Remember those lazy summer days of your youth when you grabbed one of these hoops and challenged yourself to keep it twirling around your middle? Hula Hoop: It seems that hula hoop is only for kids. This classic toy is making a return and we love it. The benefits of hula hooping are much more diverse than you would suspect.
So today, we are going to look at why hula hooping is not just for kids anymore and an insane list of some of the benefits it provides, how often you should be doing it and more importantly why it deserves a spot in your workout routine. We will also go head to head with other fun activities (salsa, belly dance…). Let’s get spinning!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you purchase through them. There is no additional charge to you.
Introduction to Hula Hooping
Hula hooping is an activity generally thought of as a child’s play, but it has a history that goes back thousands of years. Hula Hooping has its roots in ancient Greece and Egypt, which both made hoops out of grapevines and grasses for play and exercise. The hula hoop as we know it was popularized internationally in the 1950s by Richard Knerr and Arthur Melin (owners of Wham-O) began to mass-produce a plastic version, the smaller-sized hoop now common worldwide. This little round piece of plastic had become a cultural phenomenon, appealing to kids and grown ups alike.
Hula hooping has come a long way from just being a fun toy used by both kids and adults for leisure time to an effective fitness tool. Its popularity as a fitness activity has had a resurgence in recent times due to the fact that it works out your body as well providing something genuinely fun and effective. While you may think of hula hooping as something done by kids, the practice has recently received a warm welcome from adults who see that it is fun, active and engaging.
This rhythmic, circular action to keep the hoop spinning works out your core muscles and helps you to develop coordination as well as cardiovascular health.
However, current day hoops are often weighed and designed with fitness in mind. With this development, hula hooping has been incorporated into numerous workouts as a low-impact, high-energy workout accessible to beginners and experienced athletes alike. The benefits of hula hooping extend beyond the physical, and include improved mental health through reduced stress, and an increase in fun and joy.
The more we delve into the health and fitness benefits of hula hooping, it is becoming apparent that this simple activity puts forth a whole array of benefits. Hula hooping is the perfect workout for working out everything from your cardiovascular system, to your abs and core, without being remotely dull! Whether your objective is to lose weight, tighten and tone your body or simply have a little fun in your weekly workout routine, hula hooping may be right for you.
Benefits of Hula Hooping for Health and Fitness
1. Cardiovascular Health
The most meaningful benefit is its aid in cardiovascular health. So, yes hula hooping is an excellent cardio workout. Hiking provides the continuous, rhythmic action that elevates your heart rate and helps boost cardiovascular health and stamina. Hula hooping is an aerobics exercise which keeps your body in a continuous motion and involves steady, rhythmic motions that can improve cardiovascular fitness. Hula hooping is both good exercise and a fun way to get your heart rate up without boring yourself on the treadmill. 30 minutes of hula hooping can burn as many calories as running a 5K.
2. Core Strength
Hula hooping is an excelled method of working out the core, waist and lower body muscles for muscular toning effectiveness. You make use of every muscle in the body. More muscles engaged equal to more calories burned. The movements that you have to do with it in order to keep the hoop spinning hits your core, including the obliques as well as your lower back. Which all contribute to a flat, toned stomach. Also, the attempt to maintain it in movement engages the hips, thighs and glutes that help turn these areas tone. This gentle work is a great complement to weight-based strength training. Over time, this can result in a firmer and flatter core.
3. Weight Loss
Calorie deficit is the most important thing in weight loss, meaning that you have to burn more calories than what you are consuming. Hula hooping burns some good calories. You can burn around 200 to 400 calories in a 30-minute session, depending on your intensity and skill. Which is somewhere between a nice jog and a bike ride. Hula hooping also gets intensified quickly as you elevate your heart-rate, so it does double duty of cardio workout and strength training at the same time. If you are planning to drop some weight then a hula hoop is an excellent inclusion in your Weight-Loss exercise routine.
4. Better coordination and balance
Hula hooping improves your coordination and balance as it forces you to work different part of your muscle together. When the hoop is spinning around your waist, your hip or arms have to move with the hoop in order for it to continue and not fall.
Also, keeping the hoop going round your waist while you do so requires an upright stance and a strong core, increasing your balance. After some time, these repeated movements and corrections improve your ability to coordinate complex movements and balance more effectively, which will lead to better coordination and balance in day-to-day tasks. This is especially helpful as we grow old, guarding us from falls and helping maintain our range of motion.
5. Full-Body Workout
The hula hoop can really work that core but it also engages other muscle groups as well. As hula hooping works various muscle groups simultaneously, it makes a full body workout, and in that way ensures holistic physical exercise for you. This will test the endurance of both your legs, hips and glutes (to maintain the bounce) whilst your arms and shoulders come in to help with control and stability ~ Win win!
The act of spinning the hoop requires a high amount of work from the core muscles (abs and lower back), as the body must actively move to keep the hoop spinning and from falling. Though you are always sitting, your legs and glutes will be doing some form of work, re-adjusting your weight and providing stability to the lower body.
On the other hand, your arms and shoulders assist with serving as a compass and stabilizing the direction of the hoop which becomes more imperative during difficult tricks and movements. All of this constant engagement and movement means that you are using almost your whole body, which helps provide strength, endurance, and coordination for a broad range of muscle groups all at once–a very unusual benefit to get from one workout.
6. Flexibility and Mobility
The circular motion of hooping helps increase mobility and flexibility in your spine and hips. Hula hooping requires a large range of motion, as well as many dynamic movements to keep the hoop moving. The graceful, rhythmic circular motions as you move the hoop around your waist, hips or arms, and from one part of the body to another gently stretch and lengthen muscles. The repetitive motion helps relax stiff muscles and increase spine, hip, and shoulder flexibility.
The continuous, circular motion of hula hooping also encourages increased joint mobility, leading to a more fluid range of motion. Hey just so you know, hula hooping can even improve your flexibility long term. This is great news because we all need to be more mobile as we keep getting older.
7. Mental Health Benefits
Hula hooping not only benefits your body, but it also helps with your mind. Combining physical activity with rhythmic meditative movements, like free form dance or 5 Rhythms, is a fantastic way to get both physical and mental health. Much like yoga or tai-chi, the repetitive motion needed to keep a hoop spinning can act as a type of meditation to reduce stress and anxiety. The concentration needed to keep the hoop going takes your mind off of everyday concern.
The fun playfulness of hooping also releases endorphins that allow your feel good hormones in the brain and body to release to form a natural high and uplifting moods. Learning hula hooping can also increase the sense of achievement and self-assurance as you improve your skills with new tricks, leading to a better mental state.
8. Social and Fun
Hula hooping has social benefits since it turns working out into a fun activity and you can invite your friends over for some bonded workout! Attending a hula hooping class, group or community event also permits you to quickly make connections with the same-minded people in your area and community. By having a social aspect, it creates comradery and accountability that will aid you in sticking to your fitness goals.
What is great about hula hooping is that it is such a fun, creative outlet where you can create all sorts of different challenges and variations to keep your workouts interesting. It can bring a little fun and playfulness into your routine when you ‘re practicing by yourself or teaching a friend, and it can be a social activity as well if you take class or join with some friends.
Different Types of Hula Hoops
Today, this timeless activity has transformed and users can now buy other kinds of hula hoops to cater different fitness levels and for a variety of reasons. When you know the difference between these hula hoops then it makes it easier to choose the best one for your need for fitness and likings. They come in a lot of different types, with some suitable for fitness and others more intent on performance. Main Types of Hula Hoops here is a chaptered format for you to navigate the long post!
1. Standard Hula Hoops
Beginners usually opt for Standard (Traditional) lightweight plastic hoops. You probably remember the latter from your childhood. The hoops are very lightweight and easy to control, meaning beginner hula hoopers can spin them with ease while learning the proper motions for basic hula hoop tricks. Available in a range of sizes and colors, they are an affordable solution for beginners interested in hula hooping to burn calories. These may not offer the resistance that weighted hoops do, but they are great for cardio and you can still use them with some simple basic tricks or spins. However, they are restricted in what they can be utilized for when the user begins to advance with their fitness routines.
2. Weighted Hula Hoops
The hula fitness hoops, on the other hand, is designed for weighted workout. Weighted hoops: Weigh one to five pounds, and tend to be heavier which is great for engaging those core muscles really well. This extra weight increases resistance to that your workouts are harder, but at the same time, more efficient. The extra mass helps elevate heart rate for a better cardio workout, tone muscles, and burn more calories. However, for beginners they can be tricky at first and if not properly used, there is a greater chance of bruising. So weighted hoops are suitable for building core strength and also burning calories.
3. Fitness Hula Hoops
This is sort of like the earlier example, with weighted hula hoops, however health activity hooper are weighted particularly for the train functions. They are always larger in diameter and hence easy to spin at slower speeds. Weighted and unweighted hoops that are specifically designed for fitness purposes, these are frequently used in hula hoop fitness classes.
4. Travel Hula Hoops
Top Travel Hula Hoops: For The On-the-Go Hoopers Fastest-spinning hula hoops (1) Get your travel hula hoop fix! They are great small hoops that can be broken down into sections so you can easily travel with. A must-have for frequent travelers or those with small spaces.
5. LED Hula Hoops
Thanks to their smooth, even glowing surfaces, LED hula hoops are the ideal choice for performance and fun. They are fitted with LED lights that pulsate and form mesmerizing patterns when they’re spun. Performers primarily use them, but they can also bring a sense of fun to your workout, especially in the dark.
6. Fire Hula Hoops
Fire hula hoops (used in performance art and not suitable for novices) These hoops are attached on wicks that are lit on fire during the performances. THEY DEMAND HEIGHTENED SKILL AND SAFETY_MEASURES.
7. Smart Hula Hoops
These are the smart hula hoops with sensors and software that monitor your movement, whereabouts, calories you burnt, and how long of a workout time has taken place. They usually sync with companion apps on your phone for detailed feedback and encouragement. All of these hoops are exceptional and useful as fitness indicators to help you achieve your goals. Sure, there are specialty hoops available that have some additional benefits but many of these improvements come at a cost and with the added fuss of maintenance.
The best hula hoop type for you will always be determined by your fitness goals and current ability level, along with personal preference. A traditional lightweight hoop can be easier to use if you’re a beginner and just working on the basics; someone wanting more weight for a harder workout may choose a weighted fitness hoop, of course. If you are a traveler or an early adopter, you might want to get a collapsible, LED or smart hoop. In the end, it all comes down to what your fitness goals are and how a hula hoop can help you reach your goal in a way that fits into your lifestyle.
General Tips For Beginners Who’re Just Starting With Hooping
Starting your hula hooping journey can be an exciting and transformative process. Have the right equipment and proper environment is important to ensure a good beginning. To work on basic hula hooping skills, which most of beginners do well is with a larger and weighted hoops. Choose a non-distracting area with space large enough for your hula hoop to spin around. Wear more a relaxed fitted clothing so the hoop will not snag onto your clothes, and it will also help your spin onto the next level movement.
Once you have a good setup, the basic technique is key. First, Wrap the hoop around your waist and hold it with your back. Stand with one foot slightly staggered behind the other and push the hoop to one side while swaying your body from one side to the other to keep it spinning. Keep at it until you can consistently play with those pulsations. Slowly you can start to play around with different speeds and ways of controlling.
Once you become comfortable, progress to higher level motions. Add some variations to your exercise focusing on hand and arm motions or switch the hoop from waist to around other parts of your body such us hips, chest. Participating in a workout routine that is suitable for beginners can aid in incorporating hula hooping into your fitness routine as a whole. For example, you could warm up for five minutes, then hooping nonstop for 10-15 minutes before taking the time in spades. As you become stronger, work on increasing the length of time and intensity.
This will help you to stay motivated and always incorporate hula hooping into your fitness plan. Get little wins on the board and track your journey to keep motivation. Put on some jams and turn your hooping into a fun way to connect with friends or family. Getting involved in hula hooping communities or classes can offer more support and motivation as well. Camaraderie, challenges, and celebrations are common between self-improvement groups.
Advanced Hula Hooping Techniques
After you have learnt the basics, you might be ready to start using some more advanced hula hoop tricks. Once confident with selecting faces and inner loops try the next lessons around some slightly more advanced techniques.
1. Body Rolls
Body Hollows: Body hollows are rolling the hoop up and down your body. You will begin by having it around your waste, and with a series of hip movements and arm motions, guide the hoop up to your chest then back down.
2. Off-Body Hooping
Tricks that do not include the hoop circling your waist are mostly off-body hooping tricks. I.e: spinning the hoop around your hand, tossing the hoop into the air or making shapes with the hoop.
3. Isolation Moves
Floating on air around his hoop are what appear to be isolation moves. This requires you to have very fine repeatability with your movements because you need to control the hoop at a level of stability high enough for it to stay in place while you move over and around it.
4. Multi-Hooping
Another way you can hoop a large quilt is called multi-hooping (hooping more than once). This can be done in any plane doing around your body or using two hoops of each hand. This one is quite hard to master and you need some good amount of practice and coordination
5. Fire Hooping
I guess they could always add fire hooping…. This is only to be done by the most experienced hoopers who have been properly trained and take all safety precautions.
Hula Hooping in Combination with Other Workouts
There are several ways to add hula hooping into your exercise and fitness routine. Here are some ideas:
1. Strength Training
Add hula hooping to workouts like squats, lunges and push-ups. This will help you to gain muscle while doing your cardio.
2. Yoga
Combine hula hooping with yoga practices Stretch and balance exercises with the hoop as a prop That could be an extra layer for your daily routine.
3. Dance Workouts
Incorporate hula hooping into your dance workout. The rhythmic nature of hula hooping is great for dance workouts that are just fun to do follow along behind.
4. Pilates
Pilates and Hula Hoop During the exercises that utilize apparatuses like the hoop, its role is to provide assistance with alignment and resistance.
5. Cardio Circuits
Hula hoop as part of your cardio circuit; Hula Hoop for 1 minute and then perform jumping jacks, followed by high knees, burpees at the end.
How Many Times a Week Should You Hula Hoop?
Thus, how much hula hooping should you do? Just like anything else, consistency is key Ways to get the most out of your hula hooping workouts
Beginners:
If you are a beginner to hula hooping, then begin with short sessions of 10-15 minutes a few times per week. There are some workout routines that can last quite a while, but the important thing is to start short and work up so you continue to improve your endurance. For benefits, try to do this at least three times a week.
Intermediate:
When it starts getting easier, shoot for around 20-30 minutes per session, three to five times a week. The frequency will work you around the clock to make sure you stay on track with your level of fitness, not only that but every day this frequency could build up more and more core strength, legs and coordination.
Advanced:
Adjust this up if you are a longtime hula hooper you should simply increase the intensity and duration of your sessions. If you want to get more sophisticated about it, throw in some tricks and techniques of your choosing, and stick with 30-45 minute workout sessions at a significantly increased frequency (five to six times per week).
Rest and Recovery:
This is similar to any exercise practice: you must also allow your body to rest and recover. Take rest days as and when you need to, listen to your body. This leads to overuse injuries and is a surefire way to be disenchanted with your hula hooping experience.
Conclusion
Hula hoop. And its not just for kids. An easy, fun and adaptable way to improve health + fitness. The list of benefits that hula hooping provides is vast, from cardiovascular health to core strength, weight loss and balance & coordination. An inexpensive, portable and low-impact workout that easily fits into your schedule. If you are a novice that wants to spice up your current gym routine or have been training for years and just fancy changing it around, hula hooping is suitable for you.
So grab a hoop… Clear some space and start to spin! You will be amazed at how much you end up enjoying it and feeling. Happy hooping!
