Ok so hula hooping is not new news, most of us had one as a kid; but hooping for fitness does seem to be having another moment on the fitness radar, with TikTok video demonstrations and gym clubs putting hula hooping classes back on their timetables. I myself used to teach a hula-fit class 10 years or more ago… so I’m familiar with how hula hooping works as a great fitness tool.
It’s worth pointing out here that we’re talking about ‘weighted’ hoops, (before you go stealing your 7 year olds plastic hoop from the shed!)
The weight in the hoop creates a resistance to work against with your body movements, which causes the momentum to keep it spinning. There are different types of weighted hoop to choose from too; the most traditional looking ones are circular rings made with thicker, tough plastic tubing, much larger in circumference than the ones we used in P.E. – to fit an adult frame of course, often used by acrobats & rhythmic gymnasts. Some have a lose weight inside the hoop tubing that spins around as the hoop moves, causing the hoop’ee to keep changing their stance to counter balance the loose weight, thus creating more of a challenge. Then the latest invention looks rather like a belt that sits around the waist with the weight attached by a wire, which spins around on the outside, Google it – it’s hard to explain haha.
All this hooping business is great to help shape & tone the waist, activating the core muscles and burning calories, some say as much as 400 calories per hour, which is as much as doing a spin class. I say that’s totally dependent on the intensity you’re working at and if you can actually keep a hoop going continuously for that length of time, it is possible though and even if you can’t I still think it’s a fun way to do some fitness.
In-fact I think by writing this article I have just motivated myself to blow the dust & cobwebs off my hoops and start spinning them again!
There are even competitions, world hula hooping championships anyone?…something to aspire to!
– This article has been published in the August edition of Life Magazines – http://www.lifemagazines.co.uk