We’ve all enjoyed hula-hooping at some point in our lives and much like a majority of people, I was useless! Although that’s the truth, it never took away from my enjoyment and the versatility of what you could do with this ring of joy. I’m sure we all discovered hobbies to stay fit during lockdown such as skipping, another playground classic, but now the weighted hula-hoop is making a resurgence, reportedly being loved by the likes of Beyonce, Lizzo and Gal Gadot.
Despite it commonly being thought of as a children’s toy, hula-hooping can be a great form of exercise as personal trainer Bailey Shaw says “A simple 30 minutes of hula-hooping at a consistent pace can burn over 150 calories,” but adding those extra pounds can take things to the next level in terms of boosting aerobic health. It also has the incredible ability to be able to reduce fat around your waist and hips whilst simultaneously increasing core muscle strength and mass.
The best feature of a weighted hula-hoop is the ability to use it whenever you like while doing whatever you like. You have the opportunity to fit in a quick workout in your living room anytime, you could be enjoying a new Netflix series or even fit in a quick 15-minute workout before taking the kids to school.
Whilst being an effective and efficient form of exercise, the hoop does come with a slight learning curve. At the beginning of your workout you may find that the hoop spends more time on the floor than around your waist but don’t let this discourage you as it will be a fun journey to learn a new skill as well as exercising and having fun. To help you out the best we can here are some quick tips for beginners;
- Start by holding the hoop in one hand and stand with your feet staggered, one foot about 6 to 8 inches in front of the other. If you spin the hoop clockwise, start with your left foot forward. If you spin counter-clockwise, start with your right foot forward.
- If you’re just starting out, you may want to practice the hula motion without the hoop at first. Make a small forward and backward movement with your hips while rocking your weight slightly from your heels to your toes and back to your heels again. Keep doing this until you get comfortable with the motion.
- Next, place the hoop around your waist with the back of the hoop on the small of your back, just above your hips. The front of the hoop should point down slightly.
- Then, spin the hoop and try to catch it with your front hip as you start rocking forward and back. You can change the speed of the hoop by changing the speed that you rock your hips.
Hula hooping has the potential to be a fun, challenging, and invigorating way to improve your aerobic health, burn calories, lose fat, and build your core strength. So why not get yours today?