If you spent your school recess spinning a hula hoop around your waist on the playground, but you haven't picked up a hoop since, you may want to do it again. According to MayoClinic.com, hula hooping can provide you with a workout that gets you off the treadmill. Incorporating a hoop into your workout routine could increase your physical fitness, just make sure you choose the correct size hoop. The height level of the hoop should reach between your waist and your chest. Pick one up at a local sporting goods store and start hooping.
Cardio and Weight Loss
If you can stick with hula hooping for at least 10 minutes, the energy it takes to move the hoop around your body can exercise your aerobic system and lead to calorie burn. A September 2009 "Time" article by Catherine Sharick interviewed one avid hula hooper, Dawn-Samantha Cahill, who lost 46 pounds leading up to her wedding because of the extra activity that it afforded her. She credited her adherence to the hooping program to the fact that it was fun and it didn't feel like exercise. Not everyone will feel like committing 45 minutes a day to hooping like Cahill did, but if you can commit to getting your body moving, you may just see significant cardiovascular and weight loss result.
Better Balance
According to "Fitness" online, the side-to-side motion of the hula hoop can improve static balance, a foundation to dynamic balance. As you move your body around, you're changing the planes of motion in which you move, and your body has to adjust to those changes. Your body learns to react to changes in body position, which can pay off in other functional situations, like if you have to dodge out of someone's way on the street.
Improved Abdominal Strength and Flexibility
"Fitness" also says hula hooping confers to users abdominal strength and flexibility. Even without a hoop, if you twist your hips and abdominals in a circular fashion, you will quickly feel the muscles of your core tighten and stretch, and you will likely feel tired in a short period of time. These two motions strengthen your core while improving flexibility, which "Fitness" magazine emphasizes as two factors for preventing injuries.
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