If the hoop keeps falling
- If it keeps hitting the floor, try a larger hoop.
- To save a sinking hoop, push and shimmy much faster than usual.
- Bend your knees to get under the hoop and keep your shoulders back.
If the hoop tilts to one side
- Stand up straight. Leaning is the usual cause.
- Ease off the push on the heavy side.
- Still tilting? Swap your feet, so the back foot goes in front.
What to wear
Wear clothes that let the hoop grip your body and let you move freely. Cotton, linen, hemp and other natural fibers cling to the hoop better than synthetic ones.
- Try a short sleeve shirt for shoulder contact, or a midriff top or shorts for skin contact.
- Stretch pants, ideally in natural fiber, work well.
- Skip slippery synthetics, belts, jackets and full pockets.
Shoes, jewelry and hair
- Many people hoop barefoot on sand or grass, or in socks on wooden floors.
- For more protection, choose lightweight, stretchy shoes. Rubber soles can inhibit flowing turns.
- Shoulder hooping: a short, flat necklace is safer than a long or hard pendant.
- Hand moves: big, bulky rings get in the way.
- Head and neck moves: skip large dangle earrings.
- Ducking in and out: clips and high ponytails can catch the hoop.
Where to practice
Hoop where you have room to swing your arms: a large room, a yard or a park.
Grass, carpet and smooth floors are gentle on a hoop. Concrete and asphalt wear the tape down fast. In a small room, a plainly taped hoop is less likely to scuff the walls.
Classes, online tutorials and hoop gatherings are all good ways to learn from other people.