How to Hula Hoop for Beginners: Lift up from Waist to Lasso Above head

[JessicaJizzle]

I have a 42 inch hoop. I have been practicing, and Im able to grab the hoop and lift up, but Im having trouble doing the lasso part. Any tips in making it easier? Also, i tried spinning while doing it, and im still having troubles haha.

[Rainwhiskerr]

@hoopsmiles I haven't! I was told 40 inches was quite large. I will look into a larger hoop. Thank you! :3

[hoopsmiles]

If you have a question about performing this trick and seek help. Post a video response to this video of you performing the trick or send me a video link of yourself attempting this trick. If I cant see you do the trick in person, video footage of the trick is the next best thing. I find it difficult to help someone if I can't see what you are doing.

[FoxyTreeHugger]

Is there any way we could get this song from you? I love it.

[hoopsmiles]

@FoxyTreeHugger Let me think about that. I'm glad you like the song. Thanks. This song was born during an era of my music making when I was obsessed with taking sounds I recorded indoors and outdoors, such as the bird sounds in the song, and incorperating them in my beats. If you hear the sound of an owl in the song, that is really an owl that I recorded one night outside where I was living at the time, which is one of my most favorite sounds I've ever recorded.

[mizzfitroses]

is he standing in front of a green screen? for some reason the area around where is standing looks off.

[hoopsmiles]

@mizzfitroses I just looked at the video again, and I could get that the backdrop does look a little off. No I didn't do this on a green screen. It might have something to do with my cheaper camera I was using at the time.

[Heifzilla]

How many times did you whack yourself in the head when you started to try this lift? Becuse I think I have a concussion now :) Also, I have a really big, really heavy hoop. I know people do these tricks with these larger hoops, but is it better to have a smaller, lighter hoop?

[Heifzilla]

@Heifzilla I guess you actually answered my question in the video. I just think that my hoop is so heavy that it ends up torquing my wrists and then I lose control of it.

[Rainwhiskerr]

Could I ask for help? Two issues. 1) The hoop turns vertically and forces my head into my arm- like at 1:02, but over my head. I get to the part where I'm supposed to lift straight up, but the hoop is already too far. 2) I can sometimes get the hoop horizontally over my head, but I can't seem to transfer it to lasso. Like, it'll be in my hand, but my hand is not in a position to be able to keep it going. I can do this going downwards, however. My hoop is 3/4" thick and 40 inches in diameter.

[hoopsmiles]

@Rainwhiskerr yes you may ask for help. Well without being able to see footage of you hooping, have you ever tried this trick with a larger hoop, like 50 to 60 inches in diameter? If not, I recommend trying a larger diameter hoop. If that is easier, as you get better, you can move back to your 40 inch hoop

[Hellohoopster]

Awesome tutorials. My favorite out of what I've seen. I'm learning Alot from you... Thank you!! Is there anyway u can post an isolation tutorial??

[Mrstookie101]

Very detailed instructions.

[metallicbluenails]

yayyy i got it! almost broke the ceiling fan but hey its cool

[HelloKittyCece]

This was great for me to practice with, thanks with the helpful detailed instructions!

[UncannyVal]

Thanks so much for this video! Most teachers focus a lot on putting the hand on the small of the back to grap the hoop, and they just tell you to lift it up as if it was obvious. This is the only tutorial I've seen on the lift-up that shows clearly what happens with the hand right at the top of the move. :)

[tanz0holic]

Hi.. thanks for posting a slow-motion video. it's really helpful. :) but i'm not getting one thing- as soon as i grab the loop and pull it up, it becomes vertical and hence unable to spin. it's not at all horizontal like i see in the videos. what am i doing wrong?!

[hoopsmiles]

@tanz0holic What is the diameter size of your hoop?

[hoopsmiles]

@tanz0holic What is the diameter size of your hoop?

[tanz0holic]

@hoopsmiles it's about 26 inches.

[hoopsmiles]

@tanz0holic I recomend using a hoop with a much wider diameter, such as a 40 inch diameter hoop. That should make the lift up much easier. Sometimes with my students, if that doesn't work, I have a giant hoop that's 5 feet in diameter for people to do this trick. Wider hoops are a lot easier to do this trick with. A 26 inch hoop is actually a very advanced sized hoop.

[tanz0holic]

@hoopsmiles I've kinda got it, but need more practice for it to work smoothly :) but I do have problem doing other tricks probably because my hoop is of a smaller diameter.

Thanks for your suggestion! I'll get another hoop now :D

[SuperMaltaman]

ah ok i was dragging not lifting...2 more attempts and I got it!!! HORRAY!!! No morw bruises...for now :-) Now to get in back on the waist,

Thanks Jon!!!

[SuperMaltaman]

Hi Jon!

I love your tutorials, they break things down nice and simply...

On the part where I am leading with my elbow, before lifting straight up, my hoop flips down and hits my leg :-/ what could I be doing wrong?

[KissynnU]

Very helpful! Thank you! :)

[soveery]

@DMSgirlJENNIFER: You're kidding, rite?

You might be too young to remember defense tackle and NFL champion Roosevelt Grier, one of the "Fearsome Foursome" for the LA Rams. Shortly after he retired from football, he wrote a couple of needlepoint books. So freakin' cool.

Raise your consciousness, girl! And THANK YOU, hoopsmiles! This tutorial is way better than Christabel's.

[DMSgirlJENNIFER]

why is a guy doing this ? just curious

[hoopsmiles]

@DMSgirlJENNIFER Why not?

[DMSgirlJENNIFER]

@hoopsmiles just curious

[ashleyastroxxxo]

@DMSgirlJENNIFER I see lots of talented guys who hoop. It's not just a girl art -_-

[DMSgirlJENNIFER]

@ashleyastroxxxo ive never seen anyguy

[brwneydgirl70]

I can kinda do it. I keep hitting my self in the head though :/

[Cyndark1]

I am having such a hard time with this! You make it look so easy I just can't get it

[chlosepher]

the key trick i learned here is bringing the elbow up first to guide the hoop - otherwise it flops and can be really frustrating. thanks so much, i'm learning so much now =)

[bl0odymary85]

Oh man, I swear, my arm just doesn't wanna bend that way lol, I can't seem to wrap my mind around lifting it. I'm trying to control my wrist to go the way you said but I dunno, can't seem to do it! Will have to save this video for later..:)).

[RoamingDutch]

I can do it! I've been struggling for weeks, but as pharmycat said, after seeing your slow motion and close ups I nailed it in 3 minutes. Eager to have a look at your other tutorials. Thanks! :)

[xomcknightxo]

hi thanks for giving details on the hand transition thats the hardest i still havnt mastered it but that part was deffinatley challenging. Your tutrial is the best ive seen. Im using a water weighted hoop does that make a difference?

[hoopsmiles]

@xomcknightxo Yes, hoops with weights that move around inside the hoop can throw off the balance of the hoop, which may make a difference in performing this trick. However, the difference might not be as significant for this trick as it is for others.

[wayfare1]

Thank you so much - this is the best tutorial I've seen on this trick!!!

[ontologica]

that still looks amazing in slow motion

[Saletski]

I just started hooping on Saturday, and I've looked at several tutorials to try to learn the vortex. I just did it for the first time, thanks to Jon!

[lmichele42]

Best tutorial ever! Now thanks to Jon I can do this! Not that graceful still, but better then before.

[alalalana]

you are the BEST! thank you so much. GOT IT :)))))))) so stoked! thank you thank you thank you

[victoria989]

hands down, best tutorial i've seen!

[jancamp]

and it will be in the next hooping book... Thanks Jon!

[2sick2pray]

Ducking! Brilliant! This move was frustrating me so much until I tried that. Now I don't have to duck anymore, but ducking at first somehow made me understand the movement needed. Thank you so much. =)

[highonhealth]

Wow I agree too, definitely the best tutorial I've seen, thanks you're awesome!

[669656]

I agree.... this is the BEST tutorial yet!  Now I know I'm doing it right. I'm just not very graceful at it but I'm getting better.

[Indrina]

This is definitely the best tutorial for this move! Great slow down effects too. Very useful :D

[scaasi]

Ah HAH! Thank you!!!!!!

[pharmycat]

Jon, this is the best tutorial that I have found on this move! I have been having a hard time with this, but I think that with the help of this tutorial, I may have it! Thanks so much for the slow motion and the close ups to where your hand positioning should be!! I love all of your tutorials, and hope to see many more! THANK YOU!!!

[hoopsmiles]

@pharmycat

Thank you so much for the feed back!! I'm glad I could help. Yeah that lift up into lasso can be challenging at first. It's very rewarding to know this video made a difference for you. When I watch tutorials sometimes I think, I wish I could see that in slow motion. I'm glad the slow motion is helpful. Feel free to continue telling me about your hooping experiecne. I would love to hear!!