Hula Hooping-The Ultimate Exercise

Hula Hooping, the ultimate exercise?  I played with hula hoops when I was a teenager.  Now they've become the exercise fashion and can actually decrease your waist size.  Read the following comment from a member of weight loss forum:

my waist and stomach were much bigger at one point but I started using the "Hula Hoop" and less than 1 month later I noticed a big decrease in both my waist and stomach area

In recent trials at the Cooper Institute for Human Performance and Nutrition Research in Dallas, it was shown that vigorous waist-circling with the Heavy Hoop(3lb) for eight minutes burns as many calories - about 110 - as running an eight-minute mile.  With the extra weight providing added resistance as you twirl, its no wonder you burn more calories.

Users of this 'Heavy Hoop', which provides a tougher workout, say that it is the most effective way to trim waists and thighs as it recruits all the major muscle groups.

Helen Vanderberg(CanWest News Service) attended a hoop aerobics class this past summer in San Diego at the World IDEA fitness conference and had these comments about hula hooping:

Video Clip:

Hooping takes a bit of practice so the hoop doesn't keep falling to the ground, and at first it will seem more like an exercise in frustration than fun.

But with a little practice and some good instruction you can learn the basic hooping techniques fairly quickly. The more advanced moves will take even more practice as well as good balance and flexibility.

When you are learning how to hoop, the workout intensity is mild to moderate. But the better your skills, the more moves you can do and the more intense the workout becomes. At the advanced skill level you can get a moderate to high intensity workout — one that can kick the butt of even the fittest person. It's also great for core strength, co-ordination and balance.

Hooping will definitely make you smile. And lightening up a little can be good for your psyche.

My favorite Hula Hoop Video:

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