Get the hula hoop into motion around your waist. If you can't keep it going for more than a few seconds work on your basic technique until you have got more stamina. Position your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. This gives your hips plenty of room to move and improves your balance. Take a short hop into the air. Make your first two or three jumps as small as you can . you should just barely leave the ground with each one. Keep your hips moving as you jump into the air. If your hips stop rotating the Hula Hoop drops on the ground. Increase the height of your jumps until you reach the perfect balance of hang-time and hoop spinning. If you go too high the hoop will drop below your hips and catch around your ankles.