Recently, a very close friend of mine recited to me the cliché, "To know me is to love me!"  It all starts from within...I say within the hoop!

Last December I displayed 150 of my hoop designs at a holiday event with the intention of getting a general idea of what people wanted.  Every hoop had it's own personality.  The designs on some were similar but the color combinations ranged from spectrums of rainbow, primary, opposite, monochromatic, jewel tone, and fluorescent.  From a marketing point of view, it was impossible to predict exactly what each potential buyer would choose as their coveted hoop.  As I saw the faces of children, tweens, teens, college students, 30-somethings, 40-is-the-new-30-somethings, babyboomers, and seniors all gawk like 'kids-in-a-candy-store'...it all became quite clear.

Everyone wanted a hoop that complimented their own character.  The selections were so random, that even a marketing genius wouldn't have been able to decipher which designs were the most popular.  'Hoop designs' morphed into 'designer hoops' and naturally, what came next, were Seasonal Collections with Series and custom hooper names, such as 'Mike's Addiction'...

http://www.wesellhoops.com/gallery/hoop-designs/spring-collection-2010/jazz-fest-series/p1000460.jpg.php

About a month ago, we hosted a Hoop Heroes birthday party for the cutest little 7 year old twin girls.  Each one of the 20 little guests had to choose from an assortment of 24 designer hoops to use as their 'fun hoop' for the duration of the party.  Within seconds, each child knew exactly which design they wanted and interestingly enough, their choices reflected their personality and coordinated with their partywear!

http://www.wesellhoops.com/gallery/new-album/kate-amp-graces-rockin-hoop-heroes-party/

Professsional Hoop Love...

Now, not everyone relies on just fashion as the inspiration for their choices.  Functionality plays an important 'roll' in determining style as well.  Let's take a look at 'hoop love' of the Pros...

2010 Hoopie Nominee, Tiana Zoumer aka "Wantonmara" on YouTube.  Mission Viejo, California:

Known to practice with a ½" x 100psi 32" diameter, plain black hoop; sanded and experiments with mini-hoops as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujTSrqOFTow&feature=channel

2010 Hoopie Winner for Best Video, Sandra "SaFire" Sommerville, Alberta:

Can hardly contain her excitement... like a child on Christmas morning, she rips open her first box of psihoops LEDs.

Known to practice with every size imaginable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkLhiW-Z3tI&feature=player_embedded#!

2008 Hoopie Winner for Instructor of the Year and 3 time Nominee for Male Hooper of the Year, Jon Baxter, Carrboro, NC:

Known to practice with basic black hoops that he makes himself, and at times, we have seen him sport a white or silver solid color hoop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOr44yCCl4w&feature=related

Check out our Hoop Designs on our 'hoop gallery' and let us know hoo you love...

http://www.wesellhoops.com/gallery/

Recently a friend confessed to me in a text, that he was hooked on hooping.  Immediately I suggested that he get himself a sponser and get his ass to a meeting before it consumed his life and set him off on a 'whirl' wind of delusional ideas of joining the circus.  Addiction can manifest in many shapes and forms, and this one happens to be that of circular ring.  Does the word circus actually derive from the word circular, or is it the other way around?  In any case, I need to keep my friend from becoming a 'Ring Leader' for Ringling Barnun & Bailey by teaching him how to become more centered in his hoop.

The Twelve Steps of Helping Hooked Hoopers:

Step 1.   I promise to get him connected to people who have also experienced the 'high of hooping.'

Step 2.   I promise to find a local hoop meeting he can attend, before he becomes a 'closet hooper.'

Step 3.   I promise to check in, regularly, with him to make sure he hasn't torched his house with a poi stick.

Step 4.   I promise to confirm that he is not being tempted by enablers, to call out sick from work to practice new techniques.

Step 5.   I promise to help him monitor his finances so the he doesn't dissolve the mortgage payment on a collection of the latest LED hoops.

Step 6.   I promise to guide him in not blowing his family vacation fund on a midlife Burning Man retreat.

Step 7.   I promise to keep him away from furry boots.

Step 8.   I promise to keep him from stealing the neighborhood kid's Whamo® hoops for a 'quick fix.'

Step 9.   I promise to teach him how to recognize his limitations and to keep it real.

Step 10. I promise to keep him from hogging the studio at the gym.

Step 11. I promise to keep him away from creating and posting kuky videos on YouTube.

Step 12. I promise to keep him from becoming a hoop snob.

"Everything in moderation" I tell Mike.  We are not all destined to be the main act in Cirque du Soleil, but if you are experiencing a weak moment and you want to wear furry boots, I may just let it slide this time.

Are you feeling blue?  Maybe it's time you picked up a hoop!

As a newbie to the concept of hula hooping, you may be quick to say, "What??? Are you crazy?  I couldn't even do it as a kid!"  Then I say, "If I had a penny for every time I heard that at an event!"  But, inevitably, you pick up the hoop after a little prodding and VOILA!  Not as hard as you thought!  And actually quite fun...because I can see you grinning from ear to ear, as you are in disbelief that you are hooping in public at the ripe age of 40!  The inhibitions just melt away and now you can't stop...you're groovin' to the music and telling your friends to try it.  The Winter blues turn to Spring time green and you are ready to go!

But wait---you are having fun and you are exercising; it that possible?  YES!  And read why...

The many benefits of hooping:

As a fitness workout...

• strengthens core muscles, supporting overall physical performance
• increases coordination and balance in movement
• improves cardiovascular endurance

Christabel Zamor's book on hooping is one of the first of it's kind and it is a great introduction to the hooping culture.  Her book describes the "physical transformations" of thousands of her students and goes on to include quotes from Dr. Jan Schroeder, a lead consultant to IDEA.  I recommend purchasing the edition that includes a 50- minute instructional DVD, if you are a beginner.

Hooping:  a revolutionary fitness program to get fit, feel sexy and have fun by Christabel Zamor with Ariane Conrad.

As a holistic exercise...­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

• promotes creative, free form of expression
• inspires meditation while becoming centered inside the hoop
• provides a comforting sensation as the hoop rolls around the body

Jonathon Baxter, Instructor for the HoopPath, focuses on a unique way of sharing his experiences with his own hoop practice.  The Web site goes on to explain the purpose of the retreats that he hosts, "The HoopPath approaches hoopdance as a gateway Within, an engagement with authentic movement that can strengthen and enrich the spirit as much as the physical body."   http://www.hooppath.com/cms/

As a social community...

• brings people together as a cooperative spirit
• families can practice hooping together as a 'family fun night'
• encourages group participation in fundraising hoop-a-thons

Below are excerpts from a great article that touches on the importance of family and community.

New Haven Register, Parade 1/10/09  Live Well With What You Have, by Lynn Schnumberger

http://www.parade.com/news/2010/01/10-live-well-with-what-you-have.html

"...notes Stephen G. Post, director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics at Stony Brook University in New York, happiness scales in the U.S. were higher during the Great Depression than they were 10 years ago.  Today, many families have been surprised by the dividends of a simplified lifestyle."

...Schnumberger states, "Indeed, the ability to be grateful for the beauty of nature or the closeness of our families-what Stony Brook's Post calls "thankful simplicity"-is what gives our lives meaning.  And when we shift our attention away from ourselves to others, we can actually change our biology.  Studies show that people involved in "giving behaviors" produce chemicals in their bodies that result in greater tranquility, joy, and trust-even a diminishing of chronic aches and pains."

Hello World!  Welcome to our hoop blog.  Before I invite you to join our hooping community, I must take the time to express my gratitude to everyone that helped and supported the development of  we sell hoops LLC. 

Firstly, to my family, hoop crew, and advisory board for all their volunteer hours dedicated to promoting our company and for believing in our cause...especially to Darren for carrying out my vision and designing such a colorful and creative site that we can build on.  To Ann, Trish, Lisa, Chloe, Liam, Madison, Ernie Sr., and Penny for the numerous hours of hoop hauling and hoop patrol.  To Clare, Brian, and Quinn for their event hooping and creative input, and to Dana, Kim, Ernie Jr., Dean, and Mitch for their support.  To Sharon Johnson and Mike Piazza for their continuous stream of creative emails and their encouraging words of support and enthusiasm throughout the startup phase, and to Rich Lindy for his campaign efforts.

Secondly, to all who were integral in creating a foundation that grew from a list of conceptual ideas, I thank you for your interest, your time, your kind suggestions, and your generosity of spirit!  And I thank all the people that have invited us to participate in their events!  To the people at the New Haven SCORE Chapter 66, Richard Lutz and Patrick Thibadeau;  Pattishall McAuliffe, Jonathan Jennings and Ian Block;  Caterbone Insurance Agency; Michael J. Caterbone;  Liquid Lunch Restaurant, Fred and Michele Bialek, Owners;  The Orange Country Fair;  The Get In Touch Foundation, Mary Ann Wasil Nilan, Founder;  Milford Living Magazine, Suzanne Manning, President;  The Dance Studio of Milford, Nora Kwochka, Director;  Bodies Place, Lisa Vaccino, President;  The Hand Made Toy Alliance, Jill Chuckas, Secretary;  Modern Plastics, David Altieri, V.P. Sales & Marketing;  Lauralton Hall, Julie Kinsella, External Relations Coordinator; The Milford Recreation Department, Paul Piscitelli and Bill Garfield;  Mill Hill Elementary PTA;  and St. Baldricks – TeamBrent, The McCreesh Family. 

Thirdly and most importantly, thank you to everyone that owns one of our hoops, has hooped with us at an event, has become a fan on our Facebook page, or has taken a class and joined our Hoop Heroes club.

Now let’s keep it goin’!

Mary-Beth Oliver

Founder