I Started Hula Hooping 17 Years Ago – Here's What I Wish I Knew

💣 Are you using the right size of hula hoop for you to achieve your goals?

💣 There are Different styles of hula hooping because they help towards DIFFERENT GOALS

💣 Problem Moves: there is a very good reason why you struggle with some hoop tricks!

Seventeen years ago, I was overweight, unfit, and completely uncoordinated. I had no background in sports or fitness, and absolutely zero idea what I was doing. But I picked up a hula hoop—and I kept going.

In those 17 years, hula hooping didn't just help me lose fat and gain lean muscle. It taught me how to break down tension, boost flexibility, move with grace and power, and most importantly, feel more confident and joyful in my own body. I didn’t just learn hula hoop tricks—I learned about my body, my potential, and the kind of life I wanted to live.

If you're feeling how I felt—clueless, confused, overwhelmed—you are in the right place. I want to share with you everything I wish someone had told me when I started hooping.

Back Then, Life Was Chaotic

When I started hooping, I was studying osteopathy in London, commuting for hours, and working two jobs just to survive. I wasn’t inactive because I was lazy—I simply had no time. But I also knew I couldn’t afford to ignore my health.

So if you feel like you have no time to waste, this post is especially for you.

Tip #1: Get the Right Hula Hoop

Before I got my first proper adult-sized hula hoop, I tried toy shop hoops that never stayed up. That experience made me believe I just couldn't do it. Like if I was disabled for life: "UNABLE TO HULA HOOP".

To make things worse, I had internalized this idea that some things were just “too expensive” for me. So even when I found a proper hula hoop online, I told myself I didn’t deserve to spend money on it.

But here's what changed my mind: people spend £50 every few weeks on nails, eyelashes, or cigarettes. A quality hula hoop can literally transform your fitness, confidence, and life. So why wouldn’t I deserve that?

I don’t sell hoops, so I’m not saying this for personal gain. I’m saying it because once I got the right hoop, it stayed up—and it blew my mind how much easier everything became.

🌟 You deserve to have a hula hoop that works for your body.
If you've ever felt unworthy, please know that’s not your fault. You’ve probably collected those beliefs from years of hearing the wrong messages. But now it’s time to believe something new. Get that hoop: YOU WILL BE AMAZING AT HOOPING!!!!🏆

Tip #2: Use All the Hoops

Even now, 17 years later, people still ask me what size hoop I use. The truth? I use all kinds—HDPE, wooden, LED, toy shop hoops, you name it. All sizes, too!!!

Some moves are easier with a large, slower-spinning hoop. Others are better with something light and fast. You don’t have to commit to one hoop for life—let your hoop match your movement.

Using different hoops helps you learn faster, develop more strength, and avoid injury. Beginners should start with a plastic hoop, but don’t be afraid to experiment as you go.

💡 Don’t “marry” a hoop.
Instead, think of them like tools—you use the right one for the job. That flexibility is what helps you grow stronger, more confident, and more capable. If you only keep using one hoop: your learning progress will be slower.

Tip #3: Understand the Different Styles of Hula Hooping

Not all hula hooping is created equal. And not all styles will help you get in shape.

Let’s break it down:

• Weighted waist hooping: Great for gentle cardio, but very repetitive. If this is all you do, please cross-train with strength and flexibility work to avoid injuries like bulging discs or joint pain.

• Flow arts (tricks with hands and arms): Creative and fun, but usually low-intensity. You won’t burn much fat or build much muscle or get flexible without additional exercise.

• My style: Inspired by fitness competitions, my hooping incorporates progressive overload, resistance moves, symmetry training, and full-body sculpting. It’s about using hoops the way fitness models use dumbbells—to burn fat, build lean muscle, and get strong from the inside out.

I designed my hoop workouts to help you:

• Improve posture and symmetry

• Boost flexibility with active stretches

• Gain strength without hitting a plateau

• Feel proud of your changing, sculpted body

This isn’t about aesthetics only. As we age—especially around perimenopause—our muscle mass naturally declines (a process called sarcopenia). This affects everything from pelvic floor strength to blood sugar control and even bone health.

Muscles aren’t just for looking good. They help us stay independent, energetic, and resilient. They help us hold our wee in!

Tip #4: Problem Moves Are a Gift in Disguise

There will be moves that frustrate you. Moves that feel impossible. These “problem moves” are where the real magic happens.

They reveal your imbalances—the overused side, the neglected side, the tension you’ve been carrying for years.

I saw this clearly while studying osteopathy. Even without any anatomy training, you can see and feel when your hoop is off balance. And the journey to fix it? With Hooping it is a fat torching giggle!

🎁 These tough moves are gifts.
They show you where you’ve been compensating in daily life—carrying babies, shopping bags, tools, or doing repetitive one-sided tasks. And now, with hula hooping, you can restore balance, strengthen weak areas, and prevent chronic pain.

Final Thoughts: You Deserve to Feel Amazing in Your Body

You deserve a life where fitness is fun, transformation feels exciting, and exercise doesn’t mean punishment.

After 17 years, over daily workouts, and thousands of students, I can tell you with certainty: hula hooping can change your life. You’ll move better, feel stronger, and glow with confidence.

Want to try it? I offer a free trial of my step-by-step courses. Come play, move, sweat, and feel amazing in your skin again. Let’s tone muscle, boost flexibility, and rewrite the story your body tells.

P.S.
If you’re not sure which hula hoop to buy, I’ve got a video with a complete guide to choosing the right one. Don’t let confusion hold you back.

They look confusing at first but after a few minutes of watching this: you'll understand it all: