Hoopnotica Travel Hoop Sale

Comes in blue too!

I have used this travel hoop in my classes, sold them, and have spoken of their versatility. You can use them with 5 links for a smaller more challenging hoop, or with 6 for a fairly accessible workout for most people. Add a 7th piece to make it just a little bigger and slower. They come with 6. $30 is a great price to get on the hooping train! Save $20 by getting one now.... today is the last day they're offering this sale. I'm sold out of this hoop but you can buy it direct on this link from Hoopnotica ...  Then come back and join my class and start 2014 off right!

A weighted hula hoop?

Heavy hoops, the type found in sporting goods stores, may not be the best for our bodies, especially our spines. A number of people have told me hooping with one of these is painful. Why beat ourselves up? Fitness, or "hoopdance" hoops are a safer choice and offer the benefit of variety in what we're able to do with them. In the absence of specific studies, I've included a link at the end of this post to a hoop maker's commentary on the "weight debate". His beliefs are similar to mine. Plus, a heavy hoop (3lb or heavier)isn't just 3lbs when it's rotating around you. The forces make it significantly more. After you master waist hooping and other beginner hoopdance moves, you may progress to hooping around your neck, shoulders, chest, and legs. You'll be able to move around with the hoop more, and can choose between using a significantly lighter hoop (such as a polypro), or spend a workout doing HoopnoticaFiT moves with a slightly heavier fitness hoop (still not as heavy as the sports models), or a smaller diameter hoop. Or maybe one day you just want the challenge of line dancing with the hoop and want your larger diameter back, for just a bit. It's possible to have it all! This week's featured hoop is Hoopnotica's Breakaway, and if you're local to Moxie, you can pick up The Betsey and skip the shipping from California. Hoopnotica named the Betsey Breakaway after fashion designer Betsey Johnson. Moxie has Betsey with one extra link, and also with two extra links, allowing as many as two size alterations. Both can also accommodate a polypro hoop INSIDE... meaning just enough added weight to kick your workout up a notch. The polypro is also great on its own, and is also size-adjustable. Visit Moxie's Shop to read more about the Breakaway hoops.

Check out this video of Pamela Crawford, Hoopnotica Master Trainer. She shows you a peek at how this cool concept works!
Read more on "the great weight debate" on Hooping.org.

Commit to yourself with hoop class pre-registration

As we head into the busy holiday season and ultimately January with renewed interest in personal health and improvement, I wanted to note some requirements for participation in Moxie's hoop classes. It's easy, really. Following the pre-registration rule helps to avoid a number of things, such as no room if we're in the small studio, no hoop for you, or the inconvenience of a locked studio or absent instructor and class cancellation.

So here's the deal. With your pre-registration, you have a hoop to use in class if you need one, I'll be certain to be at the studio, and in the chance I'm hit with a seasonal illness, you receive any notice of class cancellation and rescheduling.

Hoop fitness is a specialty class, and without advance confirmation of attendance, I cannot guarantee a hoop or class availability. In worst case, class may be cancelled and there is no way of notifying someone who has not registered, other than a  public statement on social media. This has resulted in some prospective new hoopers showing up to the studio and becoming confused because I am not there or the door is locked. I apologize and I felt really bad when this happened, as no one wants to waste time and energy. My goal is to meet everyone who wants to come to class, and share what I love. We can make that happen when you sign up under the Hoop Fitness tab.

If I must miss for any reason, you would receive notification and your registration will not be lost -- I will transfer your registration to another class date. I always appreciate notice if you will miss, though I cannot guarantee a transfer of your registration.

December is coming soon, and the current Fall schedule of open dates ends at the close of November. I am offering Sunday classes in December as a package only -- December 1, December 8, and December 15. Registration for Sunday will close November 30. The Tuesday package will be December 3, December 10, and December 17. Registration for Tuesday will close on December 2. Due to the number of holiday events typical on December Fridays, I will not be offering the Friday class during December, but if you wish to schedule a private lesson, please contact me and we can work something out with a date. Please note that when registration closes, it will be removed from the website and you will not be able to add it. If you're interested in joining me for hoop class I'd love to have you... hop on now while it's hot! The schedule can be found on the Hoop Fitness tab.

Also, I am aware that new students might be unsure if this is what they want. I understand and want to make it as easy as possible for you, so if you want to try it once, I will offer a one-time trial class for new students at the single class rate of $9.50. Just send me a note to my email address with your intent to attend class for a trial, and I will add you to the roster. If you must cancel, please do so 24 hours in advance, as no-shows forfeit the trial class.

I try to keep rules to a minimum but some are necessary for the convenience of both student and instructor, and to aid the commitment of the participants. If you came here to seek information, fun and fitness, I am here to help -- it's why I do what I do.

Thanks!
Jan

Learn to hula hoop

As a personal trainer, I recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate activity per day, outside of the things you do to support your life -- working, mowing the lawn, cleaning, running errands, etc. Weight resistance, either from added weights or bodyweight training, should be done several days a week. Walking is great exercise that can be done daily, and don't forget about flexibility during your cool down phase.

It doesn't need to be all "work" though... I advocate play as part of your exercise time. If you've spent enough time on this site, you know that I talk a lot about hula hooping. I'm a certified Hoopnotica instructor in Metro Detroit, and I lead classes in hoopdance. The certified part means that I've been through trainings that provided me with the language and techniques I use to teach students how to keep a hoop moving around their bodies. It's fun, it's effective and it's for you. Intrigued?

Here now, is a quick video that gives you the basics of waist hooping, as led by Hoopnotica's lead Master Trainer, Jacqui Becker. These skills and more are what I teach in my classes in West Bloomfield and Farmington. Check out the Classes tab for days and times!

Get thee to a hoop class

By now, you may have seen people hooping at concerts, in the park, on the Internet, in magazines and on national television, etc. Isn't it time you tried it yourself? New hoop classes are starting now in Farmington and West Bloomfield! Visit my classes page http://moxie-personal-training.blogspot.com/p/hoop-classes.html to choose your dates and hop on a fitness trend that's fun and effective! I will be happy to help you choose a hoop size that works best for you in class... who knows, eventually you may want one for yourself... hooping can be addictive :-)

Keep Fit over the Fourth!

Moxie's hoop classes are on break for the holiday. In the meantime, we bring you an exercise from Hoopnotica's Fit program. Lead Master Trainer Jacqui Becker demonstrates the lunge, within your hoop.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The hoop you buy today should be a comfortable fit for you. Avoid buying one that is too small for your ability today. Think about tomorrow, later. The key now is to have fun and success today and you can, with hoop sizes that are available for everyone. 

One size does not fit all. Just because a standard size is 40" or 41", doesn't mean it will work for you. Nor should you fight today with a hoop that is an inch or two small. You shouldn't buy shoes that are too small (I don't care how CUTE they are), so why would you buy a hoop that's too small?

The beauty of Hoopnotica's new Breakaway and Forties hoops, is they change in size along with your ability. Moxie has just stocked a limited number of these. A Hoopnotica Breakaway is a very versatile hoop that can begin at 44" for a gentle learning experience, shrink to 40" when you get stronger, and yet again to 36" when you are ready for an intermediate challenge! So if you love it, you don't have to leave it behind. The hoop changes with you. 

Another benefit to the Breakaway, is the addition of an optional polypro FitNHoop that fits INSIDE! The FitNHoop adds just enough weight to your Hoopnotica FiT regimen to benefit your off-body moves, or slow the hoop on the body. And the best part of all, is when you are ready for advanced hooping, the FitNHoop is a lightweight polypro hoop that goes solo! What's more, the FitNHoop is also designed to go smaller should you desire. I always say "no hooper left behind", but the new designs from Hoopnotica mean that "no HOOP left behind" can also be true. They're your dance partners for life!

Moxie has The Betsey Breakaway hoop, named after Betsey Johnson, the fashion designer behind dresses with delightful sass and flash. Why limit that to just what you wear? 

Also in limited quantity, is Hoopnotica's Dreamweaver hoop, from their Forties designs. Forties are a standard 40 inches and can also be used with an extender that brings the size to 44". Moxie promotes hooping for everyone, in all shapes and sizes. Thus, if a gentler experience is needed, a larger hoop is encouraged. One size does not fit all. The Dreamweaver goes back to the original 40" with the extender removed, when you're ready!

Hoopnotica's hoops are handmade in California, and they can make just about anything you want if you ask them. Here in Michigan, Moxie also has custom made-to-order hoops. So if a Hoopnotica hoop you want is out of stock here, or you need your own size, Moxie can make one that is just for you. Hoop couture! Who knew?

See the Shop page to purchase our select Hoopnotica hoops, or to learn more about Moxie's custom hoops.  


 

Hoopnotica says Good Morning to America

 Hoopnotica appeared on Good Morning America to demonstrate basic waist hooping and share with everyone how Kelly Osbourne and many others, have lost weight and found a fitter self by hooping! If you missed it, watch here.

Our beloved exercise activity is catching on, but I have been teaching hooping to fun seekers in the Farmington area for two years.

I do not kid when I say everyone can hoop. The basic skills are very accessible, and I have had a 100% success rate in teaching people how to keep the hoop rotating. Some tips for success are:
* Proper body position. Head up, chest back, pelvis tucked, knees soft.
* Proper movement. Contrary to what we think, waist hooping is not circular. We push forward and pull back, propelling it with our legs, and keeping "core" engaged.
* Toy hoops are too small. We use adult hoops. The larger the hoop, the slower it goes, and the easier it is to keep the hoop moving. When you come to my class, you will be matched with a hoop size that works for you.
* Body hugging clothes made of cotton help keep the hoop up. Avoid baggy or shiny clothing.
* Practice and patience. You will burn calories, work up a sweat and have fun doing it, so don't worry about anyone else, or your own imperfections at the start.

Trust me. I couldn't hoop as a kid, and I took the bold step of trying a hoop one day in a store, walked out with it, and three lessons later, I was at my first teacher training. I was in the room with hoopers who had skills beyond me, and I wasn't sure I was in the right place, but the Jacqui Becker in this video was one of the trainers leading that training, and she was gentle and kind. My enthusiastic spirit was admired and I was given the guidance and nurturing I needed... from Jacqui, by another master trainer Jocelyn and Shavonne, my mentor. I completed my teacher training within 6 months and gained not only the physical skills, but also saw what a warm, nice community hooping is.

There is no judging in my class. Just fun, play and laughter. As adults, we go to WORK. And then we do houseWORK. Some of you help your kids with their schoolWORK or perhaps even your own. Hopefully you even do your WORKout. But why so much work? I think we forget how to play. Hooping is an effective exercise, and it is also a way to play and find that youthful spirit again. Children stay fit by playing and doing sports. So why can't you?

The following clip shares Jacqui Becker's viewpoint on how Hoopnotica breaks down the skills and takes the mystery out of it, enabling everyone to learn to hoop.

Looking for a hoop class?

Yes, I teach hoop classes. Here's one: Wednesday nights in Wixom, at the community center. See my Hoop Classes page for info and the registration link! By the time the weather warms up, you'll have the skills to show your stuff off in the park (an improved physique and skill).

How to succeed at your goals for the new year

 You have to start. Now.

How many times have you told a friend "we should get together sometime" but you never get around to it? How often do you see an article about something new to try and think "I should try that" but you never do it? Does the someday ever arrive? No, it doesn't arrive, because you don't MAKE it arrive.

Have you found that, if you ever get around to doing what you planned, that it's not available anymore? It could be sold out, person could have moved out of state, the activity could be booked, or... perhaps it could be discontinued or canceled due to too many people who think they'll "do it one day" but don't, and if everybody thinks about it but nobody does it, it can't exist.

These are hypothetical scenarios, examples to jog your memory if this is you. But truly, something very real is at stake here. The Metro Detroit community could be abundantly full of ongoing hoop fitness classes... of all levels and types... classes for dance, classes for fitness. It could be like Pilates, yoga or Zumba -- most studios and facilities have classes you can just jump into.

However, it can be a challenge getting classes full or even started, which is ironic because hooping is the perfect exercise... doesn't seem like exercise but it is and how many people try to avoid exercise? Hooping is also accessible to everyone, regardless of childhood experience. Certified instructors have the language to provide you with tips on getting the most out of your learning, and performers can inspire you with their beautiful dance. So it's baffling why potential students would stand by, and think about it, or attend class and enjoy it but disappear. Without the support of the community, organized hoop classes could disappear.

You want to attend a class? Do it. Sign up today. Stop waiting and start hooping. Be part of a growing movement and bring your friends. We love everyone! 

The next piece of this is yourself. By taking no action... whether it be waiting for a better day, or unsure how you'd do in an exercise program, etc... you guarantee the failure. You're a success when you get started. That's the hard part. After a point, you keep it going because you recognize how great you feel. Maybe you see that the weight training tones your muscles so your body comp improves and changes how everything fits, for the better. Or new confidence is developed because you're learning a hooping skill or lifting a certain amount of weight better than the week before, or enduring a longer time in cardio exercise. 

Do you have moxie?

Wednesday Night Hoopy Hour begins this week in Wixom

Just a quick announcement to share that my new hoop class is starting on Wednesday, January 9. Class is from 6:10-7:10pm. No experience is necessary, but if you have Hoopnotica level 1 experience, come hone your skills or accept challenges I throw your way. Goal is to gain the skills needed to dance with the hoop. Along the way, we have fun and get fit! Check out Hoopnotica.com or my previous blog posts to learn how hooping has helped people to lose weight. It's true.

Registration is through City of Wixom parks and recreation. Contact them today to register. Don't wait! Recreation guide is available by clicking here.

A Growing Trend in Exercise -- Hooping

Every day people do it. The First Lady does it. Overweight people do it and shrink themselves, changing their lives for the better. Adults do it. People who couldn't do it as kids.... they do it.

What is it? It's hooping. As exercise. As fun. As play. As something to do while watching TV, sending email, thinking, or getting lost in the moment. And it's spreading. You're going to be surprised. Everyone can learn to hoop, when given a size that fits and instruction that works. Try it and be the first to tell your friends.

Proof of its rise and accessibility is everywhere. See a recent New York Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/18/fashion/hula-hooping-is-a-trend-thats-getting-around.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

It's fun, it's aerobic

Veteran hula-hoopers have long stood by its aerobic virtues. “A lot of people are interested in hooping for its health benefits, which might get them hooked, but it’s also such a fun way to do cardio,” said Bex Burton, a hula hoop instructor who founded Sense of Motion, a Brooklyn-based company that teaches hula-hooping, Pilates and yoga.

 It's not about being perfect

“One of my constant quotes in class is if you’re giggling, you’re doing it correctly,” Mr. Pildes said. “It’s not about how graceful you are, or what trick you can do. It’s about finding the joy in your workout.”

What do you have to lose? Don't wait. Classes are here. I teach in the Farmington area at Dancing Feats. New single-day workshops in December on Wednesday nights, 7:30pm. Details coming soon. In the meantime, you can create a class of your own at the above link. I can also come to your home, or workplace. Message me for specifics on your class.  

Stay young with fitness

So many of the people I encounter wistfully recall their youthful days. They also say they could hoop with four hoops, put it around their neck, on the legs, etc. And then they say "Oh but I couldn't do that today."

They're putting an end to it without even giving themselves a chance.  We don't grow old because we grow up, we grow old because we stop playing.

Hoopdance classes are a fraction of the cost of a 1 oz jar of La Mer. The cream might help facial wrinkles, but hoopdance improves your body and makes you feel good inside. No cream can make you feel that way!

So I have a proposal for would-be hoopers. Take a look at this video of a Hoopnotica Master Trainer in London and see if you don't feel a little bouncier and willing to give it a try yourself. You can be the one to tell your friends how great it is!

For my hoopers who have learned the level 1 Hoopnotica moves, I give you this video from Hoopnotica, involving a new move building on the moves you already know. Play with it!

Personal Hoop Classes now available - It's all about you

I am pleased to draw upon my experience as a personal trainer and offer the hoop instruction in a personalized format. In so many aspects of our lives, we are asked to conform to a schedule or format that's already set for us and it's not always the best fit. Sometimes, it doesn't fit at all.

I want to say, it doesn't have to be that way.

For some people, trying something new may be embarrassing. Feeling silly among friends is one thing, but strangers? Not everyone makes fast friends. I walked out of a step class early in my workout days, because I couldn't follow the directional changes on and off the step. No one came to my aid and the instructor was oblivious in the large class. Among all of those strangers, I couldn't have felt more alone.

It doesn't have to be that way.

I'm offering small hoop groups that you create, with your own friends and family... or coworkers you're close to. Fun and silliness among familiar faces. I don't let students suffer in silence. If there is a struggle, I'm right there to help and offer a solution. No one is going to leave class without achieving some success among the skills. If you don't have a circle of friends or need more privacy, private and semi-private hoop lessons are available. In either case, we work together to choose a day of the week, the time, and even location. Travel charges may apply, but I will visit outside my general area, too. Choose the length of your series, and class format, and you've built yourself a custom class.

The benefit to being a group leader is discounted class tuition, or your very own private lesson where the whole hour is all about you. How often can we claim an hour for ourselves???

By doing so, you've taken a step for yourself toward fun, fitness and health. How's that for charting your own destiny?

Visit my hoop class page here.

It's Hoopy Hour in Farmington

Mark your calendars and stop by to see us on Saturday, July 21 from 2:30-3:30pm. I will be at Dancing Feats in downtown Farmington to raise my hoop and celebrate all that is fun and good about hula hooping today.

Maybe you've seen Youtube videos of people hooping, or caught a morning talk show and heard of the incredible weight loss stories of hooping devotees. Or maybe you tried hooping as a kid and couldn't do it, and pushed it out of your mind forever.

I was one of those kids. But one day a few years ago, I gave it a try because I had the chance to do it with a really big hoop. Incredibly, it stayed up for a few spins and I was intrigued. So I signed up for classes. Before I knew it, I was a "hooper". And then I became a certified teacher.

 As an instructor, the number one comment I hear before people try it, is they can't hoop. That isn't true, and people who admire it and dismiss it because they think it isn't possible are missing out on all the wonderful benefits of this activity.

Treadmills don't make you laugh, unless something on the TV monitor (there to distract you from the boredom of walking or running in the same spot for an hour) is funny. But you giggle while learning to hoop, and you hoot with excitement when you accomplish a hooping skill because that was so much fun, and you laugh aloud at the joy of it all when you lose yourself in a hoopdance, skills learned.

So on Saturday July 21 at 2:30, I welcome you to stop in and give it a whirl. You will see the difference. It's in the size of the hoop. The larger they are, the slower they go, the easier it is to power the hoop with the instructions we give you. These are not child hoops from the drug store. They are adult hoops, and I have them in a few sizes, and I will demonstrate what modern hooping is all about. There will be instruction and information on classes and a prize drawing from all entries returned... the winner's choice of a custom hoop OR private lesson.

Hoopy Hour is during Farmington's Founders Festival but not a part of it, though I can think of no better way to play and celebrate! No charge to participate, no purchase required to enter the drawing. Take a break from your Saturday and see what it's all about!

Summertime, and the people go hooping

If you've been thinking about it, now is the time! Hoop classes starting up June 19 in downtown Farmington. Registration info here and online payment and class descriptions are found on the classes page here.

Welcome back to those who have discovered the joy of hooping already, and a warm welcome to people experiencing for the first time how great it is to play like a kid again, and get fit in the process!

Don't be left out of the fun! Many people who didn't think they could hoop are now finding out they can and others are rediscovering the joy. Come out and play. Southeast Michigan has it! Subscribe to get updated information on hoop fitness classes.

Lighting the way

LED hooping lights up your workout in a way machines can't.

The news on hooping continues to be very positive in terms of weight loss results and exercise compliance. It's pretty simple. If it's fun and you enjoy it, you'll do it. The more you do it, the more active you are, the more weight you can lose. In its place, you gain a new perspective on yourself.

If you want to try it, or if you're thinking about starting an exercise program, today is always the best choice. By putting it off, something likely gets in the way. There's a simple message in the iconic sportswear slogan: Just do it. They're so right.

Be part of your hooping community. Participate in classes at your studios and community centers and join "jams" in local parks. Hooping is very much a growing, grass roots-type movement. Nurture it, help it to grow and it will pay you back in mind, body and spirit. Light the way for others to join you!

A fellow instructor and I will be lighting the stage on May 19 (2pm Mercy High School, Farmington Hills) with our hoopdance number in Positive Attitude Dance Academy's spring recital. Come out and see our illuminated hoops in motion... fueled by our abdominals, quads, lats, deltoids, etc.

I will be teaching a sampler class on Friday May 11 from 7:30-9pm. There will be a 30 minute session on waist hooping basics which will give participants time to practice the movement before we incorporate it into a "Fit" segment for 30 minutes. HoopnoticaFit uses traditional cardio class cuing and bodyweight movements in tandem with the hoop to create a fun workout that's customizable for many fitness levels. The final 30 minutes will be spent introducing students to the first moves of hoopdance, known as HoopnoticaFlow. The elements are skills to practice and master, and then put together in one movement to the next, creating a flow and dance... and ultimately reshaping your body while the minutes and hours tick away, unnoticed. This is why so many people get hooked on hooping and become obsessed "hoopers". It's a good obsession.

I am teaching the class for CC Plus dance, fun and fitness based in Mt. Clemens. The class will be at their new studio, CC Plus @ The Center. For more information go to http://www.ccplusdance.com/index.html.

Meanwhile, follow this blog for updates and additions to Moxie's hooping class schedule and if you want to get started right away, private lessons are available.

Does your workout ever make you laugh?

Hoopnotica's newest workout, created in response to demands of its fans, is called HoopnoticaFit. I am offering it in locations around Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi and surrounding communities. It is everything a workout should be: fun, effective, customizable. The workout uses the body for resistance - you choose your degree of lunges and squats. You can choose to waist hoop while doing the lower body exercises, or follow along and use the hoop as a ballet barre in front of you. Each class begins with waist hooping instruction and with our adult hoops and teaching points, everyone can learn to hoop. We also use the hoop as a resistance tool for upper body work! Just with gravity, resistance pressing in on the hoop and the size and weight of the hoop, we work our arms to a burn and beyond. This is your cardio workout, your resistance workout, your hour to play and laugh... all rolled into one.

Ready to play? Want to join me? Contact me here.