Talk:Hula hoop

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[edit] Image:Hula hoop girl 01.jpg

This image is a suspected copyright violation and may soon be deleted from the Commons:. Since I am the original uploader, I am posting this message for informative purposes. —Viriditas | Talk 03:33, 20 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Female superiority?

Is there any truth to the theory that women are better hoopers due to having hips? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 84.65.35.254 (talk • contribs) 3:37, 9 August 2006 (UTC).

All normally constructed humans have hips. And what do you mean by better? Doctormatt 00:25, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

For the sake of argument, let's propose that the anon means to say that in competitive hooping, the question arises whether or not adult female humans may have an advantage over males due to the broad size of their hips (in many cases but not all, putting exceptions aside) thus being able to keep a hoop in movement more easily and for longer periods of time around their waist (as opposed to other parts of the body that may and are often used). The anon's question seems to be more about the physics of hooping than about the physiology of the female body. —Viriditas | Talk 03:24, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

By "broad size of their hips" I assume you mean relative to their waists, yes? For simply being large would not particularly be advantageous. Although I have not observed competitive hula hooping, my impression of hula hoopers generally is that keeping the hoop going is not really an issue. All good hoopers can keep their hoops going, essentially, indefinitely. However, in niche competitions, say, where the contest is to spin as many hoops as possible simulataneously, the shape of ones body may perhaps give one advantages.Doctormatt 04:46, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

I think the answer is most likely no, it is not an advantage. Keeping the hoop up has little or nothing to do with the curve in your hip. I think that is the default position more because its easier to get your muscles coordinated to the rhythm there. Hula hoopers rarely actually have the hoop in that postion anyways. Its usually somewhere a bit more interesting, and only on the waist in passing. The only significant difference between girls and guys that I've seen is that some basic tricks are actually more difficult for girls because of their breasts (its harder for some girls than others, but I know one girl who was initially having trouble getting the hoop to travel from her hips to her neck because of her large breasts.) Girls have one advantage when learning--they are usually more comfortable with the kind of body movements that you make when hooping. Some guys are initially more self-concious than most girls because hooping is associated with femninity. Some of the best hula hoopers I've seen is actually are guys. these two guys for example, and as you can see the dark haired one has very small hips.

Hips might actually make it a tad bit harder to get it to travel from your thighs to back over your hips too. But I don't think it makes too much of a difference. In my experience guys who take the time to try have no more trouble than girls learning (and like I said before, when learning to get it to travel to your shoulders and neck actually have an advantage over some girls)Brentt 10:02, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Physics

The physics of hooping could also be mentioned in the article (relating it to the concept of angular momentum etc. Richard001 06:02, 7 December 2006 (UTC)