How To: Hula-Hoop

Hula-hooping isn't just for kids. It's a fun and exciting way to stay in shape.
You Will Need
* Athletic clothing
* A hula-hoop
* Ample room
* Upbeat music (optional)

Step 1: Wear athletic clothes
Wear form-fitting athletic clothing. Baggy or loose clothing may slow the hula hoop's rotation.

Step 2: Get it going
With one foot in front of you, place the hoop against your back at waist height, wind it back, and then push it firmly counter-clockwise.

Choose a hoop whose diameter reaches from the ground to between your waist and mid-chest. Larger hoops rotate more slowly and are easier for beginners.

Step 3: Push and shift
Push your stomach forward with a pumping motion as the hoop rolls across your stomach and back as it moves across your back. Shift your weight between your front and back legs.

Step 4: Find your direction
Spin the hoop in the opposite direction to find which direction feels natural. Right-handed people usually prefer rotating the hoop counter-clockwise, while lefties prefer clockwise.

Step 5: Speed up and slow down
Shift your weight between your feet more quickly or pump your torso faster back and forth to increase rotation speed.

Use a heavier, weighted hoop for a more intense workout and a smaller, lighter hoop for doing tricks.

Step 6: Turn your body
Slowly turn your body in the direction that the hoop is spinning, taking small steps as the hoop hits your back.

Join a hoop-dancing class to increase your hooping skills and to interact with fellow hoopers.

Step 7: Booty bump
Experiment with tricks like the booty bump: slow the rotation of the hoop until it rolls down just below your hips, then speed up to keep the hoop rotating there.

Fact: The Hula-Hoop was introduced in 1958 and took the nation by storm with an estimated 100 million hoops sold in four months.