Why were hula hoops invented

Some use glow-in-the dark, patterned, or sparkling tape, and others are produced with clear tubing and filled with plastic balls, glitter, or even water to produce visual or audio effects when used. LED technology has also been introduced in the past few years, allowing hoops to light up at the flick of a switch. Programmable 'Smart Hoops' are available which provide a range of special effects. Modern hooping has created a wide range of tricks. Hooping now includes many 'on body' moves and many 'off body' moves.

A few examples include breaks, isolations, leg hooping, and double hooping. Hooping has now become popular fitness activity, with classes taking place in many towns and cities across the world. It is easy for beginners to get started with many great online resources popping up. A recent development in hooping has been fire hooping, in which spokes are set into the outside of the hoop and tipped with kevlar wicks, which are soaked in fuel and lit on fire.

And recently I looked at the Hula Hoop. Conventional lore holds that the hula hoop was first made by the Wham-O Toy Company. Actually, from many places. As far back as BCE Egyptians were curving reeds and rattan into circles. These hooped circles were swung around the waist, pushed along the ground by a stick or thrown in the air. Legend has it that the toy derived its name from British soldiers who had visited the Hawaiian Islands and thought the motion with the hoop looked similar to hula dancing.

Wham-O first got the idea from Australia where children played with hula hoops made of bamboo. The Australian company TolToys began marketing plastic hoops in Australia to meet the high demand for the toy, and it migrated to America where it took off as a toy and fitness phenomenon. To promote the hoop, Wham-O gave out free hoops, demonstrating their use at schools and playgrounds across California.

And so, the hula hooping craze was born…. The hoop continued to evolve from its polyethylene origins to include beads inside the hoop, which produced noise when used. Hooping became so popular that a National Hula Hooping contest began in and ran until Judges evaluated contestants based on their ability to execute a variety of moves , including the Stork, Alley Oop, and Hula Hop.

The men were marketing a slingshot originally invented for training pet falcons and hawks it slung meat at the birds. This slingshot was named "Wham-O" because of the sound it made when it hit the target. Wham-O also became the company's name.

Wham-O has become the most successful manufacturer of hula hoops in modern times. On May 13, , Arthur Melin applied for a patent for his version of the hula hoop. He received U. Patent Number 3,, on March 5, , for a Hoop Toy. Actively scan device characteristics for identification.

Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance.