polishes).

I'd been hooping for many years but I only knew the tricks I taught myself and I'm a lone-hooper - it also wasn't as popular at festivals and parties as it is now (like, not at all really) so there weren't all these great tutorials to get me to the next level.

Plus I like to hoop to clear my head. It's my peaceful time. Sometimes I'll listen to music, but mostly just silence and thoughts. It's so relaxing - and it's great exercise. So anyway, these tricks are possible to do indoors if I use Tristan's hoop (smaller and lighter). There is no excuse to skip practicing; since I need a focal point I can do it while watching Tristan play or an episode of Buffy.

Tristan is highly amused and can't wait to try. I swirl it around him and he laughs in delight. Let's face it, if you have kids, you're going to have hoops at some point! Join me in the Mama Hooper Revolution!

Here is the isolating trick I've been working on. I do it every day with both hands and will continue until I think it's perfect. I failed to learn to hoop in both directions so when I go outside I force myself to go clockwise even though I look super ridiculous. So first tip: always learn everything both ways! This was taken last Friday so I'll make sure to do another and keep tabs on week to week progress.

I know, I know, it's out of this world dorky - but it's so fun, I don't care! The point of this trick is to make it look like the hoop is hovering in the same spot - isolated. It takes a lot of strength and endurance which I'm building slowly. ...and for the record I am right handed.

When you go online you can find so many magical hoop videos that it looks intimidating. I want to bring you along on my adventure from awkward to [hopefully] awesome because anyone can do this!

My hoops are handmade by TetonHoops - each unique and covered in fabric instead of tape.