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Hula hoops have been used as children's toys since 500 BC. The modern version of the hula hoop found its inspiration in the Australian bamboo hoops, which were later adopted by the American company Wham-O.
While the children’s hula hoop measures approximately 70 cm (28 in) in diameter, the adult variant measures around 100 cm (39 in). Commercial hula hoops are generally made of plastic, although willow and grapevine can be used to make your own DIY equipment.
A weighted hula-hoop typically weighs between 1 and 8 lb, and is much thicker compared with the unweighted type.
Hula hooping can be an amazing cardiovascular exercise that can help with building endurance and speeding up weight loss. Weighted hula hooping can make your workout considerably tougher and help build muscle, especially for toned abs. It is also a fun activity that can be done in groups, which helps with adherence and motivation.
6 Best Weighted Hula Hoop Exercises for Weight Loss
While hula hooping is not a one-step solution for weight loss, it can give amazing dividends if paired with the right diet plan. On average, a 30-minute hooping session can burn about 165 calories in women and 200 calories in men. When combined with the right HIIT techniques, they can help you burn fat easily, improve posture, and lose inches off your waistline.
Let us look at the best hooping exercises from a weight loss perspective.
1. Conventional Hula
Sometimes, it is better to stick with the basics. The conventional hula is ideal for beginners trying to find their rhythm and coordination.
It works multiple muscle groups, especially the core muscles. Make sure to warm up properly before every workout session. According to a 2011 study, hula hooping can help you burn up to 210 calories in 30 minutes, which puts it on par with cardio kickboxing and step aerobics in terms of heart rate and calorie expenditure.
2. Hula Hoop Dance
Dancing is among the most efficient fat loss exercises. Adding a weighted hoop can help kick up the intensity by several notches while growing the stabilizer muscles and improving trunk control.
The biggest requirement would be good music of your choosing. Blast your favorite track and get moving!
3. Russian Twist
Russian twists are excellent for your core, and can be made more intense by using a weighted hoop. Here are the steps to perform the exercise with proper form:
- Hold the hoop with both hands while sitting on the ground/mat
- Lift both legs while flexing your knees slightly.
- While holding the hoop, slant backwards slightly and twist to your right side.
- Pause for a moment, focus on contracting your abs, and then twist to your left.
- Repeat as desired, based on your current level. A good aim would be to do 3 sets of 25 repetitions each.
4. Hula Hoop Squat
Squats are a full-body compound movement that combine well with weight loss fitness routines. Weighted hoop squats are a versatile and beginner-friendly exercise that should be done as follows:
- Put the hula hoop in front of you at a comfortable arm's length using both your hands.
- Your legs should be shoulder-width apart, withyour toes pointing out slightly.
- Imagine you're sitting on a chair. Lower your body slowly while pushing your hips out and flexing the knees.
- Come back to starting position, and then repeat.
- Peform as many repetitions as possible, taking brief rest periods to enhance fat burn.
5. Hula Hoop Arm circles
This is an excellent exercise to tone up your arms and shoulders. It can also help with shoulder stability during rehab.
- Circle the hula hoop between your palms and forearms while holding it in the air.
- If you want to feel an intense pump in your shoulders and arms, keep your elbows slightly bent.
- It is good to pair this activity with other hooping exercises during a circuit training session.
6. Hoop V-Sits
V-sits target your entire core as well as your hip flexors. It is among the few exercises that work the lower and upper abs together.
Here's how you can perform this exercise with a hoop:
- Sit on the floor/mat and hold the hula hoop with your arms held shoulder-width apart.
- Place your feet on the other end of the hoop, with your legs hip-width apart.
- Lean back while keeping your back straight. Raise both legs at a 60-degree angle with the ground while keeping your arms extended forward.
- Lower your legs and arms until your legs are about to touch the floor.
- Raise your legs and arms again.
- Repeat until you feel a burn in your abs. Try working up to 3 sets of 15–20 reps over time.
Takeaway
Weighted hula hooping is a potent full-body exercise that can help you burn lots of calories and trim inches over your midriff. They can be done at the gym or at home with minimal equipment. Check out our recommended hula hoops here.
