In-spin and anti-spin. You've probably heard of it, but what exactly is it? Let's break it down!
First of all, these terms are not specific to just hoops. You can incorporate in-spins and anti-spins with all the props... poi, fans, staff, levi wand, clubs, you name it! "In-spin" is used to describe the hoop rotating in the same direction as the movement of your hands. You can spin your hoop in 1 large circle (hand path) without rotation (also known as an extension... the opposite of an isolation). When you start rotating your hoop, you can create smaller circles within it (see pic below). When these smaller circles are moving in the same direction of the larger circle, it's called an in-spin.
Now an "anti-spin" is used to describe the hoop rotating in the opposite direction of the movement of your hands. For example, if the hoop is moving clockwise, you would anti-spin it by simultaneously rotating it counter-clockwise. So let's say you're moving your hoop in that big circle we mentioned earlier with in-spins. You'd maintain that same hand path direction but switch the rotation of the hoop, which would then create a flower pattern rather than smaller circles within circles (see pic below).
So I hope that you now have a better idea of what in-spins and anti-spins are. Now it's time to get creative! The pics above only show 2 and 4 petal flowers. However, you can create as many petals as you want! My personal favorite are triquetras (3 petal flowers). Instead of imagining a compass or cross, imagine a triangle △ as your petal reference points. The best part about knowing these spins? Using them to create awesome patterns with doubles (and even triples & quads)! You can mix and match so much... the possibilities are endless! You can do same time, same directions... or same time, opposite directions... or split time, same directions... OR split time opposite directions! If you want to dive deeper into the tech world, I suggest checking out the Vulcan Tech Gospel (VTG). Here's a fun chart I found showing a bunch of fun combos and possibilities!
