Hula-Hoopily Ever After

The American company Whamo popularized the hula-hoop after seeing children playing with a Bamboo version in Australia. The craze swept the nation in the late 1950s, with sales topping 25 million. Never one to be late to jump on a bandwagon, in 2023, at 61, I decided to learn how to do this seemingly simple activity.

As a fitness enthusiast, I figured it would be a great way to challenge myself cognitively and improve my core strength. Ironically, even though I’ve always considered myself a good athlete, I’m not overly coordinated. At first, I tried the economical YouTube approach, but I wasn’t getting it. Next, I did what all married men do in this situation – I asked my wife. Although she remembered hula-hooping as a child, she didn’t retain her muscle memory and couldn’t do it anymore, let alone teach me.

Feeling great after completing a morning swim, but still unfulfilled because of my inability to hula-hoop, I came across a handwritten note posted at our neighborhood pool. Katie, a local high school student, was advertising her baton-twirling expertise. I thought, “Ah – she likes to teach, maybe, just maybe, she knows how to hula-hoop and can teach me. It can’t hurt to ask. I could also teach a young entrepreneur the concept of a brand extension.” IMHO, this was not a huge leap of logic or faith. So, I texted her.

(8:46 AM) Eric: Saw your sign at Leslie Beach Pool. Would you by chance, be able to teach someone how to hula-hoop? I know it’s a strange question.

(8:51 AM) Katie: Well I should be able to do that. What age? Do you have the hula-hoops. I can also teach you how to juggle if you are interested in that.

(9:03 AM) Eric: Hi Katie – thanks for the response! I’m Eric Schwartz – I’m the Leslie Beach Treasurer – I do have a basic hula-hoop and a weighted one. I’m 60+ but I am in good shape and want to learn how to hula-hoop as another way to strengthen my core.

(a few minutes later) Katie: I am going to be out of town a lot and I’m sorry but I’ll need to decline.

I think we all know how we got here, but it doesn’t make me any less sad that this young woman reflexively defended herself against a potential predator. Maybe Katie checked with her parents or didn’t. Missing out on the hula-hoop lessons is not a big deal, but something was lost here. It was a chance for a genuine intergenerational human interaction.

After I shared this story with my wife and adult daughter, they correctly pointed out that I had misconstrued the situation. I should have been more sensitive to Katie’s position and had my wife initiate contact.

As my daughter suggested, I went online and found a local hula-hoop teacher on hulahoopteachers.com. My wife and I met her at a local exercise studio one Saturday morning. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience, but still frustrating. In our lesson, we improved from hopeless Hula-Hoopers to beginners and reached the point where we could keep the hula-hoop from hitting the ground immediately.