By: Aly Ebrahim Makram

Today, we`re speaking with a talented hula hoop athlete Aya Hafez, who has transformed this hobby into a known sport. She spent years perfecting her skills and is now recognized as one of the top performers in the field. Join us as we delve into their journey and discover what it takes to succeed as a hula hoop athlete that not only excelled at waist hooping but performed fascinating hula hoop tricks

How did you get started in hula hooping, and what inspired you to pursue it as a competitive sport?

In summer 2021, I was traveling with friends when one of them brought a hula hoop and they all competed whether they could make waist hoops or not. I thought it was a stupid challenge at first yet I gave it a try anyways. Surprisingly I excelled at waist hooping unlike the other girls. That`s when I realized my talent at hooping and started self teaching hula hoop tricks not only waist hooping.

What are some of the key skills and techniques you need to master in order to excel as a hula hoop athlete?

One of the most important traits of a hula hooper is patience as it takes a lot of time and practice to learn one hula hoop trick!

What types of training and conditioning do you do to maintain your physical fitness and agility for hula hooping?

Hula hooping is considered cardio yet it requires a lot of strengths and flexibility to apply certain tricks. I have my own home training plan that
includes stretching and fitness for flexibility and weight lifting for growing muscles that suit hula hooping.

Can you walk us through your typical pre-competition routine, from warm-up to performance?

Before any performance I make sure to have memorized the performance’s choreography really well and I take care to apply the tricks that I memorize by heart to prevent being bewildered or confused on stage with tricks learned recently. Usually before the performance I’d practice a lot and wake up early before the performance day to make sure I`ll perform it well on stage.

What challenges have you faced as a hula hoop athlete, and how have you overcome them?

I began hula hooping at an early age and no one identified it as a sport then so I faced problems like people making fun of me and my friends not believing that I can develop professional skills in such a field. I applied at my school talent show at the time and I was very short notice to do actual good choreography and I performed the talent show and the hoop fell from mewould mid talent show yet I continued as if it was part of the show and hooped my way out of it!

What advice do you give to someone who is just starting out in hula hooping and wants to become a competitive athlete?

I’d advise them to reach out to other people and have a fixed training routine for their muscles and flexibility that suits their hula hooping tricks.

How do you stay motivated and focused during training and competitions, and what strategies do you use to manage performance anxiety or nerves?

I dedicate a fixed timing during my day to practice at it and put in mind that today’s outcome isn’t the final outcome and that with practice, dedication and hardwork you’ll reach your goal.

Can you tell us about a particularly memorable or exciting moment in your career as a hula hoop athlete?

One memorable moment is when I started creating my own hula hoops because of the lack of hula hoops in the market. The process starting from buying the raw materials to putting them together to decorating them was amazing.

What are your goals and aspirations for the future of your hula hoop career?

I aspire to become a certified kids hula hoop instructor at aerial hoop studios and have my own store that sells all different types of hula hoops and become a well known content creator about hula hooping.