Hula Hooping is a fun way to keep fit, allowing you to target your arms, legs, abdomen and buttocks through a variety of exercises. It improves flexibility, balance, motor skills, hand-eye coordination and endurance, and a weighted hoop can provide enough resistance for a strengthening regimen. We have put together some exercises that you can try when you are next in the gym.
Side bend: Holding the hoop behind you
This stretch gently opens the side of the body. This is really good for toning those stubborn love handles! Stand tall with your feet hip width apart. Engage your core and lean side to side extending from the hip but keeping the hips stationery.
Waist hooping with forward stance
This is hula hooping forward and back with one foot in front. Did you know hooping can burn up to 400-600 calories an hour! Stand with one foot in front of the other and rock gently backwards and forwards. It’s all in the waist – get your shimmy on ladies!
Waist hooping with side stance
This move can help to sculpt an hourglass figure. Perform this move by moving your hips side to side with your feet positioned wide apart… Find a rhythm and rock with it!
Waist hooping with plies
Pliés further elevate your heart rate while toning inner thighs so it’s a great form of cardio. Come down to a squat position, toes pointing outwards with your weight down through your heels. Keeping the back nice and straight, move up and down from squat to standing and keep the hoop going!
Ninja passes
These high-energy passes work the obliques as you rotate your torso. You can also do this move in a sustained plié to force your inner thighs to engage, working legs and upper body. Standing in a squat position, quickly pass the hoop from hand to hand around the torso… making it a quick exchange from hand to hand.
Basic passes
Passing can help to develop a super sleek upper body. Similar to the Ninja pass, pass the hoop from hand to hand, around the body… standing tall. Do this quickly to increase your heart rate.
