From a psychological viewpoint, burnout is defined as “a state of physical, emotional, & mental exhaustion created by long-term involvement in an emotionally demanding situation”. The term was introduced to describe a syndrome that was a reaction to stressful situations that are demanding but not at a traumatic level.
It’s not uncommon to come across hoopers who are experiencing burnout. For some people it occurs after a period of intense focus or after a festival or hoop conference.
Everyone has experienced it at some point in regards to another activity (ie: school) or a work project. Burnout tends to occur in those who are more idealistic – those people who are highly motivated & very committed to what they do.
Well, when people discover hooping – a lot of them jump into the deep end of the pool. I discovered the hoop during the process of immigrating to Canada. I wasn’t legally allowed to work & I had a lot of free time on my hands. I threw myself into the hoop, bundled in layers during winter practices in the garage & later on (less bundled) in the school yard down the street. I scoured online for all the hoop resources I could find, I buried myself.
& eventually…burnt out.
You find your way back eventually. I did!
Recommendations for Getting Out of a Slump
Waiting it Out. Yes, that’s right. Good ol’ patience.
Let yourself focus on other things that catch your interest: maybe its another flow toy, maybe it is making a collage.
Get yourself to the public library & check out some new music! Experiment with some new tunes.
Go dancing without a hoop. Get your groove on. Remember what it feels like to move in different ways without keeping a hoop up.
Avoid comparison. We all hoop for different reasons. None are ‘better’ or ‘worse’ than other reasons.
Sometimes there are days when I don’t hoop at all.
Everyone’s personal practice is different. There are some of us who go on hooping binges (very common when you start) – After that, it can go in waves. Life jumps up here & there. I know I feel better when I hoop but sometimes other things take priority. Giving a baby a high-five or watching an afternoon movie. Lately it has been enough exercise for me to just bike around the city in this heat. & it is a-okay.
A recent Slate article discusses why Americans have (gradually) fallen head over heels in love with yoga.
We take part in P.E. from a young age, being graded & critiqued on our ‘athletic skills’. It is such a narrow category: dodgeball, capture the flag, team sports. Dealing with the effect of being picked last was a blow from my classmates. Adults struck by grading my body’s performance, teaching me that it was incapable.
It’s not necessarily a negative to strive to be the best, but fitness doesn’t always have to be linked with a competition. There is something to be said about movement for the sake of movement. There is a revolution of people who are learning that exercise can be more than a gym or a grade. It can be more than just another test.
Why do people do yoga? For the same reason that some people pick up a hoop & never want to let go.
To get in touch with themselves one-on-one.
To do one thing at a time & feel GREAT doing it.
To discover that your body has amazing things to harness.
Most people have been focusing on the last few games of World Cup this week. In the Zen Apartment, however, our attention has been on the first week of the Tour de France. The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race that lasts about 3 weeks & covers about 3,600 kilometers. Yowza!
My partner-in-crime brought it to my attention that perhaps some of my hoops were subconsciously inspired by the Tour de France professional team jerseys. Let’s take a look.
Team Astana had a powerhouse team in 2009 (among them Lance Armstrong & Alberto Contador) Their turquoise & yellow jerseys present a fresh & sporty look. This year their team had a lot of rebuilding to do, with Lance & several others switching over to Team Radioshack for the 2010 season. There’s a lot of competitive tension between Armstrong & Contador as statements have surfaced from each other them concerning teamwork & lack of respect.
Team Liquigas has bright green jerseys with dark blue accents. They sure stand out amongst the peloton!
Team Rabobank took a major hit in 2007 when Michael Rasmussen was disqualified while wearing the yellow jersey. The Dutch bank not only sponsors the team but is supportive of every type of cycling in Holland.
Team Radioshack is Lance Armstrong’s team for 2010. With his switch from Astana, he brought many of his favorite teammates with him. Another well known name on Team Radioshack is Levi Leipheimer. The team includes 26 riders from 16 countries.
The Euskaltel team is the Zen Apartment’s chosen team. It is solely made up of riders from the Basque region of Spain, known for their skills at conquering the mountain stages. It’s not just a sponsored team, but a way of supporting Basque cycling & promoting Basque culture. The bright orange jerseys make them easy to spot & easy to cheer for. Their team bike of choice is the Orbea & I’m lucky enough to have one adorning my living room.
I know people who match their hoops to their outfits & cyclists are no exceptions!
The new improved version of Hooping.org launched this week! For those of you who don’t know, Hooping.org is filled with advice & information on anything & everything to do with the hula hoop. There are tutorials, featured news stories, photos & more!
To celebrate the launch there are a few contests & (of course) amazing prizes. Go check ‘em out :]
& if you’re somewhat local, come join the Eastern Canada group! (which is everything East of the Manitoba/Ontario border) I’m one of the moderators there & would love to see people I know pop up.
Get your dance on this weekend with me at Toronto Pride 2010! I’ve been volunteering for the past few years at Pride, but this is my first year facilitating with hoops. With the large amount of traffic, there won’t be a ‘formal’ class – so feel free to drop by anytime & give it a whirl! Family friendly (I’ll have kids +adult hoops on hand), all levels + ages welcome.
Come & say hi!
**Family Pride 2010**
Saturday June 3rd & Sunday June 4th11am-1pm on both days Church Street Junior Public School(on the southeast corner of Church & Alexander Street)
I am a hooper & I have zero desire to go to Burning Man.
& that’s okay.
I don’t mind that other people want to go. I enjoy seeing videos of my hoop friends spin it up as they attend what is often an annual pilgrimage. I like seeing & hearing about the art & costumes & what-have-you.
I just know it’s not for me. In fact, I’m a bit of a homebody.
I’ll save that one for next time.
