Introduced to the United States by Wham-O, Inc. in 1958, the modern-day Hula Hoop was modeled after a bamboo cane hoop that children in Australia used for exercise. I’ll share an interesting “spin” on the history later in this article.
Originally marketed as a toy, more recent reincarnations of the Hula Hoop have gained popularity as a fun way to workout. Fun is all perspective, however. My experience has shown that, depending on one’s personal childhood experience with Hula Hoops, people seem to have a nostalgic fondness for it or they detest them and will not even touch one.
I have one client that loves hooping so much that when she is having an off day and needs motivation to start her workout, I have her warm-up for a few minutes with a Hula Hoop. With each spin of the hoop, I see her relax and her mood goes from reluctant to ready to take on whatever I have planned next for her.
Then there was my husband, who saw me pull out a weighted hoop for the weekly outdoor circuit that I do here in town and blurted out, “I’m not doing that!” I burst out laughing. We weren’t going to use them the traditional way, but it was hilarious to see his reaction when he thought that was the plan.
If incorporating hooping into your workout intrigues you, do not steal your child’s Hula Hoop just yet. Before adding hooping to your workout routine—especially if you have a history of back pain—consult your physician, just as you should with any new workout.
If your doctor tells you that you can hoop to your heart’s desire, still don’t grab your kiddo’s hoop. All hoops are not created equally. Using the correct size hoop for you may lead to success and a newfound love, while the wrong hoop may lead to frustration and hoop-hate. Here’s the basic test: Stand the hoop on its edge. It should reach somewhere between your waist and chest. Make sure the weight feels right as well. For working out, I prefer a weighted hoop but you may or may not feel the same way. A lighter hoop requires more energy and speed to keep it going, while a heavier hoop will allow you to maintain your motion and rhythm longer.
According to a Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine article, “Hula Hooping can provide similar results to other types of aerobic activities, such as dancing—including salsa, hula, belly and swing dancing. On average, women can burn about 165 calories in 30 minutes of Hula Hooping, and men can burn about 200 calories in 30 minutes of Hula Hooping.”
A 2015 study that followed women using a weighted hoop for six weeks found that the women lost, on average, 3.4 centimeters around their waist and 1.4 centimeters around their hips. Though the study did not find any change in muscle endurance, it “suggested that regular hooping was associated with reduced waist and hip girth together.”
Are you excited about trying a Hula Hoop? Have you already found the right hoop for you? As in the above studies, a full hooping workout is about 30 minutes. If you are picking up a hoop for the first time in a long time, possibly since childhood, set yourself up for success. You would not run your first marathon without building up to it, perhaps starting with a 5K race, and even that would require training in advance. Start hooping with short time goals—two to three minutes just keeping the hoop up—and then build to five minutes and progress over time. And remember that hooping does not have to stand alone; make it a portion of your workout.
Focus on your form:
- Feet should be about hip width apart, and you can put one foot slightly forward of the other.
- Stand tall and straight, do not bend forward.
- Engage your core muscles.
- Spin the hoop and then keep it going by moving your hips in a circular motion. If you are right-handed, you will likely be most comfortable spinning in a counterclockwise motion; if left-handed, clockwise may be best, but there is no wrong direction.
Earlier I promised additional insight into the lesser known history of the Hula Hoop. What many people do not know is the story of the woman who introduced the hoop to the head of Wham-O. Meet Joan Anderson and learn the true beginnings of the Hula Hoop in the United States in the documentary short, Hula Girl (on YouTube).
Contributing writer Denise Lum is a Health and Fitness Coach raising her family in Alameda. Contact her via [email protected] or FitnessByDsign.com. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Denise-Lum.
