-Weighted vs Dance Hoops-
and other helpful tips to start your Hooping journey
Over the years here at the Hoopologie Collective, we’ve worked with hoopers
of all skill and experience levels and have learned a great deal.
We’d love to share some of what we’ve learned with you!
With Amazon guiding so many first time hoopers’ choices and/or hoopers buying their first hoop at their local department stores or outlets online, weighted hula hoops have become all the rage! There is article after, blog post, after advertisement out there claiming that weighted hoops are the only style of hoop suitable for beginners and fitness hooping.
We’re here to share with you, there’s another way!
Across all styles of hooping, there are truly no “rules”.
Like with many things, what works for some, may not work for others and that is perfectly fine and normal. No one diameter/size or weight of hoop, strength of grip tape applied, etc will work for every hooper. It really is an experimentation process that will follow you throughout your journey, as long as you keep coming back to your hoops.
Here are our favorite tips and tricks:
*Beginner Adult Hoopers – please stop buying your hoops from the department store that are made of poor quality materials, are meant for children, and think that it is a problem with you or your body.
Hooping is for every BODY – no matter your build, stature, experience, or previous fitness experience.
Be kind to yourself, remember that dropping your hoop is an essential part of the learning process, and HAVE FUN!
“It’s not your body, it’s your hoop”
*We are commonly asked “why are your hoops not weighted?“
Here at the Hoopologie Collective, our heaviest hoops come out to apx 1.5lbs.
While there are benefits to hoops 2lbs and
heavier, we choose to keep our hoops lighter to
avoid bruising, soreness, back and abdominal pain,
and other potential side effects to using weighted hoops.
*“Can you still get a workout with a dance hoop?”
We say, absolutely! Think of it like this.. heavier, weighted hoops are more like your weight training day; weighted hoops typically require less abdominal engagement and core strength to maintain the hoop’s spin.
Weighted hoops do a lot of the work for you.
Your lighter, dance hoops are more like your cardio training day;
lighter, faster hoops require more full-body movement,
core engagement, and may feel more like a traditional workout
with the added fun of your hoop.
*Hoop dance instructors have done their best over time
to find a way to standardize their recommendation for the frequently asked question, “what size hoop is best for me?”
Most likely, you’ve seen the recommendation to use a hoop that come to apx your belly button and start there. This is often a great place to start if you’re looking to learn waist, shoulder, and leg hooping – otherwise known as “on-body” hooping. Here at the Hoopologie Collective, we’ve taken it one step further and call our standard adult recommendation a 40-inch diameter hoop.
You can find our large variety of Beginner hoop designs HERE.
*Travel vs Sectional vs Collapsible vs Performance Hoops
What does it all mean?! Let’s break it down together:
Travel hoops like you see HERE are fully collapsible hoops that come with 6 separate segments. With all 6 segments connected, a 42-inch hoop is formed. With 1 segment removed, a 37-inch hoop is formed. Our travel hoops also include a strap to make it easy, breezy to store and take with you on-the-go.
Our travel hoops are our heaviest hoop, weighing in at apx 1.5lbs, fully built.
Sectional Hoops are similar to our travel hoops
in the sense that they are fully collapsible.
What separates them is the base tubing they are made with –
sectionals are much lighter and less rigid than our travel hoops.
Collapsible Hoops are our most popular style which include a single connection point
with a rivet, snap button, and piece of insert material that allows your hoop to be
partially coiled down to attach to the outside of your luggage, or over your shoulder.
Performance Hoops are very popular because they are the most customizable hoop option available on our online stores and are suitable for beginners, intermediate, and advanced hoopers alike.
Performance hoops are handmade, to-order and allow you to select your favorite tape, color of your grip tape around the inner rim of the hoop, the type of tubing you’d like your hoop to be made from, and if you’d like a layer of crystal clear protective tape applied to protect your beautiful new hoop from scuffs, dings, and blemishes.
You can find our large variety of Performance Taped Hoops HERE.
