The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that healthy adults should do 20 minutes of vigorous cardio three days a week or 30 minutes of moderate cardio five days a week. According to "Hula Hoops: From Child's Play to Real Exercise," published on the Time website, hula hooping is an increasingly popular way of fulfilling those recommendations.
Significance
According to an article called "Weighted Hula Hoops: Exercise Gimmick or Good Idea?" published on the Mayo Clinic website, hula hooping is aerobic exercise, and aerobic exercise is one of the most critical components in a weight-loss program. Hula hooping is aerobic exercise because it gets large muscle groups moving rhythmically, elevates your heart rate and causes you to break a sweat. If you can still carry on a conversation despite your elevated heart rate and being slightly out of breath, the workout fits the American College of Sports Medicine's definition of a moderate aerobic workout. If you work out so vigorously that you can only get a few words out at a time, you're working out at a vigorous level.
Calories Burned
According to the Time article, an hour of hula hooping can burn as many calories as running on a treadmill. But how many calories you actually burn during any given exercise depends on a variety of factors, including your body weight, your level of fitness and how intensely you work out. Even the exact number that calorie counters spit out is just an estimate. The bottom line is that hula hooping does contribute to establishing a caloric deficit, which in turn contributes to weight lost. Burning 3,500 calories more than you've consumed equates to losing a pound of body fat. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, losing weight at a steady rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week increases your odds of keeping the weight off long-term.
Muscles Worked
Hula hooping works your core muscles, including your glutes, hip flexors, rectus abdominus, obliques and erector spinae. But dedicated hoop exercisers have expanded their repertoire beyond fancy moves to incorporate Pilates moves--the hybrid is called hoopilates--and other exercises that work other large muscle groups, including your thighs, chest and back. The more muscles you work, the more intense your workout and the more calories you burn.
Weighted or Unweighted
Hula hoops come in both weighted and unweighted varieties. Weighted hoops are easier to keep moving than unweighted hoops; this makes it easier to hoop for long periods, thus burning more calories. But you can still get a good cardio workout with either type of hoop, as long as you work out at the proper intensity level.
Technique
The basic hula hooping technique is fairly simple. Grasp the hoop in both hands. Hold it around your waist, pressed against your lower back. Place one foot slightly in front of the other. Give the hoop a quick twirl around your waist, then release it. Shift your hips forward and back in small movements to keep the hoop moving.
Warning
Although hula hooping builds core strength, it might aggravate back problems. Consult a medical or fitness professional before hooping if you have a history of back problems.
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