Hula Hoop Fitness & Somatics
I am honestly surprised I have never written about hula hoop fitness, flow arts, or my time in the philadelphia circus scene.
But here is roughly 15 years of hoop exploration as a fitness medium for someone like you.
You can be a beginner or well seasoned hooper. The fact is there is always something to learn. My journey with plastic toys is a lengthy one, and itโs not over.
As my massage practice grew my hoop practice shrunk and although I never stopped training or learning new things, it became more of a maintenance practice. I was maintaining my skill level by practicing the same foundational movements and balances. The ones that would allow me to rediscover the pathways of the movements I wanted to tie together.
I decided to dedicate a year to the study of Somatics.
What is it? Can I understand it and apply it to rehabilitation and chronic pain? Is the movement and balance similar to something I have studied at great length before? Could I use my 14 year hobby and passion to fuel creativity into my new study? Hula hoop fitness and somatic therapy, I think itโs a combination with a lot of potential.
So far my understanding is basic but good enough to know that we are still discovering new things. Somatics and the Vagus nerve are related. The polyvagal theory is still evolving, and I am excited to learn more.
Some of the movements I have learned in the few somatic movement courses I have taken are very familiar. The movements are gentle and intentional. There is some focus on the Vagus Nerve and calming it. Since the Vagus nerve is so large there are tons of movements that incorporate it.
I do not have a class, yet. I do have a lot of ideas. Hopefully in 2024 I will have a few workshops that tie the two together. I am offering exploration classes for events and festivals in the mid-atlantic region. These classes have basics as their foundation with nuggets that I have found in my studies.
If you want to study with me I invite you to join EmBody Labs. All of their talk based classes and discussions are what I am using and transforming. They have a variety of topics. My favorite being their breathing master classes/summits. I am still learning and eager to do so with like minded people.
Letโs find out together!
I will be keeping a loose Journal on somatic movements I have, and am, learning. This includes flow states. As much as I want to say I will post various props in various forms of the flow state I cannot guarantee that. When all else fails I know I will find it with a plastic circle. There is always enough room for it. Hula hoop fitness is just the one thing I can always play and learn from.
I encourage you put on some music and just move. You don’t need a hoop or prop. A hoop has become an extension of myself but that doesn’t mean it is a requirement. We can discuss movements and anything they may bring up for us in the youtube comment section. These are going to be unlisted. Meaning you have to stumble upon them or look here.
As I gather more videos I will try to use the music that was originally playing but many times I will run into copyright issues. So instead, I will use the licensed music I have access to through OneShot and include the original song in the description along with the timestamp. So you can sync it up if you wish. Check out my growing YouTube Channel for this video playlist in the making.
Everything is connected.
I am hoping to find my way of connecting these two healing practices and gain a better understanding so I can use it to help more people. As you know I can only help clients in eastern PA with massage. I wish I could travel more but the truth is I donโt want to. I want to stay home with my family and learn new things. Work on myself. I want to understand more fully so I can pass that along to my clients. I am hoping in 3 years I develop a way to help others with chronic pain and autoimmune conditions digitally. Through self massage, strength training, and somatics.
If you want to start a spin jam in the lancaster city area please reach out! I would love to teach some hoop classes and build a circus scene in this area. If you want to bring hooping, mindfulness, and fitness to your event or gathering send us a message! We have a variety of classes for beginners and even advanced hoopers!
So here is the first of many hoop videos where I find some music that literally moves me.
