How Hooping for Fitness is the New Exercise Craze!

In an interview with Self Magazine, Kelly Osbourne revealed the fitness journey that helped her lose and keep off 70 pounds. Her exercise secret? Hula hooping!

Osbourne told Self that she uses a Hoopnotica hoop and hosts regular hula hoop/dance parties on Saturday nights with fellow celebs like Adam Lambert.  She keeps her exercise routine fun, she dresses up for the gym…and, above all, she loves her body!

“The only thing I can be is me. I'm not perfect. I make mistakes. And my body is not perfect, either, but I love it,” Osbourne shared in her interview. “It will never be perfect, and I do not want it to be. That's so boring!”

Osbourne isn’t the only celebrity to fall in love with hooping. ‘New Girl’ Zooey Deschanel, First Lady Michelle Obama, Beyonce and even basketball legend Shaquille O’Neill all take to the hoop for fitness…and fun.

Kelly Osbourne

Hooping isn’t just the latest fitness fad. Most have been hooping for years, since childhood. Hula hooping, however, was never really discovered for its fitness and health benefits until recently.

A study conducted by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) found that a hula hoop isn’t just a simple toy, but a vital piece of workout equipment that offers fitness benefits.

ACE researchers found that hooping burned seven calories per minute or 210 calories per half-hour. This calorie burn data gave hooping the stamp of approval as a legitimate form of fitness for weight control.

And the study also revealed that hula hooping was a great form of cardio. Jordan Holthusen, M.S., one of the researchers who helped conduct the study was shocked at the results regarding heart-rate and calorie burn related to hooping.

“Before we did the study, I didn’t imagine the heart-rate averages would be so high,” Holthusen stated in the study’s published results. “I was really impressed by how intense of a workout you can get hooping and how many calories you can burn.”

Hooping isn’t limited to merely twirling the hoop around the waist—although that’s the best way to begin. Joining the hoop fitness craze includes dance, gymnastics and other unique ways to integrate the hoop for body benefits.

Bring joy into fitness with these hoop-tastic routines:

Classic Hooping with the First Lady

Michelle Obama has been spotted hooping in the backyard of the White House, and she rocks the classic waist hoop method. This is the hooping that everyone remembers from childhood, and it’s both fun but challenging. The bigger the hoop, the easier it is to control. Use a lightly weighted hoop to benefit from a calorie burn. Focus on keeping the hoop in constant motion. Each person may have their own unique rotation technique. Use the hips to keep the hoop contained in the center of the core (the waistline!).

Don’t be embarrassed if it takes a bit of practice to keep the rotation going…some master the technique quicker than others. Try it and have fun! And laugh at yourself…a sense of humor makes life and exercise much more enjoyable.

Hoop Dance

The hoop integrates dance for a jazzy workout routine. Dance hoop routines are recommended for those who already know how to keep the hoop in motion. The fun of the hoop is combined with dance, but this is not just hooping around the waist. Hoop dance involves integrating the hoop into dance choreography, which might mean rotating the hoop on the arm or elsewhere. The hoop becomes a dance prop. Deanne Love offers numerous videos to teach novices how to hoop dance.

Feel the Burn

Those who want an intense hoop workout can feel the burn with hoop fitness. Rotating around the waist is key to the workout. While rotating the hoop, learn to also integrate the 360 rotation—a move that requires hoopers to turn the body while hooping. Dropping the hoop is par for the course, and it will happen to nearly every beginner.

Pamela Crawford, a master trainer, teaches a beginners workout via POPSUGAR Fitness for individuals interested in learning how to integrate the hoop into their fitness routine.

Selecting the Perfect Hoop

There are numerous types of hula hoops on the market—from simple plastic $1 hoops to expensive weighted hoops. Each workout might require a different hoop size. Choose a lightly weighted hoop or a larger diameter hoop when learning how to keep the hoop in rotation. Heavier weighted hoops should be selected for avid hoopers with more experience. Never push the body with weights too soon into fitness routines; weight sizes should be added gradually. The ACE study noted that most hoopers use a one to four-pound weighted hoop. Diameter of the hoop also varies greatly, and each individual may have their own unique preference.

Hoops also can be personalized for a custom appearance, built to travel, and some hoops even include LED lights for a hypnotic effect while dancing at night. While using a cheap hoop is great for learning, invest in a higher-end hoop for long-term use.

The benefits of hooping for fitness are documented, and many celebrities have adopted the hoop into their own fitness routine. Hooping is fun, relatively inexpensive and can be done both indoors and out. Make 2017 the year for fitness and good health…and jump in the hoop!