Hula hooping can give a blast back to your childhood playground days as well as a workout that helps blast off the weight. As long as you keep the hoop going for a sustained period it can give you an aerobic workout with additional benefits that falls right into your fitness plan.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise moves large muscle groups and raises your heart rate for a sustained period of time. Hula hooping fits the bill. An ACE Fitness study examined the effects of a 35-minute hula hooping workout on 16 women aged 16 to 59. The study found the average heart rate of the hula hoopers during exercise was 151 beats per minute, which ACE said fell into the exercise target zone based on the age of the participants. The women ranked the workout as “somewhat hard” when it came to perceived energy exertion.
Calories
Hula hooping burned an average of 420 calories per hour in the ACE Fitness study, although ACE did not note the weight of the participants. The calorie burn is still on par or above the calorie burn you get during other aerobic workouts. If you weigh 160, for instance, MayoClinic.com says you burn 277 calories per hour walking at 3.5 mph, 292 calories per hour doing water aerobics and 385 calories per hour doing low impact aerobics on land.
Other Benefits
Hula hooping works your core muscles, consisting of your abdomen, pelvis and back. Working your core is a vital part of an overall fitness plan that keeps you strong and improves posture. The hula hoop workout’s rotating and side-to-side movements reduce your risk of injury and work on your balance, coordination and flexibility.
Hula Hoop Tips
Skip the kiddie hula hoops you see in toy stores and instead invest in one meant for adults. Adult hula hoops are generally heavier and have a bigger diameter than kids’ hoops. Opt for a hoop that is between 36 and 42 inches wide and weighs between 1 and 5 lbs. The lighter the hoop, the harder you’ll have to work to keep it going. To keep a hula hoop going, don’t try to rotate your body along with the hoop. Instead sway your body back and forth in a rocking motion as the hoop spins around your waist.
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