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How to Make a Big Hula Hoop

If you frequent outdoor music festivals, you're probably aware of the growing popularity of hooping, a fun and stylish way of dancing with a hula hoop. According to Hooping.org, hooping is easier to learn than it may appear because the big, weighty hula hoops used are easier to keep moving and they rotate more slowly, giving you plenty of time to do neat tricks. Whether you're interested in hooping or you simply want an easy-to-use hula hoop for your exercise routine, making a big hula hoop is relatively simple and inexpensive.

Things You'll Need

100 to 160 psi irrigation poly tubing
Insert connector
Ratcheting PVC pipe cutter
Medium bowl of hot water or hairdryer
Multicolor or specialty tape
Dried beans or sand, optional

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the type of pipe you want to use, depending on how heavy you want your hula hoop to be. Ask at local hardware and gardening stores about poly tubing for irrigation. According to JasonUnbound.com's hula hoop tutorial, people wanting a heavier hoop prefer 160 psi, or pounds per square inch, tubing between ¾- and 1-inch in diameter. Ask for 100 psi tubing for a lighter hoop. Purchase insert connectors equal in diameter to the tubing you choose.
- 2
  Cut the tubing to whatever length you like with a PVC pipe cutter. The ends of the tube will butt up against each other, so you don't need to add any length allowance for the connection. Making a circle of the tubing and resting it on the floor is a good way to measure your hoop for size. Make sure your hoop is just below chest high, suggests Education.com, for a big hula hoop that is easy to use.
- 3
  Warm each end of the cut tube with a bowl of hot water or a hair dryer. Immediately insert the connector into one end of the tube and curl the other end of the tube around to attach on the opposite side of the connector. Push the ends together until the connector is inside the tube and the tube ends are against each other. According to JasonUnbound, the heated pipe will contract over the connector as the ends cool.
- 4
  Decorate your big hula hoop. Stripes of multicolored electrical tape are a common decorating choice. Use glitter specialty tape to add some decorative sparkle, suggests Education.com.

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