The Hula Hoop! Is it for you?

The Hula Hoop and Hula HoopingA hula hoop is a toy hoop that is twirled around the waist, limbs or neck. Although the exact origins of hula hoops are unknown, children and adults around the world have played with hoops, twirling, rolling and throwing them throughout history. Hula hoops for children generally measure approximately 71 centimetres (28 in) in diameter, and those for adults around 1.02 metres (40 in). Traditional materials for hoops include willow, rattan (a flexible and strong vine), grapevines and stiff grasses. Today, they are usually made of plastic tubing.

Background information

Hula hooping has been a type of exercise and play from as early as 500 B.C. to the 21st century. Before it was known and recognized as the common colourful plastic toy (sometimes with water inside the actual hoop), it used to be made of dried up willow, rattan, grapevines, or stiff grasses. Even though the toy has existed for thousands of years, it is often misunderstood as being invented in the 1950s.
In the 14th century in England, hoops were later extended to adult audiences and were popular for recreation and religious ceremonies. According to their medical records from that era, doctors treated and encouraged patients with dislocated backs and heart attack victims to use this winding exercise. Then in the early 19th century, the term “hula” was added to the toy name due to the experiences of some British soldiers who travelled to the Hawaiian Islands. During their stay, the soldiers noticed and realized the resemblance of the movement of the hips with the traditional hula dances to the movements of people that go hooping.

VOCABULARY & QUESTIONS:

hula hoop
toy hoop
willow
rattan
grapevines

Who can play with a hula hoop?
What is a simple description of a hula hoop?
What can be the benefits of using a hula hoop?
Where was the hula hoop first extended to adult audiences?
When was the name “hula” given to this hoop?
Why is hula hooping said to be a good method of exercise?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hula_hoop

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