SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: Hula-Hoops: The Toy That's A Shape

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• The hula hoop has an ancient history, with evidence of children playing with grapevine hoops in Egypt around 1000 BC, predating most world religions.  Copied to clipboard!
• The modern Hula Hoop craze of 1958, driven by Whammo founders inspired by Australian physical fitness programs, was a massive but short-lived fad, selling 100 million units globally by the end of that year.  Copied to clipboard!
• The physics of keeping a hula hoop spinning involves applying torque through hip rotation to generate centripetal force, counteracting gravity, with friction playing a crucial role in maintaining the motion.  Copied to clipboard!

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Ancient Hoop History

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(00:05:32)

• Key Takeaway: Hoop rolling with dried grapevine hoops was a playtime activity for Egyptian children as early as 1000 BC.
• Summary: Hoop rolling, using a stick to push a hoop along the ground, is the oldest known use of the hoop as a playtime activity, dating back to 1000 BC in Egypt. Ancient Greeks used hoops for physical fitness, and an urn depicting Ganymede holding a hoop sparked speculation about its role in early Olympics. Ancient Britons played a dangerous battle game called ‘Kill the Hoop,’ involving throwing spears through a rolling hoop.

Native American Hoop Culture

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(00:10:57)

• Key Takeaway: Native American tribes, including the Taos Pueblo people, have a long culture of using hoops in ritual dances and healing ceremonies.
• Summary: The Taos Pueblo people in New Mexico utilize hoops in ritual dances and private healing ceremonies. The Cahokian Native Americans played a spectator sport called Chunky, involving a small stone disc and stick throwing, which drew crowds of up to 50 acres. Tony Whitecloud, a Yemez Pueblo member, revived the Native American hoop dance publicly in 1930, leading to national competitions by 1991.

Origin of the Term ‘Hula’

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(00:17:13)

• Key Takeaway: The term ‘hula’ was applied to the hoop by 18th-century British sailors who observed Polynesian dance movements involving hip gyration.
• Summary: British sailors in the 18th century observed hula dancing in Polynesia and applied the term to hoops when they saw people using hip rotation with them back in Britain. This adoption of the word ‘hula’ for the hoop movement stuck, even though the hoop itself was not part of the original Polynesian dance. The Swiss adopted hoops for physical fitness and interpretive dance through a program called Eurythmics in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Whammo Craze of 1958

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(00:20:32)

• Key Takeaway: Whammo founders Richard Nur and Arthur Spud Mellon created the modern polyethylene hula hoop, leading to 100 million units sold globally in 1958 alone.
• Summary: Inspired by Eurythmics classes in Australia, Whammo founders created the modern 40-inch polyethylene hula hoop, selling it for $1.98. The 1958 craze was a massive flash in the pan, resulting in 100 million units sold globally before the product quickly declined by the end of that year. Whammo trademarked the name ‘Hula Hoop’ but could not patent the object itself due to its ancient origins.

Hula Hoop Physics Explained

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(00:31:06)

• Key Takeaway: Hula hooping requires applying torque through hip rotation to contribute to centripetal force, which keeps the hoop moving in a circle against gravity.
• Summary: The key to hula hooping is pulsing gyration that keeps the hoop slightly ahead of the contact point as it cycles around the body. This motion contributes to centripetal force, which acts at a right angle to the hip thrusts, keeping the hoop moving circularly. Studies indicate that hips, knees, and ankles are the primary body parts involved in maintaining the motion, with individual contributions varying.

Modern Hooping and Exercise

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(00:35:36)

• Key Takeaway: Hula hooping is legitimate exercise, burning approximately 210 calories in a half-hour session using weighted hoops.
• Summary: Hoop dancing involves moving the hoop across the neck, arms, and legs, while hoop jumping involves swinging the hoop vertically like a jump rope. Weighted hoops are paradoxically easier to keep in motion than lighter ones. Studies on women aged 16 to 59 showed that 30 minutes of hooping with weighted hoops resulted in an average heart rate of 151 BPM, burning about seven calories per minute.

Listener Mail and Final Facts

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(00:43:49)

• Key Takeaway: During the 1950s American craze, the hula hoop was banned in Japan, and the Soviets cited it as evidence of the ’emptiness of American culture.'
• Summary: A listener shared how the podcast helped them through recovery from restrictive anorexia and strengthened their relationship with their sister. In addition to modern fitness uses, performance art has involved extreme uses, such as Sigalit Landau’s ‘Barbed Hula’ piece. The Soviet Union criticized the hula hoop craze as proof of American cultural emptiness, while Japan banned the toy outright.