{"id":51486,"date":"2016-04-12T23:52:17","date_gmt":"2016-04-13T03:52:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wanderlust.com\/?p=51486"},"modified":"2016-04-15T16:18:45","modified_gmt":"2016-04-15T20:18:45","slug":"bringing-the-hula-hoop-to-the-yoga-mat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/ja\/journal\/bringing-the-hula-hoop-to-the-yoga-mat\/","title":{"rendered":"Bringing the Hula Hoop to the Yoga Mat"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hula hooping<\/a> is a fitness-art hybrid we were introduced to in our youth.<\/h3>\n

Gathered in a circle holding hands we’d all giggle as we scrambled into and through the hoop before passing it along to make its way around the circle. When the hula hoop came out, fun was sure to ensue. But when was the last time you picked one up and tried to suspend it in the air by swaying your hips back and forth? Do you remember that whimsical feeling?<\/p>\n

Many of us haven’t tried it since that team-bonding moment at summer camp long ago. Fortunately there’s a way to transition this circle-of-fun seamlessly into our adulthood: hula hoop yoga.<\/p>\n

Festival attendees know that hula hoops and impossibly talented hula-hoopers are not hard to find. In fact, some events like Wanderlust 108s<\/a> and Wanderlust Festivals<\/a> even offer hooping workshops to allow you to hone in on your untapped hula hoop skills.<\/p>\n

\"Photo
Photo by Steve Z<\/div><\/div>\n

Why a Hula Hoop Is a Great Yoga Prop<\/h3>\n

Aside from being incredibly fun, hula hooping is also an incredible exercise. With a focus on balance, flow, and movement it was only a matter of time before hula hoops came with us to our yoga mats. Using a hula hoop during yoga practice can actually help you reach difficult poses. As it turns out, a hula hoop can act as a useful alternative to more traditional yoga props<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the opposite end of the spectrum, incorporating a hula hoop into your practice can also challenge your body in new ways. Think tree pose while swinging a hula hoop around your hips. Adding a new element to your practice, hula hooping can serve as a great way to invigorate the body and warm up muscles in a new way before heading to your mat.<\/p>\n

Practicing Hula Hoop Yoga<\/h3>\n

If you’re a Connecticut native, or live a hoop’s throw away from Shelton, CT, head over to the Shelton Community Center to give hula hoop yoga a try. As the Shelton Herald<\/a><\/em> reports, BringtheHoopla LLC<\/a> will be hosting hoop-infused yoga classes on Thursday nights. And, as yoga instructor Alexandra Capaldo told the Shelton Herald:<\/em> \u201cHoop yoga has many benefits. It opens the shoulders, and builds core strength.\u201d<\/p>\n