Hula Hoop Workout

Have you heard about the new fitness trend that is catching on like wildfire, that can tone your flat abs and give you amazing rumps? It's called "hoopnotica" and it turns your favorite pastime into a fabulous blood-pumping workout. The inventor of hoopnotica says, the basic rule is the faster you hoop, the more you are challenging your cardiovascular endurance. The more slowly you hoop, the more control you must exert, and the greater the resistance. It is truly an exercise that you can control using the hoop as a tool to customize your own workout needs.

When you want to avoid going to the gym but still want to stick to your daily workout plan, this workout can be your savior. Do the exercises for about an hour and your daily dosage of burning calories and getting your heart rate up is achieved. Regardless of your age, hula hooping can be a fun activity for many different reasons. Whether you're looking for health benefits or something fun and exciting to do with your kids, hula hoop workouts sure help you burn calories fast.

Calories Burned During Hula Hoops

The amount of calories burned while exercising depends on what your and the hula hoop's weight is. People who are on the heavier side will gain the most benefit of losing calories, as they will move around more to get the workout right.

• Low intensity hula hoop exercise can help you burn about 200 calories in 30 minutes.
• High intensity (weighted hoops) exercise can help you burn about 400 calories in 30 minutes.

Benefits of Doing Hula Hoops

You can do these exercises from the comforts of your home. Specially designed hula hoops available in market today weight about 5 lbs, which means that you can work up a sweat as they hold on your waist, arms, and/or legs. Here are some health benefits.

• Great way to perform warm up exercises at home or gym.
• As you balance the hula hoop over your stomach, you target the abs, back, hips, and legs during the workout.
• This workout can be substituted for any cardiovascular exercise, as it can get your heart rate up quickly.
• The workout is easy on the joints, which means you don't have to be of a certain age limit to enjoy the benefits of the workout.
• The workout massages your internal organs and intestines, as it circles around the waist.
• It helps increase the overall fitness of your body, blood flow to the brain, energy level, and coordination.
• Last, but certainly not the least, hula hooping strengthens your torso muscles and improves spinal flexibility.

Exercises Using Hula Hoops

Before we begin the workout, you will have to purchase the right sized hoop. You will have to consult your doctor or personal trainer if you need to purchase the hoops with or without weights. You can certainly stand in front of a mirror to make sure you're getting it right and/or making any errors.

Working your Waist

• Stand with your right leg slightly ahead of the other and place the hoop against your back, on the waist. Give it a push and start to rotate it around the waist.
• As the hoop circles around you, shift your weight back and forth in between both the legs. This will keep the hoop in motion and won't let it slide down.
• Try not to move your hips or rotate them as the hoop circles around you. The hips will rock side-to-side and not make a circle as well.
• If the hoop falls to your feet, don't be disheartened, start again.

Working your Arms

• The workout can help you tone the muscles in the arms. Place the right arm on your side and keep the hoop around it.
• Start rolling the hoop in a circular motion. Gently rotate your arm, small circles, to keep the hoop moving.
• Follow the steps on the left arm as well. The workout will help you firm both arms and melt body fat.

Working your Legs

• Similar to the arms, you can work your legs also with hula hooping.
• Place an exercise mat on the floor and lie on your back as you start the workout. This will help you keep your balance in the beginning.
• Keep your right leg vertical or angled to the floor and place the hoop on your ankle.
• Keep your balance and start to spin the hoop. As your leg is extended in the air, let the hoop spin for 2 minutes at a time.

Working your Hips

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold the hoop against your hips, slightly down the waist.
• Start to rotate the hoop as you would if it were on your waist. Keep the balance even on both legs and rotate your hips gently.
• Working your waist will help you lose some fat around your hips as well.

These were some of the hula hoop workouts that you can do at home. If you wish to learn more advanced exercises, you can check out some videos online and practice while watching them. All the best!