Are Weighted Hula Hoops Worth The Hype?
Do you remember being young and having fun playing with a hula hoop? What if that same children's toy can help you lose weight and get in some fun exercise as an adult? Well, as it turns out, it's the newest fitness trend to hit social media.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, adults should aim to get 150 minutes of moderately intensive activities a week. The idea behind weighted hula hoops is to get your exercise but make it fun. Weighted hula hooping is different than your typical kid's hoop as these are purposely made with heavier materials and weigh several pounds. This trend is supposed to help work out your core as you try to keep the heavy hoop up. Although this new fitness trend started gaining popularity via TikTok, it has been around for a long time. A different variation of this existed in the form of weighted jump ropes, another exercise version of a child's pastime.
Even though this sounds like a fun way to get your workout in, it's worth looking if it actually will help you or if you are better off trying something else.
Should you try weighted hula hoops?
The good news for your inner child is that weighted hula hoops really can help you in your fitness regime. According to the Mayo Clinic, women can, on average, burn around 165 calories for every 30 minutes of hula hooping. The Mayo Clinic also suggests that even hula hooping with a regular hoop can help you get the same aerobic exercise as dancing. This means that hula hooping is a fun, low-impact exercise that almost anyone can enjoy.
Personal trainer Andrew Schillaci adds that when you do weighted hula hooping correctly, it can be an alternative for running or jumping for those with knee issues (via NBC News). John Gallucci Jr., a physical therapist, also recommends hula hooping to improve cardiovascular health without the high impact or distance running. According to studies conducted on weighted hula hooping, this aerobic exercise can help reduce abdominal mass in the same way resistance and strength training can.
Ultimately, hula hooping is a great way to gain the benefits of aerobic exercise in a fun way that doesn't require too much impact on the joints. Besides helping you with your weight loss and cardiovascular health, hula hooping can also improve your posture over time. Most importantly, hula hooping can help with balance training which is often ignored in regular fitness training (via Insider).
How to make weighted hula hoops work for you
The key to any exercise is doing it effectively and safely. That is why coach Donna Walker recommends using a hula hoop that measures from the ground to your naval. You can start with a bigger hula hoop if you are just starting and work your way to a smaller hoop as you gain more abdominal strength. If you are just adding weighted hula hooping to your exercise, start small with only 10 to 30 minutes, once or twice a week, to slowly incorporate it into your routine. The amount and frequency you hula hoop will come down to your preference and fitness goals (via Byrdie).
According to U.K.-based trainer Rachel Jade, hula hooping should be done safely and isn't a dangerous exercise. However, like with any exercise, if you start feeling pain you should seize any activity. If you aren't a fan of long exercises, you can also use hula hooping in short bursts between your other exercises. Adding hula hooping gives variety to your workout without sacrificing the benefits (via Beach Body on Demand).