Poi is a fun and scientifically proven way to keep your mind & body happy.
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What is Poi Spinning?
Poi is a weight on a cord, and poi spinning is the act of spinning that weight in circles around your body. Sound simple? It is! And it’s also super fun, affordable, and scientifically proven to help your brain and body feel amazing. Learn more about poi with our FREE poi & wellbeing guide.
What People Are Saying
Poi could potentially be one of the most affordable, simple and effective interventions globally to alleviate the growing amount of depression, loneliness and isolation in older adults.
Orquidea Tamayo Mortera
Auckland, New Zealand
Poi has always been something I can lose myself in, and find myself in. It’s one of the most valuable tools I have to ground my emotions, distract from anxiety, and refocus myself – it’s a mental sanctuary.
Neebha Budhoo
Durban, South Africa
Because I am so hyperactive and have ADHD, poi helps me focus and calms me down. Every time I spin I don’t think about anything else, just that moment in time.
Zoran Strbac
Bjelovar, Croatia
Being a graphic designer, I appreciate how even clumsily playing poi relaxes my wrists and fingers that send a lot of time wrapped around a computer mouse. Thinking about how to get the poi to do what I would like them to do is mightily mind-detoxing.
Michaela Istok Ahonen
Helsinki, Finland
Shortly after I started spinning I began to notice changes in my mood. I would find myself feeling positive about life and my place in this world. I no longer suffer from depression and my anxiety problems have also greatly improved. I would recommend spinning poi to anyone, not only for the health benefits but for the hours of fun that follow.
Bryan Kroh
Bismarck North Dakota, USA
I had a stroke to the right side of my brain effecting the left side of my body. I just about lost all coordination in my left hand, but spinning poi has gotten my arm motion and finger coordination back in check. I can open and close my hand again, and move my arm all the way around in circles (when it wants to listen to my brain!).
Misty White
Tempe Arizona, USA
Why SpinPoi Works
Poi has the perfect mix of physical and cognitive elements to keep your brain and body engaged. It’s playful. It’s rhythmic. It’s challenging (yet achievable!). And it’s backed by rigorous scientific evidence: a clinical trial found that after just one month of poi practice, participants improved their grip strength, balance, and attention. In addition, SpinPoi is run by the community, for the community, with Certified Instructors improving wellbeing across 5 continents.
Ready to Start Your SpinPoi Journey?
He Taonga Māori
SpinPoi acknowledges Te Tiriti o Waitangi and poi as ngā taonga Māori (Māori treasure), and actively commits to consulting and working alongside Māori to create a space for people of all backgrounds and cultures to learn about and respectfully engage with part of Te Ao Māori (the Māori world). In addition we reserve spaces in all of our training courses for Māori, free of charge. Ngā mihi (thank you) to the tangata whenua (people of the land) of Aotearoa New Zealand. Tēnei te mihi ki a koutou katoa.
See SpinPoi in Action
Learn more about the history of poi and the health benefits of poi in this episode of The Project featuring Dr. Kate Riegle van West of SpinPoi and her work with poi and seniors.
Seniors
Check out our evidence-based resources for working with poi to improve quality of life as we age.
Kids
As a form of play based learning, poi is a simple, fun, and effective way to engage children of all ages and abilities.
Workshops
Join SpinPoi live from your living room! Check out upcoming webinars, virtual classes, and events.
The SpinPoi Story
“I first discovered poi while performing in a circus, and I was immediately hooked. Just spinning it in a circle felt amazing! I became curious as to why poi made my brain and body so happy, but I couldn’t find any research on poi and health. With a burning desire to answer this question I quit my job at Harvard University and moved to New Zealand, where poi began, to conduct the first scientific study on the effects of poi on physical and cognitive function. The completion of this PhD research opened the flood gates for poi as a therapeutic tool, and I began working full time with individuals and organizations across the globe in using poi to improve quality of life. I never could have imagined that a ball on a cord would lead me on such a fantastic journey, and I can’t wait to share the joy and magic of poi with you, one orbit at a time.”
Dr. Kate Riegle van West
Founder and CEO, SpinPoi Ltd
Get Started With Our FREE Guide!
Our FREE poi and wellbeing guide is the perfect place to start your SpinPoi journey. It covers the history of poi, the health benefits of poi, and how you can get started playing poi yourself.