What size hoop should I buy?

What size hoop should I buy? – This is one of the most common questions we get and in this article, we aim to answer this question and provide the resources you need to get the best hoop for your specific needs and unique body type.

 

Now that we’ve given you a super quick reference on what size hoop you should get, it’s time to dive deeper into this question and help you pick the best hula hoop for you to use!

What type of hula hooper do you want to be?

In general, there are two types of hula hoopers, those that are looking for a mostly On Body hoop that they will use for fitness, exercise, and waist hooping. Then there are the hoopers that are most interested in tricks, fast flow, performance and Off Body techniques.

Below we will take a look at each of these styles and what hoops would best suite which style of hooping.

 

Weighted Fitness Hoops, Exercise Hooping and On Body Flow – Beginner Hula Hoop Sizes

These hoops are generally made from polyethylene (PE) tubing and range in size from 36″ – 42″ in outside diameter and are made from 3/4″ to 1″ tubing. Another way to think of it is how thick the hoop is, the thicker the hoop, the heavier it will be.

The above image should give you a general idea of a good size hoop to get, the below-sizing guide is a bit more in-depth. Remember that the most important part of picking a hula hoop is getting the color, design, and style that matches your personality! In all seriousness though, a general rule of thumb is to get a hoop that measures somewhere between your hip and bellybutton, you really can’t go wrong using this method.

3 Weights of Fitness Hoop Tubing

There are three types of Fitness Hoops that we have available, Dance Hoop, Fitness Hoop and Fitness Hoop L

Dance Hoop

• 3/4″ 100 PSI Polyethylene
• Weighs approx 1 pound
• This tubing is best for someone that is either already familiar with waist hooping or that falls into the category of a small-medium waist, 5’5″ or smaller and under 140 pounds.

Fitness Hoop

• 3/4″ 160 PSI Polyethylene
• Weighs approx 1.5 pounds
• This hoop is a little heavier and will, in general, be easier to hoop with if you are an absolute beginner. This hoop is best for someone that is looking for a good workout or looking to lose weight.

Weight Loss Hoop 

• 1″ 160 PSI Polyethylene
• Weighs approx 1.7 pounds
• This hoop is a big one and honestly feels really nice as it is rolling around your body. This hoop feels like it is massaging your internal organs and your belly, which is actually a good thing and helps to get the blood moving as well as detoxify your body. This hoop is best for someone with a Medium – large waist, 5’6″ or taller and upwards of 190 pounds.

Beginner Hoopers Sizing Chart

Under 5′

• Under 100 LB – Dance Hoop 36″
• 100-140 LB -Fitness Hoop 36″
• 140-180 LB -Fitness Hoop 38″
• 180-220 LB -Fitness Hoop 38″
• 220LB + – Weight Loss Hoop 40″

5’0″ – 5’5″

• Under 100 LB -Dance Hoop 38″
• 100-140 LB -Fitness Hoop 38″
• 140-180 LB -Fitness Hoop 40″
• 180-220 LB -Fitness Hoop 40″
• 220LB + – Weight Loss Hoop 40″

5’5″ – 5’10”

• Under 100 LB – Fitness Hoop 36″
• 100-140 LB-Fitness Hoop 38″
• 140-180 LB -Fitness Hoop 40″
• 180-220 LB -Fitness Hoop 42″
• 220LB + – Weight Loss Hoop 42″

5’10” +

• Under 100 LB – Fitness Hoop 36″
• 100-140 LB -Fitness Hoop 40″
• 140-180 LB -Fitness Hoop 40″
• 180-220 LB -Weight Loss Hoop 42″
• 220LB + – Weight Loss Hoop 42″

 

Beginner Hoopers and Fitness Hoop Sizing Review

• The bigger and heavier the hoop, the slower it will move and the easier it will be to use and learn on body hooping with.
• Beginner hoops are usually made from PE plastic.
• The average size hoop for a beginner or fitness hooper is 38″ – 42″ in diameter.
• If the hoop feels too heavy or big, you can always get another smaller one, and you probably will anyway!
• Questions? email us! We’d love to help

 

Tricks, Fast Flow, Performance & Off Body Hooping Style

These hoops are generally made from Polypropylene (PP) and HDPE plastics. Choosing a dance hoop or a hoop that you can use for tricks, is in some ways easier as you already know how to hoop and what you want to do with your hoop.

In the dance and performance hoop category we carry polypro in both 3/4″ OD and 5/8″ OD, both will be great dance partners and we’d like to help you narrow down your decision on what size to get.

3/4″ OD, 7 – 14 ounces

This hoop is the go-to for most intermediate and advanced hoopers, you can get it bare or taped (tape will add around 2 ounces). If you’ve been using a weighted exercise hoop and want to start using a polypro, it’s going to feel REALLY light. In this case, we suggest getting something on the larger side, somewhere around 35″-37″ in diameter.

5/8″ OD, 5 – 10 ounces

This hoop is the featherweight of the bunch and for that reason, it is sometimes more challenging for people to use. This hoop is great for smaller frames and people that like to hoop fast and not feel the weight of the hoop. This hoop is NOT recommended for breaks and reversals as the tubing is thinner and could kink if you are hooping in hot conditions.

I’m a brand new hooper and I want to learn tricks and the things I see on Instagram. What size polypro hoop should I get?

• You don’t want anything larger than a 36″
• I’d recommend getting a 3/4″ OD tubing, rather than 5/8″ OD. It’s heavier and easier to learn with.
• I’d measure to your bellybutton and then take off 4″, this would be a good place to start.
• You could get a taped polypro hoop. The tape will add a bit of extra weight and make it easier to learn with.

 

The reasons  you’ll want a small polypro hoop:

1. Lighter and easier to control with your hands

2. Less scary/dangerous while learning risky tricks (like chest rolls and tosses)

3. Small enough to do some tricks that can’t be done with a big hoop (example: wedgies and coin flips)

For your smaller hoop, you will want it to work well with your arm and/or leg length. Your height plays a bigger role in choosing your small hoop.

 

Polypro Performance & Trick Hoops 

For intermediate to advanced hoopers

 

Choosing a polypro hoop that you can use for combinations of tricks, faster spinning, and more intermediate and advanced maneuvers is in some ways easier as you already know how to hoop and what you like to do. 

In the polypro hoop category, we carry polypro in both 3/4" OD and 5/8" OD, both will be great dance partners and we'd like to help you narrow down your decision on what size to get. 

3/4" OD, 7 - 14 ounces

This hoop is the go-to for most intermediate and advanced hoopers, you can get it bare or taped (tape will add around 2 ounces). If you've been using a weighted exercise hoop and want to start using a polypro, it's going to feel REALLY light. In this case, we suggest getting something on the larger side, somewhere around 35"-37" in diameter. 

5/8" OD, 5 - 10 ounces

This hoop is the featherweight of the bunch and for that reason, it is sometimes more challenging for people to use. This hoop is great for smaller frames and people that like to hoop fast and not feel the weight of the hoop. This hoop is NOT recommended for breaks and reversals as the tubing is thinner and could kink if you are hooping in hot conditions. 

 

 

 

ok ok, so what’s the best hula hoop for adult beginners?

The simple answer is to get two hoops! – No, we are not just trying to sell you more hoops, we are telling it like it is.

It is really difficult to learn everything with one hoop. Different sizes/weights serve different learning purposes. Get one larger hoop and one smaller hoop. If you will eventually want to use a smaller hoop for everything, getting a third medium-sized hoop will help you transition easier.

The larger hoop is for learning on-body moves. For example, waist hooping, chest hooping, and shoulder hooping. The small hoop is for learning off-body tricks. For example isolations, chest rolls, tosses, and coin flips.

Big Hoop

Small Hoop

 

Let’s see if we can break this down another way and help you get the perfect hoop!

 

Choosing a hoop based on the hooping style you are interested in

 

Hooping For Beginners

For petite to average body sizes

• Polypro Hoops – 33″ – 36″
• Beginner Dance Hoops – 36″ – 38″

For average body sizes

• Taped Polypro Hoops – 3/4″ OD, 34″ – 36″ diameter
• Beginner Dance Hoops – 38″ – 42″

For larger body sizes

• Fitness Hoops – 38″ – 42″

Hooping For Fun

• Colored Polypro Hoops
• Beginner Dance Hoops
• Taped Polypro Hoops

  

 

Hooping For Fitness & Weight Loss

• Weighted Fitness Hoop – 36″ – 40″
• Beginner Dance Hoop – 36″ – 38″

 

 

Performance Hooping

• Taped Polypro Hoops
• Reflective Polypro Hoops
• Isolation Hoops
• Twins & Minis

   

 

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what size hula hoop you should buy, if you don’t, then please shoot us an email and we’ll help you out!

 

 

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