Exercise hoops, also called fitness hoops or hula hoops, may offer a variety of health benefits – we’ll reveal the top five to encourage you to add an exercise hoop to your fitness routine and recommend one of the best exercise hoop brands on the market.
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Add a Whirl to Your Workout With An Exercise Hoop: Top 5 Benefits is an original (HealthXWire) article.
Hoop history – exercise hoop ancestors
The journey of the hoop is a global whirl dating back to at least 500 BC. In ancient Egypt, children played with hoops made of rattan or dried reeds. In ancient Greece, grape vines were dried and curved into hoops used for fun and exercise by children and adults. Jump to 14th-century Europe, where hooping became a popular recreational activity. To this day, Indigenous tribes of North America use hoops for storytelling dances and healing rituals.
The Hula Hoop® craze of the late 1950s began when toy manufacturers Richard P. Knerr and Arthur Melin, founders of the Wham-O toy company, made a trip to Australia and noticed schoolchildren using bamboo hoops as exercise equipment. Knerr and Melin, inspired by what they saw, began mass-producing colorful plastic hoops, and launched the Wham-O Hula Hoop® in 1958.
Hula Hoops are named after the Hawaiian Hula dance. Wham-O was allowed to trademark the name “Hula Hoop,” but not the hoop itself because of its ancient roots. That left room for plenty of hoop creativity, and now we’ve upped the ante with the weighted exercise hoop – think of it as the Hula Hoop’s brawny cousin. There are different types, weights, and sizes of exercise hoops.
Top 5 benefits of working out with an exercise hoop
A Low-Impact Full-Body Workout
An exercise hoop provides a deceptively rigorous full-body workout while remaining low-impact. A study conducted by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) revealed that hooping burns as many calories per minute as boot camp-style workouts, step aerobics, and cardio kickboxing – now that’s efficient! And this 2019 study shows that using a weighted exercise hoop increased trunk muscle mass (core muscles) more than walking. Hooping isn’t just twirling around your waist; it’s engaging many muscles, including:
- Back muscles
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Quadriceps
- Calves
It’s a calorie torcher that works mobility and strengthens muscles, helping you to stay in shape and manage your weight.
Improves Coordination and Balance
Anyone at any age might find balance and coordination challenging – an exercise hoop can help in more ways than one. Spinning that hoop while maintaining an upright position requires coordination and equilibrium. You’re not just working up a sweat; you’re working out your brain and developing better body awareness, or proprioception. You’re also engaging upper and lower-body muscles and developing core strength, which is vital in supporting proper posture and better balance.
With improved stability comes a reduced risk of falls, making hooping an excellent choice for anyone looking to enhance their agility and, according to this report, an especially good choice for people over 60.
Provides Stress Relief and Mental Well-being
Hooping isn’t just physical – it’s a mental game changer, too. With each rotation, an exercise hoop can melt away stress. The rhythmic movements can promote relaxation, reducing stress and kicking those feel-good endorphins into gear. Plus, hooping encourages mindfulness, putting you in the moment and boosting your overall mental well-being. Hooping may also help raise your confidence and motivate you to set goals and stay more consistent with your workouts. This brings us to the next benefit…
It’s A Fun and Engaging Workout
You might think that most people don’t exercise because they don’t make time for it or are just “lazy”…well, you’d be wrong. This study conducted by OnePoll says that “1 in 4 people would text an ex or quit Netflix to never exercise again” and the reason is because they don’t enjoy it, and most find it boring. If that sounds like you, an exercise hoop might be that added spice you need to start or keep exercising. According to this pilot study, women who used a weighted exercise hoop said they were more likely to continue working out than those who participated in a walking workout.
Hooping injects fun and variety into your routine with tricks, dance moves, and challenges to keep you on your toes. Group hoop workouts encourage social interaction and community engagement. So, you’re not just shaping up; you’re also socializing and avoiding boredom.
Portable and Convenient
An exercise hoop is compact, lightweight, and ready to roll whenever and wherever you are. Most hoops are shipped in several pieces that are easy to assemble – they’re simply inserted end to end until the hoop is complete. You can bring a hoop to your gym, work it by itself, or add it to your training plan as a warmup or part of a circuit. Yet, you don’t need to be tethered to a gym; from your home to parks, beaches, or your favorite campground, your workout location is limited only by your imagination. Hooping can easily slot into your day, adding a dash of fitness without the fuss.
Where to find an exercise hoop
An exercise hoop is easily purchased online from Hoopnotica, a brand committed to manufacturing quality hoops and providing top-notch customer service. Based in Boulder, CO, Hoopnotica hand-makes 80% of their exercise hoops and ships to 90 countries worldwide. Melinda Rider, Founder & CEO, has enjoyed hooping since 1998 when she saw adults having a ton of fun with Hula Hoops at a music festival. She loves getting weighted exercise hoops into the hands of people all over the world and says that “Fitness hooping is accessible to all kinds of people looking to simply have fun while getting fit. It’s a body-accepting and social activity that celebrates the body as it is.”
Hoopnotica hoops are a blend of functionality with style. There are Beginner/Fitness Hoops, more advanced Polypro Dance Hoops, and Travel Hoops, and all are available in a variety of colors. They can custom-make hoops for any size or body type. Instructional DVDs are also available, and their hoops are hand-taped and manufactured in the USA.
You might want to give hooping a whirl
If you’re bored with your current fitness routine or need to get one started, an exercise hoop might provide the inspiration you need. Exercise hoops offer a unique blend of benefits – a low-impact, full-body workout, improved balance, stress relief, and an engaging experience with the convenience of on-the-go fitness. Try exploring the exhilarating world of exercise hoops and find your own rhythm.
Further research:
Health.com – Are Weighted Hula Hoops Effective and Safe?
Health – USNews.com – Hula Hoop: Is It Good Exercise?
WIRED – Uncovering the History of the Hula Hoop
Powerhoop – Weighted Hula Hoop Research | Hula Hoop Fitness Training
Important Note: The information contained in this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be construed as health or medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease or health condition. Before embarking on any diet, fitness regimen, or program of nutritional supplementation, it is advisable to consult your healthcare professional in order to determine its safety and probable efficacy in terms of your individual state of health.
Regarding Nutritional Supplements Or Other Non-Prescription Health Products: If any nutritional supplements or other non-prescription health products are mentioned in the foregoing article, any claims or statements made about them have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and such nutritional supplements or other health products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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