Pick Up Your Hula Hoop - It's For Adults Too
"Hooping" is the grown-up term for what you might have known as "hula-hooping" as a kid. Using heavier, larger hoops than those found in toy stores, adults around America are getting in on this fitness trend.
Reuters, who reported on the new exercise fad, spoke to the founder of HoopGirl Inc, Christabel Zamor:
According to Zamor, contemporary hooping has evolved into hoop dance -- a form of fitness, healing and meditation for adults of all ages and ability levels. She said hooping is often called "the new yoga" because of its holistic and wellness benefits.
As well as hoop-makers, hooping classes (sometimes teaching "hoop dance") have sprung up to take advantage of the new trend. One of these, hoopclass.com, claims that:
Make no mistake: it is a workout. Hooping is aerobic exercise that will tone your abdominals, increase cardiovascular stamina and strengthen core muscles. It's been proven that hooping can burn up to 110 calories in 8 minutes, as many calories as running an 8-minute mile.
So is it time to go back to childhood and pick up a hoop again? Or is this a passing exercise fad that'll be gone by next year?
Written By Ali Hale
Well I have to admit that anything that sounds like fun, and I'm a convert...but in the vague recesses of my mind I remember hula-hooping and how everyone else seemed to be able to do it no problem - except me. And I suspect I'm not better at swinging my hips now, than I was tack then. (sigh)
ReplyHooping is awesome. Just make sure to get a hoop that is appropriate for your body type/size first!
ReplyWell, I sucked at hula-hooping as a kid, so I'm guessing I'm still gonna suck as an adult. Kind of a neat idea though, especially for people who are good at it, lol.
ReplyI can't do hoops in real life. I do the wii fit hoop
Replyand live out my childhood dream.
I loved hooping as a kid, and even won contests for how long I could keep it up (at like birthday parties and stuff, not in real competitions), and am excited to learn that it is a new exercise fad. I doubt any hoop dance classes have come to my area, but I, too, have a wii fit, and do the hula hooping exercise almost everyday (but without a hoop). I can say that my stomach muscles really feel the workout, and it raises my heartrate, so I think it's a great exercise. Will definitely keep my eyes open for an "adult" hoop to make the workout even better!
Replyfad or no fad. I really like using my hoop, and even though I get better and better I can still use the same hoop. And oh my gosh, have you seen the hoops at troohoops.com! You can get any color combination!
ReplyI've been hooping for a while with a hoop I made myself out of irrigation tubing. It's MUCH easier than those small lightweight hoops we used as a child. I wasn't able to use those then, and I'm worse at most things now -- but hooping with a heavier, bigger hoop is great. It has to do with the momentum.
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