Hula Hoops

In my infinite boredom--which is not to say I'm never busy, just that I'm almost always bored--I'm frequently trying out new hobbies in an attempt to keep the mundane at bay. 

As a result, I have certifications in various things (first responder/AD/CPR, beer brewing, real estate sales), as well as extensive experience in several others (paper-crafting, bookkeeping, the culinary arts).  This partly if not wholly explains my choice 8 years ago to launch Personal Touch, my personal assistance, concierge and errands service; it's the job that never gets tedious.

My infinite boredom is particularly problematic with exercise because a) I hate it, and 2) it's super boring.  I've belonged to gyms (still in the legal process of getting back that $2K Life Time Fitness owes me), bought dance DVDs, everything.  So far the only things I actually enjoy doing are playing kickball, playing badminton, and nighttime bike rides.  Good for perfect weather, but one cannot do all three all year round here.

So my next venture into amusing workout territory is hula hooping.  I've been seeing it peripherally the last couple of years, like at random social events and even in METRO Magazine.  If you can get past the hippie, jam band fan aspect of it, it actually doesn't look too bad.  You do break a sweat and, once you get the hang of the rhythm, you can manage to move around and essentially dance to any music you like.

So I spent five minutes Googling how to make a hula hoop, then bought the supplies.  Home Depot doesn't carry the heavier weight irrigation tubing required (160 PSI), so I drove to Lowe's in Anoka for it.  Electrical tape is easy to find and comes in every color of the rainbow.  Gaffing tape is recommended but I didn't know where to look, so a friend suggested hockey tape, which works just fine.

Hoop assembly was slow going, but I'm getting better at it.  (Since irrigation tubing comes in 100-feet rolls, I'm making a handful of these things and giving them away- no sense in wasting it.)  I've made three black, purple and orange hoops in the last week, one of which is for Coco.  They're not stunning, but they could've turned out a lot worse:

Hula hooping after 20 years off was surprisingly easy; I got rhythm on my first try. The trick is to make a grown-up size hoop, not buy the kiddie version at K-Mart.  The 160 PSI tubing has the right weight, and the hoop height is supposed to be between your navel and the base of your sternum.  Sternum height is recommended for beginners, which I definitely am.

Comments

[Max "Bunny" Sparber]

I say they ARE stunning.

[Coco]

I can't wait to use it, Alexis! Thank you! I'm pretty excited to use it while listening to some good dance music. Maybe I'll spice it up with a cocktail dress and cocktail when I get really good at doing the hula hoop.

[Bexley]

Gaffer's tape:

Lights On Minneapolis
61 Bedford Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414 - 3553

Cinequipt
2601 49th Ave N. Suite 500
Minneapolis, MN 55430

There was also a place closer to you called Lighthouse, at 816 SE 9th St. (close to Central and Hennepin) but they don't seem to have a website. I know they changed their name a few years back (they might have even become Cinequipt), but I'm not sure if they're still there. (And if you try Cinequipt, call first, as I'm not 100% certain that they have it there.)

[Kristen]

Fun!!

[Marchelle]

WANT. Will pay!

[Dave]

I threw my back out just thinking hula hooping.

[Girl Detective]

I know it's not complicated, but Neti Neti has good yoga classes right on Central next to the Eastside Food Coop, and the teachers are really nice.

[toobeaut]

Meanwhile, in New Zealand:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7522952.stm
Judge orders name change for a nine-year-old girl who had been named "Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii."

[Mundane]

Gorgeous hoops. Have you played in the badminton and kickball leagues through Minneapolis Park and Rec?

[MOM]

Wow - those are great! I couldn't believe I got it to spin around me after all these years...

[Jessica Bessette]

hi!

a friend directed me here. I make and sell collapsible hoops, and I teach hoop classes around the twin cities! (that was me in Metro mag) I'd love to give you a lesson sometime. :) I'm not a fan of exercise, either, but hooping is super-fun and addicting. :) Glad you found it, too.

--Jessica
harmonyhoops.com

[Sarah]

Any hoops left? Just found your blog when searching for hula hooping in the cities - I've already favorited your site!

[Alexis]

They're a cinch to make! Or you can buy hoops and collapsible hoops from Jessica Bessette, above.