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      Hula Hoop Workouts for Fitness and Weight Loss - Do They Work?

      September 23, 2022 7 min read

      Hula Hoop Workouts for Fitness and Weight Loss - Do They Work? - Hoop Empire

      Get 3 FREE Video Lessons with Weighted Fitness Hula Hoop and Dance Hula Hoop

      Hula hoop workouts for fitness and weight loss? Are you kidding! Yes please.

      Gym workouts are great if you're a gym bunny, but let's face it - not all of us are. A regular home-based exercise routine, on the other hand, is a must have, must do practice that will set you up for life. 

      Hula hooping is a great addition to any home exercise practice to spin you into shape, condition your body, relax your mind and boost your energy. 

      Hooping workouts, particularly with weighted hula hoops, are all the rage in the fun fit world. There’s a reason for that - they’re fun! 

      But does hooping really work as a fitness tool and will it help you lose weight? 

      After more than two decades of hooping and teaching people how to hula hoop, I’ve been studying the benefits of hula hooping extensively in my classes, my personal practice and my hoop community. I’ve also read numerous articles online and found two important scientific studies.

      Don’t be fooled, successful hooping, fitness and weight loss can all escape you without the facts and a well formed strategy. You want to spin through the hype so you can develop your own personalised exercise routine that works for you.

      Below I share the top 10 questions I get asked about hooping.

      1. What is the right size hula hoop?

      Because I get asked this question all the time, I’ve created The Ultimate Guide on How to Choose a Hula Hoop.

      Short answer: Dance hula hoops for kids and adults | Weighted Fitness hula hoops for plus-sized adults or people who simply want a bigger and heavier hoop.

      Pro-tip: bigger is better for newbies, adults and even some kids. Know that if you 'can't get it' - try a bigger hoop!

      See detailed size recommendations on the product pages and       Buyer's Guide. 

      2. Can Hula Hooping help you lose belly fat?

      Yes! This recent study from the USA supports what most hoopers know and love - hooping reduces body fat around the abdomen and hips. Your hula hoop workout results will depend on your fitness level, your body size and your endurance. Build your hoop practice slowly to develop a sustainable workout. How long should you hoop for to lose weight? See below.

      3. Can a hula hoop trim your waist?

      You betcha! Read on.

      4. How long should you hula hoop to lose weight?

      Start by hooping for 5 minute intervals then increase your workout in 5 minute increments until you are hooping for 20-30 minutes. According to this study by the American Council on Exercise, 30 minutes of hooping will burn approximately 210 calories. 

      “Hooping compares pretty favorably with most other group classes, in terms of heart rate and calorie burn” ... In fact, exercisers can expect similar results from hooping as they’d get from boot-camp classes, step aerobics and cardio kickboxing—all of which meet fitness industry criteria for improving cardiovascular fitness. Also, by burning approximately 210 calories per 30-minute session, hooping falls within accepted guidelines for exercise that can contribute to weight management. [Source]

      The best way to stay engaged in your hoop practice is to rock out to your favourite music. Make a playlist and hoop those calories off!

      IMPORTANT - hooping, as a single step solution, will not “make” you lose weight. There are many essential factors to consider in approaching weight loss. My own experience with weight loss and hooping has included dietary adjustments and a complementary exercise routine developed through regular physiotherapy and gentle yoga.

      ESSENTIAL - consult your doctor if you have any questions or concerns specific to your individual condition. 

      5. Is a hula hoop good for abs?

      You know, you’d really think so - how could hooping not be good for the abs? While hooping does indeed trim your waist, reduce body fat, increase your heart rate, boost your stamina, improve your body's alignment and make you feel amazing, according to this recent study - hooping showed “no improvements in torso muscular endurance as measured by isometric testing” (plank tests). Dang it!

      What about that six pack and all the core strength you’ve been hooping for?

      To target your abs, or core strength in all movement modalities, you need to consider alignment, foundational support and correct movement. The key to a strong core includes exercises such as leg lifts, crunches, bridges and planks. With a strong, stable core your hooping will become easier and safer for you to enjoy. Don't forget to breathe!

      You need to “include core conditioning into your dance training to improve body placement and reduce risk of injury.”
      Jacqui Haas, Dance Anatomy

      So while spinning a hula hoop may not necessarily give you abs of steel, it will help you align your body for the core stability, endurance and focus that you need to build core strength and develop a full body workout through hoop dance. 

      The American Council on Exercise recognises hooping as a total-body workout:

      Given the variety of movements in hooping it should be considered a total-body workout that has the potential to improve your flexibility and balance while strengthening and toning the muscles of the back, abdomen, arms and legs. The rhythmic nature of hooping may also be relaxing and almost meditative for some. [Source]

      Physiotherapy, yoga and pilates are all great options as foundational core training complements to your hooping. With these additional exercise routines, not only will you set yourself up for a sustainable hula hoop practice - with killer abs - but you will also add to your toolkit of skills for a longer lasting life.

      6. Can I use same weighted hoop for legs/arms etc?

      Yes! Try our Eco Dance Hula Hoop. It's not too heavy and not light, but juuuust right!

      7. What parts of the body does hula hooping work?

      This really depends on how you hoop. If you stand still with the hoop spinning around your waist, without activating and relaxing the rest of your body, you are working the waist in isolation without support or ease. Be careful of hooping in this way - by not activating foundational support, or easing into your workout with your breath, you risk straining your body in many different places. 

      By engaging your legs, core muscles and the base of your spine while breathing fully, you have instantly given yourself a foundation to move freely and safely with your hula hoop. Relax your neck and shoulders while extending through the arms, engage the biceps and triceps and watch your guns grow! When you start to hoop dance in an engaged and supportive way, hooping becomes a full body workout.

      Follow these cues to support your body:

      • Connect to the floor evenly with your feet and don't let them rock.
      • Feel the alignment from your feet up through your legs to the base of your spine and up to your head. 
      • Find your neutral spine - not arched, or tucked - lift, lengthen and relax.
      • Feel your legs engage by pressing into the floor with your toes.
      • Relax the belly and let it breathe. 
      • Feel the connection of the base of your spine to your pelvis.
      • Relax your shoulders and neck.
      • Allow your trunk to be relaxed with the support of your legs, feet and aligned posture.
      • Keep your body tall and straight as you hoop - don't bend your body - and breathe!

      8. The best exercises for weighted hula hoops + exercises to avoid.

      Hula hooping on the waist and the hips are two great areas to focus on when you first start out. 

       A weighted fitness hula hoop is an ideal hoop to use on the waist and on the hips for plus-sized bodies. These hoops are the perfect starter hoop, especially if you are carrying extra weight.

      Once you have successfully mastered hula hooping on your waist and hips, move on to a weighted dance hula hoop to try fun hula hoop tricks in the hands and on the arms. Our dance hoop is lighter than our fitness hoop but still weighted, making it perfect to learn hula hoop tricks in the hands, yet still heavy enough for easy and enjoyable waist hooping.

      Included in both our fitness hoops and dance hoops are 3 BONUS video lessons for you to learn how to hula hoop! We are Australia's one and only manufacturer of recycled plastic hula hoops. SHOP ECO HULA HOOP HERE

      9. What’s your single best piece of advice for hoopers to prevent injury or pain?

      Add a core conditioning program to your hooping practice such as yoga, pilates or, even better, follow an exercise program designed specifically for you by a physiotherapist. Sometimes, improving your body’s health and longevity is as simple (and complex) as understanding and correcting your posture. Consult a medical doctor and/or a physiotherapist if you have any concerns about the postural condition of your body, or for any aches or pains.

      After rehabilitating from a severe accident and having my hoop practice wiped out, I enlisted the expert support of my doctor, a physiotherapist, a pilates teacher and several yoga teachers to get me back into my hoop. I am relieved to report that my recovery has been very slow and very steady. 

      Please consult your medical practitioners before hooping if you are carrying extra weight or have any previous injury or pain.

      10. What are the facts and myths about the benefits of hula hooping?

      Hooping Facts

      Hooping Myths

      Fact: Hooping trims the waist

      Myth: Hooping gives you a 6 pack

      Fact: Hooping burns calories which helps to maintain weight (210 calories per hour)

      Myth: Hooping "makes" you lose weight (consider your daily calorie count)

      Fact: Hooping alerts you to your core stability

      Myth: Hooping increases your core strength (study)

      Fact: Hooping helps you lose belly fat

      Myth: Hooping strengthens abdominal muscles (study)

      Fact: Hooping increases your focus, coordination, stamina + endurance

      Myth: Hooping is a kids toy and a fad

      Fact: Hooping is the best relaxation therapy

      Myth: Hula hoop games are only for kids

      Fact: Weighted hula hoops are easier to use

      Myth: Weighted hula hoops make you lose weight

      Fact: Hooping is FUN!

      Myth: Hooping is easier for kids than adults.

      As my experience with the hula hoop expands and deepens, so does my understanding of what hooping has to offer to the body and mind. I’ve come to realise that the road to fitness and weight loss has a blinged up gateway and sitting right there waiting for you is a hula hoop. 

      Hooping is a portal into fun fitness and creative play. It inspires you to move your body in a way that soon becomes a full body workout. Your practice will necessarily include, sooner or later, a core conditioning program that supports a sustainable hoop practice and a healthy body for longer lasting life. You can DO IT! I promise, you will not look back.

      Spin into shape with our high quality hula hoops!
      Shop Hula Hoops HERE