YOU GUYS. HULA HOOPING IS RIDICULOUSLY FUN! See? It’s making me all scream-y and caps-y. But I cannot tell you enough how much fun we had this month. Not only that but this has got to be one of the most commented-on Experiments we’ve ever done (and we’re used to getting a lot of comments/stares/crazy looks). Here’s a sample of what we heard this month:
Q: I could never hula hoop! My hips don’t work that way!
A: Yes, you can! You just need a big enough hoop! Make your own or buy an adult-sized one! Don’t mess around with kiddie hoops.
Q: Does hula hooping really work your waist?
A: Honestly it felt like more of a cardio/dance workout than anything else. It never made my abs sore, even when we used a weighted hoop (not pictured).
Q: Ok, so it’s fun but how good of a workout is hooping?
A: Surprisingly sweaty! While it doesn’t skyrocket your heart rate like Tabata intervals (hmmm… could you Tabata hoop? Will have to try.) as long as you keep moving, it keeps your heart pumping. I’d say it’s similar to Zumba or Hip Hop Hustle or other dance cardio classes.
Q: Are there any toning benefits?
A: Holding your arms up that long so you don’t knock the hoop really (really) makes your shoulders burn after a while! Also, all the squats we did while still moving the hoop got pretty burny too.
Q: (From an African man, this morning) Does hula hooping make you skinny?
A: (From Krista) Well, not really.
A: (African man) Well good. We Africans like our women with more meat on their bones. You girls are too skinny.
A: Umm… thank you?
Q: Would you do it again?
A: I would love to try a real hooping class sometime. While we were able to teach ourselves a lot on our own, I think it would have been a lot better in a class setting.
Without further ado, here’s what we’ve been working on all month! (I am so so so proud of my girls!)
What do you guys think – those of you that are seasoned hoopers (that sounds like a state fair food!), did we do ok? Those of you who aren’t, did we convince you to try it? Ever had a culture-clash comment like the one from the African man?
Oh holy wow that was….enthralling! I have a silly smile. I love it!
What song is that?
It’s the Beggin’ remix by Madcon – glad you liked it!
hahaha, ok, you guys crack me up. Looked like great fun. And I like the credit to “Booty”
This is great! Hahaha I love it!
I’m so impressed that none of you lost your glasses! Awesome!
Oh we did – lots! YOu should have seen all the outtakes, lol.
Holy crap. That video was awesome. I’m now dying to get a hula hoop!!! :0)
THAT was magnificent! First the hip hop video and now this. Hilarious.
What’s the name of the song you used?
It’s the Beggin’ remix by Madcon – loooove it! So glad you enjoyed it too:)
That video just made me all kinds of happy — I’m smiling like crazy! Amazing work!!!
OH my gosh, you are hysterical. I’m not sure that I’ll be hula hooping anytime soon, but I do want a neon pink tutu now.
You should definitely get one!! Tutus make everything more fun!
Nice African Guy’s comment did one thing for me….make me want to move to Africa!!! Carrot cake and Jellybeans…I’m Baaaacckk!!!
Buwhahaha I love you!
Niiiiiiiice!!!!!!! I’m jealous!
That looks like SO MUCH FUN. I may have to try it, even as uncoordinated as I am.
Oh hey! You guys could go on “America’s Got talent!”
Um, we would be on America’s (hasn’t) got (much) talent! But I’ve seen some amazing hoopers that should def. be on that show!
Ahhhh, I love you and the gym buddies! I wish you all had been in charge of my phys. ed curriculum in elementary/high school!! Seriously, you all look like you’re having so much fun. If I ever come to Minnesota, I’m coming for a GFE gym buddy workout.
I don’t even want to tell you how many awkward cultural discussions I’ve had. I was born and raised in Canada, and I’m biracial. This apparently opens the door to many people asking ‘what are you?’. My answer “Canadian” (though I want to be snarky, and say ‘a human being’), is often insufficient. My love of maple syrup, BeaverTails, poutine, and spruce beer, in addition to my birth certificate, is apparently not enough to ward off unwanted questions. In addition to the ‘what are you’, many people assume I am from their country, and that opens a whole other can of worms with regards to awkward cultural conversations. I’m now a total pro at avoiding these discussions, even though it means I can be a bit stand-offish, I much prefer that to offers of marriage from random Nigerian men (oh yes, it has happened).
Re: the hula hooping- I was at a festival this weekend, and there was a booth selling hula hoops, and hula hoop classes! In Calgary! AND, I was at the grocery store, and saw like 5 adults carrying hula hoops this morning! Usually this city is a few years behind the trend…but perhaps you have a lot of secret readers in the city:) You have no idea how excited I was to see the hula hoops at the festival! I was volunteering for the Stampede booth, so I didn’t have time to linger, unfortunately. I’m hoping to catch the hula hoopers in action somewhere around the city…
Okay, I just had to go google everything on your list except maple syrup! I am officially not Canadian… sigh. But wow, you’ve had to deal with a lot of intrusive questions! And what I wouldn’t have given to be a fly on the wall during one of those random offers of marriage, lol!!!
I’d hate to see booty not get a credit so I appreciated that part of it.
What an awesome experiment! Loved the whole 80’s neon vibe! That is 80’s right? Or have I been locked away so long that those styles have come back.
Oh, and the front hand flip thing where you picked up the two hoops on your way up? Impressive!
Ryan, ryan, ryan… neon is TOTALLY back now! So much so I think you should do a whole head-to-toe look. Just to, you know, show how with it you are. Yep, go get on that one.
PS. And thanks – I was pretty darn proud of myself for that move too;)
Just when I didn’t think you could get any cooler, you go and one-up yourself. Seriously? I can’t take this coolness. I may have to stop reading because of this.
But no, I won’t.
I want a tutu. I will make myself a tutu. soon.
You crack me up! And you’d better not stop reading!!
Ha! That was awesome, love the tutus 😉
That was fantastic ! I bought a hula hoop (eventually tracked one down – Australia is obviously behind the times !) and am not having much luck.
I can now go around about twice before it plummets to the ground like a rock ! But that is 1 1/2 more times than when I started ! I was using it in my tabatas because even though I’m not actually hooping the bending down and picking it up counts !
Woohoo! It gets easier I promise! I love you for trying it!
That video made me grin SO MUCH! We have a weighted hoop in our flat, and they are unbelievable fun, especially watching guys do it (it is definitely easier for women, let’s leave it at that!).
This is SO TRUE! All the men that have tried it have had such a hard time doing it. Which, frankly, it’s about time I found a fitness endeavor that women are naturally better at!
@Terri – where in Australia did you find an adult-sized hula hoop??? Because now I soooooo want one (not to mention a fabulous, fluoro ra-ra skirt to wear while showing off my mad hoopin’ skillz)!
Love it, Charlotte, love how you remind us fitness can be so much fun. 🙂
So glad you liked it! And you can make your own hoop for just a few bucks!! (Heck you could make the fluoro ra-ra skirt too;))
GIRL, you did hooping PROUD!!
Lotsa fun!
You and I are just about the same skill-level of hooping, although I’m not able to do front walk-overs. I’ve never had the nerve to take my hoop to the Y; all of my hooping is done at home on a 4′ x 6′ living room rug, where I have the added challenge of not breaking anything. You inspire me to try to put stuff together into a dance routine, instead of a bunch of individual moves.
Hahaha – true, at least we didn’t have to worry about furniture! Even when I practiced at home I did it on the lawn lol
I too loved the outfits. I like wearing those brighter colors with black in the gym. Why are there so many boring workout outfits anyways?
How in the world did you get all 3 of you to be able to do dance moves with your arms *while* hula-hooping? That’s the part that mind-boggled me.
🙂 Marion
It is my mission in life to bring more fun workout clothing into the world!!!
I personally love hooping. Its fun and if you hold your arms out and twist them while you hoop or do tricep extensions while you hoop there is more burn.
If you ever come out to the Boston area, I will bring you to my hooping class.
That is the best reason I’ve ever heard to visit Boston !!
Loved this experiment! I’ve been thinking about getting into hooping for a while (I’m planning on getting a skip it and some roller skates too in order to orchestrate a series of childhood reminiscent workouts), and this has only strengthened my resolve! I also love the colors and how beautiful the pictures/video are!
That sounds like the best workout ever! Let me know how it goes!!
Ok, that was freaking AWESOME! Love!
that vidio made me giggle. a lot!
ok what is UP with your with your site!?!??! for weeks now it takes me FOEEVAH to scroll down to read and also to comment. it moves in slow freaking motion and just irritates the bejesus out of me.! annoying!!!
Sorry:( It seems to do that for a few people but I have no idea why!! And honestly I’m not sure what to do about it anymore. I swear I have spent SO much time trying to fix this issue! Please don’t stop reading:( I’ll keep working on it.
You guys are having so much fun, I want to be a gym buddy!
We want you to be a gym buddy! YOu are welcome any time:)
Love the video! I don’t think I’ll be taking on hula hooping as a workout any time soon, but it was fun to hear about your experiment.
Fun!! I needed to wear my sunglasses to view this brilliant post, lol!!
Love it! I especially liked the cartwheel into the bridge…very nice!
one of the best culture comments I’ve ever received was (and this is NO lie!)
“aren’t you Italian?”
“yes”
“I feel like you would have bigger hips then…”
“um. WHAT?”
“well, Italians have big families, right?”
“sometimes…”
“well, big hips are good for giving birth!”
(this is when I walked away…)
adults say the darndest things…
Hahah – I guess it could have been worse, they could have said “You must be Italian, you have such big birthing hips!” Adults DO say the darndest things…
A. You are all awesome. Actually, cooler than awesome.
B. I want a tutu
Girl, you NEED a tutu. We all do:)
I absolutely love it! This is fantastical. I propose that all Experiments similarly end with a routine to be taped and posted on YouTube. Foreverafterward.
You guys are awesome.
Yeah, you don’t know what you’re asking for! Believe me, some of our experiments you do NOT want to see live. (Sweat, pee, dry heaving… you get the idea)
Awesome video, Charlotte! I, too, was grinning from watching it.
For those of you looking for adult-sized hula hoops…make your own! I’m not crafty at all and have made a few that work. I haven’t decorated mine to look as awesome as Charlotte’s yet, but they work well and the best part is that you can custom size them for your height! Here’s the link I used to learn how to make mine.
http://www.jasonunbound.com/hoops.html
Happy hooping!
Yep! This was the website I used to make ours – and the one I linked to in our how-to post! Thanks for posting this again, it’s a great resource!!
This was awesome, I can’t even do the cartwheel into the bridge! The outfits are so cute and went great with the music. Love it
Haha thanks. I bet you could do the front walkover though – it’s easier than it looks!
I have to try that one :), I want to start experimenting with hula hoops, I think it would be a great workout!
That. Was. AWESOME!
ZOOOMMGGG how many experiments end with a music video?! And neon tutus???!! You guys have way too much fun. Didn’t anyone ever tell you that going to the gym is Serious Business?
That African guy cracked me up. Maybe y’all are too skinny. Or maybe you’re lucky you don’t live in Africa? 😉
Also, props for the awesome backflip at 1:33!
You and the girls have mad hoop skillz! Loved it!!
I’m so envious! I have a hoop, and can keep going for a long time, but I haven’t been able to do all the different moves (like the inclines, and hooping around the raised arm). I have a book (Cristabel Zamor’s), and try to follow it, but it’s just so tricky, and I get discouraged. How did you figure them all out?
Louisa, try looking for hooping tutorials on YouTube. A lot of the terms of what they’re called are probably in Cristabel’s book, but a lot of people break it down and you can SEE how they do it and it’s really helpful.
I am guessing that MizFit & Tornado are going to be wanting those outfits soon!!! 😉
AMAZING you are!!! I expect to see you on America’s Got Talent soon! You go girls!!!
There was a girl last year at APD camp that was a seasoned hooper!! Her name (so cute) Ginger Hazard!! Check her out on FB!!!!
ps that looked GREAT!! SO FUN!!!
Wonderfully amazing, inspirational, and ya fill my heart with joy! Thank you.
I just started hooping due to your blog and am totally into it. I bought a hoopnotica hoop because I live in Switzerland and the tubing was not so cheap here. Now my daughter started (6) and my son (3) keeps trying but is too little. As soon as we come to the US we are going to make some hoops with the cousins.
I love your blog and can relate to you having kids (well not so many…) I miss all the funny fitness fads from the states. Here the fads come a few years later. Suddenly it is Zumba time here.
Anyway thanks for the great writing.
That was adorable !!!! I did have to watch the video through hidemyass.com though. Youtube has a lot of copyright restrictions and often videos cannot be watched in certain countries. Ever considered using Vimeo or other more democratic video hosts ?
Oh no I didn’t even consider that! I’ll def. use Vimeo next time – thanks for the tip!!
You are seriously hilarious and adorable! You guys did and AWESOME job. I took hulu hoop class and you hook my socks right off girl! I nearly gave myself black eyes trying to get the hoop off my body into my hand and you did it with ease! Woohoo!! 😀
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The video was so awesome! I’m glad you guys stuck with it. Do you think you’ll keep the hoop in your routine? One video I have is the Betty Hoops Cardio hoop which is great for exercising with the hoop. It’s all waist hooping (although once I got tired, I’d stick in a few corkscrews/halos).
I LOVE the tutus!
That video was pretty amazing. Hopefully Web Soup or Tosh.0 gets wind of it.
You made my day! What a fun workout! Seriously considering getting a hoop AND trying a class.
Keep on having fun!
You guys are so cute! That looked like a lot of fun. Love the sunglasses.
Random question: When you started did you find yourself getting bruised?
I bought a water wave hoop (to see if I could handle hooping) and I’m getting really bruised…hmmm….
You know, none of us did get bruised, even when we used the weighted hoops. I’m not sure why (maybe our hips are used to be abused from all the other crap we put them through?) so I’m afraid I don’t have any advice for you. It sounds painful though and I’ve heard quite a few other people say that they bruise too. I’m sorry! Let me know if you figure out any remedy…
Most hoopers actually get bruised up quite a bit in the beginning. Once you start getting the moves down and doing them the right way the bruising stops. I got bruises on my hips at first, on my waist a little, on my hands during hand hooping, on my shoulders when I started shoulder hooping, and especially on my knees and ankles when doing leg hooping and kick starts. Now that I can do those things I don’t bruise any more, but the bruising happens while you’re working on perfecting a move, basically.
Just remember—if something is bruised after a session of practice/jamming, DON’T hoop on that area of the body until it’s healed. It can be bad for you and lead to blood clots if you continuously hoop on a bruise. Once you’re good and bruised, take a break from whatever the move is and work on a move on a different part of the body (ex. if your knees are bruised work on chest hooping, if your waist is bruised work on hand hooping).
Oh, one more thing—arnica gel or cream can help get rid of bruises faster. That’s a tip from Caroleeena. She’s an amazing hooper.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Caroleeena
I love hula hooping. It is so much fun and it is great exercise at the same time.
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I was watching some fire hooping videos on youtube, really intimidating but inspiring! They convinced me to give it a go. Been learning for a few months now, great fun and my kids love it of course. Fits into my day of being a mommy quite well. Really enjoyed your fun video! Love it. 😀
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海瑞ウィンストンプロジェクトZシリーズ初の使用ジルコニウム合金（ZaliumTM）材質と海瑞ウィンストンの前衛の作。ジルコニウム合金（ZaliumTM）よりももっともっと軽いチタン合金、強靭、優れた特徴は腐食を防ぐ。IWC時計コピーこのジルコニウム合金材料を基礎としてのブランドの独占特許は、完璧な解釈海瑞ウィンストンの座右の銘：「ただ抜群」。堅な鎧のようなグレーつや消し外観令この時計配布特別できらびやかな運動の風格。 http://www.bestevance.com/rolex/king/index.htm
財布のコピー 時間を発表しますとても長くてとても長い前、人類はすべて更に赤く双足は歩いています。1人の国王はある辺鄙で遠い田舎の旅行に着いて、路面がでこぼこなため、とても多くてばらばらな石があって、刺すのは彼の足を得ます痛くてしびれます。王宮に帰った後に、彼はおりていっしょに命令して、国内のすべての道はすべて一層のほらに敷きます。彼はこのようにすると思って、自分になって、また彼の人民に幸福をもたらすことができて、みんなを歩かせます時もう受けて痛い苦しみを刺しません。たとえしかし最も国内のすべての牛を殺しますとしても、十分な皮革をも調達しきれないで、費やした金銭、使用する人力、更にはかりしれません。まったくできないが、甚だしきに至ってはまたかなり愚かで、しかし国王の命令なため、みんなも頭を振ってため息をつくことしかできません。1人の聡明な召使いは大胆に国王に提案を出しています：「国王！どうしてあなたは大勢の人を動員して、そんなに多い牛に命を捧げて、そんなに多い金銭を費やしますか？あなたは何は両の小さいほらであなたの足をしっかり包むだけではありませんか？」国王が聞いたのはとても驚いて、しかしもすぐ悟って、そこですぐに命令を取り消して、この提案を新たに採用します。聞くところによると、これは「革靴」の由来です。世界を変えたくて、難しいです；自分を変えて、比較的容易です。全世界を変えるよりも、先に自分の–「自分の双足を包みます」を変えるほうがいいです。自分のいくつかの観念と方法を変えて、外来の侵略を防ぎ止めますで。自分で変えた後に、目の中の世界の自然はすぐ引き続き変えました。 http://www.ooobag.com/watch/jacob/250a3b28b490109c.html
フランス語で「舷窓」を意味するブランド名通り、ウブロスーパーコピーはビス留めのベゼルをシンボルとする時計界の風雲児的なブランドです。1980年創業の新しいブランドで、デビュー早々ゴールドケースにラバーストラップを組み合わせるという当時としては”常識破り”の「スポーツ1520」を発表し、一大センセーションを巻き起こしました。その最初の顧客が軍事クーデターで国を追われた元ギリシャ国王コンスタティノス２世であったことも、伝説的な語り草です。キッチュとも言える組み合わせの妙は、正当的な高級時計に飽きた王族などの上流階級に大人気となり、ウブロ時計コピーは”王の時計”とも呼ばれました。 フュージョン＝融合をコンセプトとするウブロは、その後も伝統的な時計作りと革新的な発送を融合させて”常識破り”のウォッチを発表し続けています。ゴールドとラバーの組み合わせが他社に追随されると、今度はタンタリウムのケースにチタンのビス、タングステンの自動巻ローターといった仕掛けを施し、さらには文字盤も目盛りも針も真っ黒という「オールブラック」モデルで意表をつくなど、常にスーパーコピー腕時計の世界に新風を吹き込んでいます。 http://www.gowatchs.com/brand-214.html
42ミリメートルワイドケース（100メートルまで耐水性）黒コーティングによる鋼の中にある。私はそれを信じてdlcです、しかし、ブライトリングのないdlcに具体的に言及する。事例ベースの治療は、「高度耐性炭素が、彼らは単に状態。」……。別名dlcですか？ケース・ベントリーのための署名のブライトリングの角の側面と「closデュパリ」と刻まれているベゼルに見えることがあります。これにより抑制された大きさにおいて、私はそれがよりよく見えると思います。 カルティエ偽物 腕時計に取り付けられた黒いゴムひもです。考えてみると私は理由を知りませんが、両方の条件を見て「カーボン」と「ミッドナイト」のタイトルである。二人とも何か暗いか黒いを意味するのにしばしば使われます。おそらく、彼らはちょうど部分を特定するのを助ける1つの学期で動けない可能性があります。 http://www.brandiwc.com/brand-36-copy-0.html
かつて多くのハリウッド映画で450露出の漢ミルトンを「スター」に提供した二の腕時計を越えて、主人公のクーパー（Matthew McConaughey飾）着用は漢ミルトンカーキパイロット双暦腕時計、腕時計の採用丈夫個性のパイロットの設計、ジェーン潔腕利きの外観、42mmサイズの文字盤を添えて目立つ飛行スタイル指針を搭載し、自動的に機械ムーブメント、この項の腕時計の開拓精神を見事に符合する主人公のパイオニア精神。 http://www.bagkakaku.com/vuitton_bag/2/N41542.html
具体的には、業界、私たちも観察して西部地域に贅沢な表の検索の伸びが目立つ。特に、ブランドの認知度で最も急速に成長し、毎年8 . 4％のスピードで増加（比べ東部地区は4 . 8％）。確かに、数年前まで通り上海や北京など大都市東部のように、贅沢なブランドに殺到して西部間近表。 http://www.bestevance.com/rolex/gmt/index.htm