Hobbies And Interests
History
Hula hoops have been around since ancient times. The ancient Greeks used hula hoops for exercising, and Native Americans used the hoops as targets in hunting practice. As far back as 1000 B.C., Egyptian children played with hula hoops made from dried and bent grapevines. In the 14th century, hooping became popular among adults and children alike in Great Britain. When British sailors traveled to Hawaii in the 1800s, they saw hula dancers with hoops and so developed the phrase "hula hoop."
Time Frame
In the mid 1950s, Australian toy companies began manufacturing hula hoops made from bamboo and plastic. In 1957, two Americans, Richard Knerr and Arthur "Spud" Melin, founders of the Wham-O toy company, started making plastic hula hoops, which they released to the public the following year. Wham-O sold more than 25 million hula hoops in the first four months they were made available.
Function
Hula hoops can be swung around the waist, legs or arms, or can be rolled with one's hands or a stick. Exercise equipment companies market hoops and hooping as a fitness method, and toy manufacturers continue to make hoops from bamboo, wood, metal and plastic tubing. Hula hoops are popular at festivals and in parades, and are also used by comedians, clowns and other stage performers as parts of humorous or visually impressive skits.
Benefits
Hula hooping has a number of physical benefits, including burning calories, toning muscles, increasing core strength and producing endorphins. Hooping also improves a person's balance, flexibility, hand-eye coordination and rhythm. For some people, hooping also has mental benefits; the act can be relaxing, energizing, focusing and uplifting.
Expert Insight
Hula hoop beginners will find it easier to learn using a larger hoop, because larger hoops give a person more time to coordinate her movements. As her skills advance, she can move toward using smaller hoops. To determine an appropriate hula hoop size for learning, stand up straight and measure the distance from the ground to the point between one's "belly button" and chest. This measurement indicates the appropriate width for a hula hoop to begin practicing with.