Weighted hula hoops make for an entertaining workout

by Alicia
(Chicago, IL, USA)

My favorite workout involves the use of a hula hoop and some kind of entertainment, either in the form of music or the TV.

I started a couple years ago when I purchased my 3 lb weighted hula hoop upon the suggestion of some nice people who recommended it to me. I was a little skeptical as to how much a hula hoop could do in regards to an actual workout, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Weighted hula hoops usually come with a warning to go slow at first and gradually work up to a full workout when you first start hooping. This is for good reason, and I learned that the hard way.

My first hooping session was about an hour long and left my waist sore and bruised for days afterward! I was a bit discouraged, but I tried again when the soreness went down in a few days.

It didn't take long for my waist to harden up and build a resistance to the hooping, and so I hooped away.

Every other day or so, I do about thirty minutes to an hour with the hoop either while blasting my favorite music or watching a program in front of the TV.

The workout gets you sweating and leaves your abdominal area feeling tight and sufficiently worked when your hooping is complete.

The hooping is fun and easy to do, once you get the hang of it, and you have the option of just hooping normally or making the workout more interesting.

My favorite methods to spice up my hoop workout are by hooping to music, by changing your pace to the beat, trying to hoop counterclockwise if you're used to doing the typical clockwise motion, and hooping other body parts (a smaller, lighter hoop is recommended if you're doing this) like your arms, neck, or even your legs.

Hula hooping has helped me strengthen my core muscles, reduce my waist size, and firm up my abdomen area in a very nice way. I highly recommend it!