Hulahoop hoop for weight loss: how to choose and properly exercise

Who of us girls in childhood did not try to spin a plastic hoop at home in front of the mirror, imagining herself a famous gymnast, or did not play with it in physical education classes at school? This popular sports equipment can be found in many homes even now. Perhaps it has a completely different look and color, and even changed its name to hula hoop, but it remains the same hula hoop for weight loss hoop. We enthusiastically played with it in childhood, and now we use it to give our forms seductive curves and slimness.

Well, let's follow fashion trends and gradually get used to the new name of our favorite hoop, which also sounds more mysterious. And at the same time, we'll figure out whether it makes sense to use a hula hoop to reduce the size of the waist and hips, whether it will help remove the hated fat from the stomach and sides, or whether this topic is just empty advertising for sports equipment manufacturers who want to make some money. After all, women's desire for slimness is well known to everyone.

A bit from the past

Let's take a short excursion into history and try to understand where the idea of using a tube curved into a circle as an effective exercise machine came from, because the idea of using a hula hoop for weight loss could not have arisen out of nowhere. Surely, in historical information, you can find the prerequisites for such an interesting use of the hoop.

From the information that has reached our times, we learn that some kind of hoop made of heavy materials was used in their training by famous athletes of Ancient Greece. It is clear that in those days men hardly used the apparatus for weight loss, it is quite likely that it was a primitive exercise machine for muscles, which nevertheless showed amazing results with regular use. Just remember the beautiful body relief of the ancient Roman males.

The story goes on to mention that hula hoop exercises were very popular among the aristocracy of Shakespeare's time. Even at that time, it was noted that hula hoop exercises had a positive effect on the slimness of the body.

Early references to the hula hoop, although positive, did not reflect the full essence of this invention. Only in 1957 was the hula hoop patented by Richard Knerr as a sports equipment, so interested was he in the stories of a friend about the performance of athletes from Australia, who used various exercises with a hoop in their program.

Our people got acquainted with such an invention as the hula hoop already in the 60s of the 20th century. Soviet sportswomen walked briskly at parades with bright metal, and later plastic hoops. This picture can still be admired today while watching old documentaries.

At that time, there were very few sports training devices as such. A horizontal bar, a balance beam, and a hoop - that's all that Soviet athletes could count on in the 60s and 70s. Therefore, the practical and fairly compact hoop gained great popularity, and not only among athletes. After all, such a universal trainer for the whole body could easily be placed even in a communal apartment.

It should be taken into account that at that time there was not so much information about the possibilities of losing weight or making your figure slimmer and more attractive, there were no effective cellulite massagers or weight loss teas. The hoop did all this work, thanks to which it gained wide popularity among women who care more about the beauty of their figure than men, trying to bring it closer to the ideal by any means.

What are the benefits of hula hoop for weight loss?

So were the women right who had high hopes for a simple, unremarkable hoop? After all, it was not called anything else in the Soviet Union. And in those distant times there was not such a variety of hoops as we see now on the shelves of sports stores. These are light plastic hoops, and heavier metal ones, massage hoops with spikes, with a calorie counter, in different colors and sizes. But if this simple sports equipment has not only not lost its popularity, but has also “multiplied” in different variations, then the Soviet women who selflessly devoted themselves to hula hoop exercises were right.

So what is so valuable about such a simple and cost-effective means for losing weight and shaping your figure? Well, the fact that this simple budget exercise machine allows you to burn about 200 kcal in just 20 minutes of training with it, it turns out that in an hour of training you can get rid of almost half of your daily calorie intake. It is clear that we are talking about active exercises, when the hoop is put on the waist and rotated clockwise or counterclockwise, trying to ensure that the hula hoop moves in the right direction. If you put the hoop on the floor with its edge and rotate it, it is unlikely to affect the slimness of your waist and hips in any way. So, a small workout for the arm muscles, nothing more.

It would seem that there is nothing difficult about spinning the hoop, making rhythmic circular movements with your hips and whole body? In fact, during the first days of training, the hula hoop does not want to spin in a given plane and you have to constantly work to ensure that the movements are rhythmic, and the hoop cannot fall to the floor. The easiest way is to spin the hoop on the waist and arms, but when working with the hips and buttocks, you will have to strain yourself, holding the hula hoop in a certain unstable position.

Such exercises require sufficient muscle tension. And this is training of the muscular system and increasing its tone. As a result, the skin on the waist, hips, buttocks, stomach, arms and legs becomes more elastic and smooth, and the figure looks more toned. This is especially noticeable in the stomach and buttocks area, because during the rotation of the hoop, their muscles experience the greatest tension.

But that's not all. In order to keep the rotating hoop in a given plane, you need to adhere to a certain rhythm of movement. As soon as you get off it, the hula hoop, used for weight loss and fighting cellulite, begins to oscillate and moves towards the floor. Training the coordination of movements is an active work of the vestibular apparatus.

It is worth observing the breathing during the rotation of the hoop and you will notice that it becomes deeper and more productive. Thus, the lungs are trained, the blood is actively saturated with oxygen, which has a positive effect primarily on the work of the heart and brain.

During the exercises, the hula hoop constantly touches the body at different points, exerting noticeable pressure, like during a massage. And any massage, especially such an intense one, helps to increase blood circulation. Rhythmic abdominal massage improves intestinal motility, which, together with the normalization of blood supply to the body, in turn leads to the activation of metabolism. And with a good metabolism, all organs and systems work harmoniously, and fats on the body are deposited in the minimum necessary quantities.

And what is the use of a hula hoop in the fight against the well-known cellulite, which was previously ignored, but now it turns out that it looks very unaesthetic. But many women can "boast" of "orange peel". The intense rhythmic pressure of the hoop on the skin of the sides, hips and buttocks is akin to an anti-cellulite massager, especially if the hula hoop is equipped with special balls or spikes. During exercise, it thoroughly breaks up fatty seals along the entire perimeter of rotation, which means that lumpy fat deposits go away quickly and evenly from all sides.

Watching your posture while spinning the hoop, you can notice that your back remains straight throughout the entire workout, your shoulders are straight. Several such exercises and the positive effect on your back and posture is obvious. Keeping your back straight and not slouching becomes a useful habit that many will notice from the outside and, of course, appreciate. After all, posture changes the entire image of a woman, affecting her gait and even her self-esteem.

As for the benefits and results of using a hula hoop for weight loss, there is an opinion that half a month of active regular 10-minute sessions with it can reduce the waist by 1 cm. For those who think that this is very little, I would like to suggest trying to achieve the same results in another way. Believe me, it is not that easy.

Minus 2 centimeters per month is a decent result, especially considering that the hula hoop is completely safe for the body. It does not harm the digestive system, like many weight loss diets, despite the active impact, does not injure the joints, and you practically do not feel tired after 10-minute sessions. Thus, the hula hoop can be considered an easy way to correct the figure, which is especially effective if combined with other physical exercises (for example, fitness) and a balanced diet.

The harm of hula hoop for weight loss

Moving on to the issue of the hoop's harm to health, it is worth recalling once again what the new-fangled hula hoop is. A plastic or metal hollow tube, curved into a circle, immediately appears before the mind's eye. No sharp corners or protruding parts, the equipment is not connected to the power supply, has a small weight and a smooth surface. It is difficult to even imagine that such a sports equipment can conceal any danger.

In practice, if you use the hula hoop correctly, there is no danger from it. Well, sometimes beginners can complain about bruises or hematomas on their arms and thighs, which quickly disappear and do not appear again after the owner of the hoop has learned to hold the projectile in the right position, preventing too active oscillatory movements. At first, you should not practice for too long, intensively rotating the hoop, you need to let the body get used to the active massage.

Bruises on the body may also be associated with the wrong choice of weight or size of the hoop. A hoop that is too big and heavy puts a lot of pressure on the tissue, and a dark mark may remain on the delicate skin. The same mark is left by thin metal hoops if they are twisted for a long time in the pelvic bone area.

It is very important to monitor the intensity of training, because very active prolonged rotation of the hoop in the pelvic area can lead to disruption of the internal organs located in this area. This is especially dangerous for women, because their reproductive organs are located in the pelvic area. Strong pressure on them can cause inflammatory reactions or worsening of the condition if the woman already had some gynecological pathologies before.

The hula hoop used for weight loss may not be dangerous during exercise, but rather the objects surrounding it. For example, glass surfaces that can break when hit by the hoop and injure a person standing nearby. Therefore, for exercise, you need to choose both the appropriate hoop size and a safe room.

You can experience a few unpleasant minutes due to the hoop falling on your toes if you choose the wrong hula hoop weight or are careless in handling it. If a beginner takes a heavy hoop, then bruises on the waist will not be the only sore spot until the person learns to hold the hoop on the body. If the hoop is chosen correctly, it will not pose any danger to the person exercising with it.

But, despite all the safety of the hula hoop, its use implies some caution, because some conditions and pathologies are included in the list of contraindications to the use of sports equipment.

Temporary contraindications include pregnancy and some time after the birth of the child (until the uterus returns to normal and the stitches heal). Those who have had a cesarean section will have to refrain from waist and stomach correction a little longer. Resuming classes will be possible only with the doctor's permission.

It should be noted that it is quite possible to work with a hoop on the slenderness of your arms and legs even in a delicate position, but only if you already have perfect command of the sports equipment. The same applies to the days of menstruation, when doctors do not recommend active training and rotation of the hoop in the abdomen and waist area.

The back and abdomen area is also prohibited in case of diseases of certain organs, such as the kidneys, liver, bladder, spleen, and ovaries. It is also worth consulting a doctor if you have problems with the spine (for example, if you had an injury in the past and developed a hernia), as well as skin diseases in the area that the hula hoop will affect. Of course, you should not be active during an exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases.

How to choose a hula hoop for weight loss?

If you are buying a hula hoop as a toy for your child, you can safely give preference to light hoops made of bright plastic. But if this is equipment for serious exercises on body shaping, you will have to pay attention to completely different parameters: diameter, weight, presence of bulges, massage rollers, etc.

It is important to understand that comfort during exercise is considered one of the components of effectiveness, otherwise the exercise will soon become boring or will have to be constantly interrupted due to pain syndrome (we are talking about those same bruises or, scientifically, hematomas). For this reason, the choice of a hoop must be approached very responsibly. It is quite possible that you will even have to change the equipment a couple of times if it no longer meets the requirements that you place on it.

If you are a beginner, it is better to choose a simpler equipment. For example, a plastic or lightweight aluminum hoop weighing up to 1 kg without any bells and whistles. While you learn to spin the hoop, it will hit you on the sides and fall to the floor more than once. The light weight of the hoop will help you avoid leg injuries when the hula hoop falls and painful bruises on your waist.

At the beginning of classes, not only the weight but also the size of the hoop is very important. It is considered ideal if the first hoop is about 1.2 m in diameter. And it is not at all necessary to take a tape measure with you to the store. It is enough to place the hula hoop vertically on the floor and see where its top point will be. It is best if this point is at the level of the lower rib.

In principle, this can be any area between the chest and the waist. But it is important to consider that it is much easier to rotate a large hoop on the waist than a projectile with a small diameter. The first option is more suitable for training, the number of rotations per minute of which is less.

As the training comes to an end and the skills of spinning the hoop are consolidated, you can start looking for the next model. It should be slightly smaller in diameter and heavier. The weight of weighted plastic and metal hoops ranges from 1-2.5 kg. Before making a final choice, you need to try spinning hula hoops of different weights, deciding which version will be more comfortable for you. You can keep your first hoop as a keepsake, pass it on to your daughter, or give it to your best friend if she also decides to take up the hobby.

Regularly exercising with a hoop, you will feel when you need to move on to a more effective version of this simple but effective sports equipment. Perhaps, after a while, you will have to change the second hula hoop to a hoop of a smaller diameter (about 90-100 cm) or try exercising with massage versions of the hoop, which have different bulges, rollers, spikes.

It seems clear why you should buy a smaller hoop. Smaller diameter means more rotations, which means a more intense massage that removes cellulite and bulky fat. But why buy a heavier hoop? And here everything is logical: the heavier the equipment, the more difficult it is to rotate and the greater the pressing force. From such a hoop we get a more effective massage, and we spend more energy on its rotation and holding in a horizontal plane, which is taken from our own fat deposits.

If you try to spin a regular hoop and a weighted one for 10 minutes, while counting the calories expended, it turns out that in the second case, significantly more calories are expended, which means that the effectiveness of the exercises is much higher. For those who are interested in the topic of calories and duration of exercises, we can recommend a “smart” hula hoop, which caring manufacturers have equipped with a calorie counter.

When buying a hoop, you need to consider the parameters of the place where you plan to practice. If it is an apartment, then its rooms have limited dimensions, and if you also take into account the furniture, then there may not be much free space left.

In order for the purchase to be completely safe, you need to pay attention to the quality of the material from which it is made. You need to understand that in budget options, savings come to the fore, including on materials. You should not demand too much from such hoops and, of course, it is better not to rely on them once again. Low-quality plastic can break very quickly and easily, and metal can acquire incorrect bends not intended by the manufacturer. Believe me, it is much more difficult to exercise with an oval hoop than with a round one, especially if you try to rotate it on the waist, and not use it as a support.

When purchasing a collapsible hula hoop, which is very convenient to store, you need to remember that it is not recommended to lean on such a hoop, unless, of course, you want to experience the full force of gravity.

Types of hula hoop for weight loss

When the first hoops appeared in the vast expanses of the former USSR, every girl dreamed of having this bright plastic or silver aluminum exercise machine at home. It was an ordinary hoop, very light and so desirable, because there were no other options at that time.

Regular hoops can be found on sale even now. The price of a simple hoop is low and depends mainly on the material. The weight of such sports equipment also depends on the material. Lighter options (up to 1 kg) are made of plastic or aluminum, and those hoops that are made of steel can weigh up to 1.5 kg. These hoops are made from a small diameter tube.

Later, collapsible versions of the hoop appeared on the market, which did not consist of a single piece of tube, but of several parts that had to be inserted one into another to give the trainer the desired shape. These hoops are not as practical as solid ones, because if their parts are not connected tightly enough, then during training you can expect funny situations. But at the same time, this type of hoop is very convenient in terms of storage (it takes up little space, because it can be stored on a shelf with other things) and transportation (it is easy to pack and, again, does not require much free space). A collapsible hoop can be taken with you on a tourist trip, and then your rest will not be at the expense of training. And training in nature, in the fresh air, is considered especially useful.

If regular hoops have a cavity inside filled with air, then the weighted version, made of special plastic, makes it possible to add filling inside. The diameter of the tube of such a hoop is larger than that of a regular hula hoop. They are often painted in bright colors, using 3 or more shades.

Such a hula hoop for weight loss can reach 2 and a half kilograms in weight. And it is not recommended for beginners to use it, because out of habit and as a result of clumsy movements, the skin can immediately become covered with bruises, which are not proof of the effectiveness of the exercises, but only indicate damage to soft tissues, which is not at all useful.

Rotating such a hoop on the waist for a long time and with great intensity can simultaneously with weight loss disrupt the functioning of the internal organs, so caution should be above all. Here, as with medications, you need to know the measure, because more does not mean better.

A massage hula hoop for weight loss can have a relief surface around the inner circumference (the bulges have a streamlined shape and a smooth surface) or additional elements in the form of balls or spikes, which are made of rubber or silicone. And the hoops themselves can be made of various types of plastic and rubber, usually painted in bright colors or flower arrangements.

Hoops with balls or oval moving elements, with the help of which an intensive massage is carried out during the rotation of the exercise machine, are also called roller hoops. Sometimes manufacturers put magnets inside the balls, explaining this choice by the fact that the magnetic field has a positive effect on the nervous system and metabolism, increases blood circulation, which should contribute to even more effective weight loss.

A hula hoop with balls and spikes for weight loss, like the weighted version, requires a certain amount of caution during exercise, because if handled improperly and on delicate skin, it can cause multiple painful hematomas and bruises, even without having a large mass.

Various types of hoops can be equipped with a counting mechanism that records the number of revolutions, rotation speed and keeps track of the calories burned. These hula hoops are sometimes called smart. Although the advisability of such an acquisition can still be argued. The activity should be enjoyable, and not tie a person to mute numbers. It is not the hoops that should be called smart, but those who came up with the idea of raising the price of the exercise machine in this way and making money on it.

But the innovative soft hula hoop for weight loss is already a worthwhile purchase with many useful applications. It is much more effective than painless light hoops and does not cause bruises like weighted or massage versions of the hula hoop. The material for such a hoop is an elastic polymer, which can be given various shapes, stretched, tied in a knot, etc. Weighting is carried out due to a steel spring inside the universal sports equipment.

Massage with such a hoop is quite delicate, not causing even redness, not to mention hematomas. Such massage will not harm internal organs even during intensive training, because it is closer to relaxing. Thus, during training, fatigue is relieved, blood circulation and digestive system function are improved.

A soft hulaloup is even more convenient to store and transport than a folding one. It can be easily rolled up or tied into an elastic knot, which easily fits into a backpack or a hiking bag that you take on a hike, trip or outdoor recreation. And it can be safely used in a room without fear of damaging furniture and glass surfaces.

But the most important thing is that when you buy a soft hula hoop for weight loss, you get not one, but several versions of the exercise machine. With its help, you can train various muscle groups by folding in various combinations and stretching the elastic, but quite elastic material of the hoop, as is done in the case of an expander.

As we can see, today everyone, even the most demanding buyer, can purchase a convenient and simple exercise machine for body shaping according to their requirements, capabilities and preferences.

Hula Hoop Exercises for Weight Loss

Well, here we come to the main question: how to use a hula hoop for weight loss? After all, even a child understands that buying a hoop and putting it in a corner can hardly expect changes in your figure after a while. A hoop is a real sports trainer, which, despite the simplicity of its design, can add beauty to your body. But this is subject to regular exercise.

If your goal is to reduce your waist size, remove fat from your sides, or make your buttocks firmer, be prepared to do it every day for at least 2-3 weeks until you can see more or less noticeable results. If you do it incorrectly, spinning the hoop will quickly become boring or cause discomfort, which means that it is unlikely that such exercises will last long.

Many women are interested in how to properly exercise with a hula hoop for weight loss, because we are used to the fact that it needs to be rotated around the waist, without thinking about other possibilities. For example, that with the help of this exercise machine you can enhance the effect of doing the physical exercises we are used to (for example, bends, turns and squats). The main condition for the effectiveness of the exercises is getting satisfaction from them. That is, exercises with a hoop should bring not only benefits, but also pleasure.

Fitness club trainers advise eager newcomers to be patient. The first hula hoop sessions should only last 5 minutes. The skin and tissues of the body should get used to the intense massage effect so that they do not develop large hematomas. It is not always possible to avoid the appearance of small bruises, but the likelihood of their appearance with five-minute sessions is very low. The duration of the sessions should be increased gradually, as the body gets used to the active circular massage.

It is very important to choose the right time for exercise. If you start exercising half an hour after eating, the glucose that has entered the body will be used first, and then, after 20 minutes, it will be time for fats. In this case, you will have to spin the hoop for at least 30-40 minutes.

By starting your workout 2 hours after eating or an hour before eating, you can make fat burning start faster. 10-20 minutes of exercise will be enough to get almost the same result. But you shouldn't stop there, because you have a goal that you want to achieve faster. This means that the time of exercise should be gradually increased, ideally up to 40 minutes.

How should you stand while spinning the hoop? At first, a safe position is allowed, in which the legs are slightly more than shoulder-width apart. But in this position, the tension of the body muscles is the least. You need to try to gradually bring your legs together, i.e. put them closer to each other, slightly spreading the toes to the sides. Maximum muscle tension can be achieved if you put your feet together. In this way, the energy obtained from fat reserves is spent more actively, and muscle tone increases.

During any physical activity, it is important to set your breathing correctly, which should be even and deep enough. It is important to remember that oxygen also actively participates in fat burning. There are even specially developed sets of breathing exercises that make fat burning more productive.

Learn to rotate the hoop correctly. In this case, your body should perform rhythmic oscillatory movements of a small radius. To make the hoop rotate in such conditions, you will have to noticeably tense the muscles of the body. This is the mechanism of training with a hula hoop for weight loss.

Hula Hoop Exercises for Weight Loss

But let's get back to the exercises that need to be done to make your figure slim and fit. We have already mentioned that the hula hoop can be useful when doing many of the usual exercises that we are familiar with from school physical education. Many of these elements are part of the warm-up complex, which must be done before the main workout.

It is not for nothing that athletes begin all their training with a warm-up, preparing their muscles for the load by warming up. Such a training scheme allows you to avoid injuries and prevent early fatigue and painful sensations.

If we are working on the waist, stomach and hips, then the warm-up elements should be aimed at warming up these muscles. Bends forward and backward and from side to side, torso turns, circular rotations, squats will be useful. To make them more effective, we complicate the task by taking a hoop in our hands and lifting it above our head. We keep our legs shoulder-width apart.

Such exercises can be done with a light hoop, but if it weighs more than 1.5 kg, holding the hula hoop in your hands above your head will be difficult. In this case, place the hoop vertically on the floor and lean towards it as much as possible, trying to keep your back straight.

Next, we proceed to shaping the waist and strengthening the abdominal muscles. And here everyone chooses for themselves whether to stand practically motionless while rotating the hula loop or combine several exercises at the same time. It is clear that in the first classes, all the emphasis is on learning to hold the hoop in a given plane, making rotational movements with the hips, as well as drawing in and straining the stomach. When the hoop rotation technique is sufficiently mastered, you can complicate the exercises a little, making them more effective and involving other muscle groups.

While rotating the hula hoop, you can make various movements with your arms and legs. For example, you can rotate the hula hoop standing on only one leg and at the same time perform slight torso tilts, trying to maintain balance. While rotating the hoop, you can try to do lunges forward and backward or to the sides. Again, you need to make sure that your back is straight.

It is a mistake to think that you need to stand in one place when spinning the hoop. Try walking with a spinning hoop on your waist, spinning in one direction with the hoop, experimenting with popular dance moves.

For variety, you can bend your knees a little during the hoop exercises, and raise your arms up and tense them as much as possible, as in the "stretching" exercises. Then lower your arms to your chest, spreading your elbows to the sides and pressing your palms tightly together, while also tensing your abdominal muscles.

By exercising regularly, you can come up with a variety of different movements (for example, dance, there is even such a trend as hoop dancing - hula hoop dancing), which will help diversify your exercises and improve their effectiveness.

So far we have looked at how you can use a hula hoop to lose weight from your belly and sides. Now we move on to the hips, which irritate us with their fat "ears". If before we rotated the hoop mainly in the waist area, now we lower it lower and try to keep it at the level of the hips with rotational movements of the lower body. And believe me, this is much more difficult. To begin with, you need to try to hold the hoop on your hips for half a minute, doing several approaches for 10-15 minutes. Over time, the duration of rotation will increase as you acquire the skill.

The above exercises make it possible to reduce the circumference of the waist and hips, remove the belly, tighten the buttocks, reduce the appearance of cellulite in problem areas. But the hula hoop can be used not only for losing weight in certain areas of the body, but also for overall weight loss. Half-hour intensive workouts require a lot of energy, which means that simply by actively rotating the hoop around the waist during this time, you can continuously burn quite a lot of calories, including those that have settled under the skin in the form of a fat layer.

The effectiveness of hula hoop for weight loss

When exercising with a hoop, despite fatigue and discomfort in the area where the machine touches your body, you get such a boost of energy that can only be compared to running.

Hula hoop exercises can be called an effective prevention of depression and anhedonia, because they perfectly improve your mood and distract you from negative thoughts. This means that to combat depression, you will have to eat less natural antidepressants in the form of chocolate and sweets, which do not contribute to weight loss.

However, you shouldn't place great hopes on the hoop. Like any sports equipment, the hula hoop is not a magic pill for losing weight. In order to achieve the desired results, you will still have to work out actively for at least a month. But the bonus of such exercises is a decrease in the appearance of cellulite and an increase in muscle elasticity in the area where the hoop had its massage effect.

If the goal was set not only to reduce the amount of fat deposits on the waist, stomach and sides, but also to noticeably lose weight, it is better not to limit yourself to hula hoop exercises alone. After all, without a rational low-calorie diet and additional physical exercises (fitness, aerobics, etc.), you can go a very long way to this goal.

This is the point that is not taken into account by those who write negative reviews about the hula hoop for weight loss, referring to the fact that with the help of diet and exercise, you can lose weight without a hula hoop. In some ways, these women (and sometimes men, who can also exercise with a hoop, giving their body elasticity) are right. You can lose weight without a hoop, but it is quite difficult to correct your figure and acquire a fashionable thin waist at all times.

And what is the point that using a hula hoop for weight loss, you can also improve the functioning of many important organs and systems of the body. But, despite all the relevance of the hoop for weight loss, body shaping and fighting cellulite, during exercise it is important not to overdo it, so that the benefits do not accidentally turn into harm.