Hoop it up,
hula style!

By Lauren Fritsky
Times Staff Writer

For a moment, Sophie Sperling felt 6 years old again.
With an easy swivel of the hips, Sperling, 18, swung a glittery hula-hoop around her waist. While no longer as small and unabashed as a child, she kept the motion going for moments, then minutes.
"It’s pretty easy," she said.
For others, hooping — an age-old activity that became popular among children of the 1960s with the release of the trademarked Hula-Hoop by the toy company Wham-O — is not. That’s where acrobat, contortionist and instructor Lisa Appel steps, or, more appropriately, shimmies in.
"The idea of hula-hooping is that it’s fun," said the Bustleton resident. "And if it’s fun, you don’t realize you’re exercising."
Appel recently started hosting hooping classes at the Northeast Racquet Club and Fitness Center for veteran gyrators and the hula-challenged alike. The hour-long sessions cater to adults of all fitness levels and are ideal because they provide low-impact exercise and stretching, Appel said.
Student Marina Sperling, Sophie’s stepmother, agrees. She’s a physical therapist who suggests movements used in hooping when treating osteoporosis patients.
"It’s gentle impact, but you’re maintaining mobility," Sperling explained.
The term "hooping" refers to individuals who use large, customized hoops, not the plastic kind made famous by Wham-O. The activity creeped back into American culture about a decade ago, according to www.hooping.org, an informational Web site for hoopers around the world. It began in the southwestern part of the country with popular jam-bands that liked to toss hoops into the crowd at concerts.
The key to getting the hang of the hoop is not thinking about it too much, Appel told a handful of students during a weeknight beginner class in August.
"Less is more," she said. "You have to feel nothing."
Soft music played as the hoopers stretched and warmed up on gymnastics mats. Then each chose a hoop, which Appel custom-makes and also sells, to get started.
The hoops come in different sizes in diameter and in different weights, Appel said. The ones that are larger in diameter are usually heavier, which encourages weight loss and toning. The smaller ones can also help hoopers stay in shape, but they have to be spun for a longer period of time.
The class practiced spinning and using the hoop in figure-eight motions before getting down to business. Contrary to what many novices think, a back and forth rocking motion, not frantic rotation of the hips, is essential to hooping, Appel said.
Even she confessed to initially having trouble getting the hoop to do what it was supposed to, at least until she came to understand the technique.
Appel, who co-created the Kid’s Club Fitness Program at the racquet club, got reacquainted with hooping while performing acrobatics and aerial routines. The former elementary school teacher makes appearances at events throughout the city.
During Hanukkah last year, she spun from the ceiling in an attempt to help members of the Congregations of Shaare-Shamayim in Bustleton break a world record for spinning the largest number of dreidels simultaneously. (Sadly, the synagogue did not become the record-holder.)
Appel also incorporates hooping into the educational performances she does through her company, Miss Lisa Inc., and with the Germantown-based Give and Take Jugglers. She does not teach children’s hoop classes but encourages the activity at birthday parties, where children can also decorate their own hoop.
While she can twist her body every which way, Appel doesn’t require her students to be super-fit or skilled. She takes a patient approach to her classes and does not expect students to push their bodies.
"My theory as a fitness teacher has always been to keep things fun, to trust your instincts and to always listen to your body," the instructor said. "That is why hula-hooping appeals to so many people. Good childhood memories are aroused, and fitness happens effortlessly." ••
Fall classes begin on Monday, Sept. 24, at the racquet club, located in the Krewstown Shopping Center at Grant Avenue and Krewstown Road. Hours are Mondays, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.; Tuesdays, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.; and Wednesdays, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Hula-hooping is also part of the stretching and tumbling classes, which take place on Tuesdays nights from 7 to 8.
For more information, contact Appel at 215-264-0003 or send e-mail to Info@MissLisaInc.com
Reporter Lauren Fritsky can be reached at 215-354-3038 or lfritsky@phillynews.com