The bigger the hoop the easier to get those on-body moves. Waist hooping is the best feeling ever. If you’re a complete beginner a general rule of thumb is to measure the distance from your bellybutton to the floor and choose a hoop a little bigger than that. If you are above or below the average dress size add or subtract a couple of inches accordingly! The bigger the hoop the slower the rotation giving you and your body time to adjust to the movement. Hoop both directions, your body will thank you.

The difference is weight. The heavier 25mm hoops will be easier to get on-body moves, but if you’re slender built or want to do mostly off-body dancing you might prefer a lighter 20mm hoop. The 20mm hoops are also popular with those that have been hooping a while but want a bit more weight than the ultra-light polypro. Of course flexibility is also affected, comparing two hoops the same size but difference thickness, the 20mm hoop will always be more flexible.

The more tape on a hoop the heavier it will be. The biggest difference is GRIP: Smooth shiny tape will slide right off most fabrics. Duct tape is textured so is a little grippier. Gaffer tape is the grippiest which is why we recommend it on all our beginner hoops and add a little of it round the inside of all our shiny hoops.

Natural fabrics like cotton give the most grip with a hoop, but nothing beats bare skin for grip. If you’re trying to learn knee hooping, shorts make a MASSIVE difference. Same with shoulder hoop in a vest top, foot hooping in bare feet. However anyone trying to learn foot starts, get yourself some thick socks or legwarmers on and your ankles will thank you!

Hooping does not come easy to most of us! It really is just practice and perserverance but when you get it once it feels great and will get easier and easier until you don’t even need to think about it! Here are the 5 tips I would give to anyone I teach to hoop for the first time:

1. Start with the hoop tight against your lower back

2. Knees gently bent with one foot a little in front, ready to rock your weight back and forth
3. Wind your hoop up ready
4. Spin the hoop as fast and flat as you can and don’t stop rocking!
5. If you feel the hoop dropping lower on your hips, dip your knees and wiggle faster to get it back up

These are my tips for people struggling at first, but there is no right or wrong way to hula hoop – if you spin a hoop and it works for you, then it’s right

Bruising is very common in hooping and especially with the heavier hoops. Every new move can bring it’s own bruise but they don’t last long and normally don’t come back again. If you are worried at all about a particular bruise or the potential for bruising please don’t hesitate to consult your medical practitioner.