Hoop Your Way To Healthy!
by: Olivia Campbell
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Hula hoops have been around for thousands of years and have been entertaining children for eternities…but have you ever thought of using a hula hoop to get in shape? In 1957, hula hoops gained huge popularity when they started to be manufactured from plastic. Hoops come in a variety of sizes, weights, and materials…and best of all, it is inexpensive to buy and will last a lifetime if taken care of!
Benefits of hooping:
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Burns calories- Hooping burns a ton of calories! Did you know that just 30 minutes of hula hooping a day can burn approximately 210 calories, and burns approximately 400 calories, or approximately 7 calories a minute (this varies based on height, weight, sex, intensity, time, etc); however, if you get the rest of the body working as well, one could burn up to 600 calories in an hour. However, in order to burn this many calories, the participant must be able to keep the hoop up!
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Relieves stress- hula hooping is a great way to relieve stress! Exercise releases endorphins in your brain which control your mood, and lead to positive feelings or a meditative effect. Cranking some tunes and hula hooping for 30 minutes is a great way to relieve the stress and get a great workout!
Improves posture- Hula hooping requires full activation of the core, which in turn can help tone the core and hips and bring out the abs! The abdomen has deep stabilization muscles, if these muscles are weak, poor posture is often the circumstance. The circular motion associated with hula hooping requires activation of different parts of the core in different parts of the motion. Generally, when the hoop crosses a part of the body, the muscle should be engaged and slightly contracted; when the hoop moves along, relax that muscles and activate the next one. By activating the individual muscles, the entire core is working! By strengthening these core muscles, the back can develop and maintain a neutral body alignment. Remember to hula hoop in both directions!
Improves body proprioception/ kinesthetic awareness- Hooping improves total body coordination since the core muscles play a large role in balance. If one hoops not just around the waist, but various parts of their body, the muscles will get used to the new movements. Many hooping tricks require precise timing and placement to perform correctly, by improving this awareness, the body can become more coordinated and balanced.
Tones the Body- Hula hooping tones the core, hips, and thighs! Due to the continuous activation of the core while hula hooping, the muscles are working for periods long enough to improve endurance of the trunk, which can help to build lean muscle mass in the area. It is not possible to lose fat in a specific area of the body as body fat percentage is a percentage measure from the mass of the whole body; this means if one loses fat, they loose that amount of fat total off their total body, and not just the area that was being trained. Lean muscle mass is developed through training with high reps, and low weight. For this reason, hula hooping is great for toning the waist!
Boosts metabolism- By building lean muscle mass through hooping, one’s metabolism will improve. By improving the amount of lean muscle mass in a body there is more muscle to burn fat for energy, which will lead to fat loss!
Improves heart function- All exercise places some form of stress on the heart; however, the body must go through these stresses to adapt and improve. Inactivity is estimated to be the cause of death for two million people annually, since inactivity can lead to diabetes, heart disease, and obesity just to name a few.
Its Fun!- Hula hooping is a fun way to get the heart pumping! Once one has the hang of keeping the hoop up, they can start hooping with different parts of the body which can be a lot of fun! One can challenge themselves by trying to hoop with multiple hoops at a time, getting weighted hoops, or getting hoops with a smaller circumference. When choosing a hoop, choose one with a little bit of weight to it as ones with little to no weight are harder to get going and keep up.
One can expect to be sore after hooping the first couple of times….but what did you expect? This is working out after all!
About the author: Olivia Campbell is the owner of Bod-eh by Olivia which is a mobile personal training company. Olivia just recently finished the two-year personal fitness trainer program at N.A.I.T. and she is ready to start making a difference! Her fitness journey began in January of 2015. Her training style mimics functional training used in everyday life, and her creativity makes workouts fun, exciting, and rewarding! Olivia has been modeling for 4 years and knows how body image plays a role in confidence. Bod-eh by Olivia stands for body positivity, confidence, determination, and results!
You can find her on Instagram @OliviaFlowsHulaHooping and on Facebook by searching @Oliviaflowshulahooping. You may reach her at oliviaflowshooping@gmail.com for inquiries or questions!
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This article was published at https://yegthrive.ca/hoop-your-way-to-healthy/
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Picking The Perfect Hoop: The Ultimate Beginner Hula Hoop Guide!
by: Olivia Campbell
So, you want to try hula hooping? Not sure where to start? This blog is a guide for all beginners out there! We will be discussing hoop size, hoop tubing thickness, different types of hoop tubing.
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Measuring Your Hoop: When determining the diameter of a hula hoop you will measure across the circle from one end to the other. Some companies measure with inner diameter meaning they measure the inside space if the hoop; other companies use outer diameter to measure which means they measure from the outside edge of the hoop to the opposite outside edge. It is important to know how your hoop size is being measured!
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Hoop Size:
when determining hoop size, you need to determine if the hoop will be used for on body hooping such as waist hooping, or if it will be used for off body tricks.
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On Body Hooping: When it comes to on body hula hooping, the bigger and heavier your hoop is, the easier it will be to keep up. The larger diameter and heavier hoop help to slow the rotation of the hoop, making you work less hard! (work smarter, not harder). For On body hooping, I recommend a hoop that is at least as tall as your belly button from the floor however, you can always go bigger. For beginners, I recommend anywhere from a 36-inch to a 44-inch inner diameter. You can go even bigger than a 44-inch hoop; however, you are more likely to outgrow the hoop a lot faster. As you get better, you will eventually start to downsize the hoop. This is why I recommend not going to big initially unless you are willing to purchase multiple hoops of different sizes.
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Off Body Hooping: When it comes to off body hula hooping, one can be very particular about the size. The smaller the hoop, the faster it will spin; this can make certain moves difficult when first starting out. If the hoop is too large, it will also limit your movements as your arms won’t be long enough for certain movements. For off body hooping I typically recommend anywhere from a 25–30-inch diameter. Generally, the hoop should not be longer than the length of your arm from neck to the palm of your hand, just before your fingers.
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How many hoops should I have? You should have at least 3! But the more the better. Its is good to have a variety of hoop diameters and tubing types because you might prefer a certain hoop diameter for certain tricks, whereas a different hoop might feel more comfortable for other tricks. I recommend a larger hoop for on body hooping, a medium sized hoop for off body tricks and some on body hooping as you get more confident with the hoop, and a smaller hoop strictly for off body hooping. It is also good to try out different types of tubing as polypro has more bounce than HDPE, and depending on your style of hooping, you may prefer one style of tubing over the other.
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Different Types of Hula Hoop Tubing:
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Polypropylene (Polypro, PPE): Polypro tubing is a stiffer, more lightweight tubing than HDPE. However, polypro tubing can be more brittle than HDPE, which can make it more prone to cracking (especially in cold temperatures), but less likely to kink than HDPE. Polypro tubing is bouncier than HDPE tubing so if you are a faster hooper, you will probably prefer polypro tubing as the hoop reacts faster than an HDPE hoop. This makes it easier to do fast moves that require a quick change in direction such as breaks or coinflip reversals with a lot less force and effort than HDPE hoops.
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HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene, PEHD): HDPE Tubing is a heavier tubing that adsorbs impacts well due to it being more flexible than polypro tubing; Therefore, HDPE is less likely to crack, but more likely to kink than a polypro hoop. HDPE doesn’t perform as well in the heat as it can cause the hoop to get more flexible and wobblier. Since HDPE tubing absorbs impact, you will need to use more force to do certain moves since the hoop reacts slower than polypro tubing. If you are a slower, more controlled hooper you may prefer HDPE tubing over polypro.
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LED Hoop Tubing: When It comes to a LED hoop, it is generally recommended to get it made with HDPE tubing over polypro tubing as HDPE absorbs impacts better and is less likely to crack. Because LED hoops are filled with lights, the lights add significant weight to the hoop making it nots much lighter than an HDPE hoop; this extra weight also slows down the hoops response rate and with polypro tubing, the hoop is more likely to get damaged as you must work harder with an LED hoop, putting the hoop through more shock over time. If you drop an LED hoop, the impact of the drop will have a bigger impact on the hoops performance, and polypro is more likely to get damaged than an HDPE hoop.
Tubing sizes: Hoop tubing comes in multiple different sizes: 5/8’’, 1/2’’, 7/8’’, 3/4’’, or 11/16; the most common tubing sizes are 5/8’’, 1/2‘’ and 3/4‘’ depending on the hoop manufacturer. It is good to experiment with different size tubing as everyone will have a different preference as some sizes might feel nicer to grip than others. In my experience, I find 5/8’’ and 3/4’’ hoops to be favorable among my students. For doing on body tricks such as multi hoop splits, most people will find a thicker diameter easier to control and separate the hoops than skinnier hoops. Thicker hoops such as 3/4’’ are heavier and more sturdy than thinner hoops, which is why this tubing size is often used for on body hoops. Thinner hoops like 5/8’’ are lighter and more flexible than 3/4’’ hoops, making then great for off body hooping. When it comes to on body tricks, some people prefer a smaller tubing as it can be easier to grip, especially if you have smaller hands.
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Tubing textures: The 5 most common textures people use on their hoops are bare/smooth, sanded, grip tape, taped and waxed.
Bare/Smooth: Leaving the hoop as it will leave the hoop with a smooth texture, particularly on the inside of the hoop. This is going to make the hoop slide off you much easier than a textured inner diameter of the hoop. A smooth inside is good for fast hoopers who need the hoop to move faster. Polypro tubing would be the smoothest because HDPE can get a little gummy if it gets to warm.
Sanded: Sanding the inside of the hoop is a permanent way to add grip to the hoop. Sanded hoops are good for hoops that need to be maintained in one spot for a while such as on body hooping. The sanded inside will help the hoop stick to your body or clothes, which can make some tricks easier to accomplish and maintain. Sanding a hoop does not affect the integrity of your hoop as its only the top layer of the hoop (less than a millimeter) gets sanded.
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Grip Tape: Grip tape is a textured tape that gets places on the inner side of the hoop. Grip tape is a good solution is you temporarily need extra grip on your hoop such a for a performance. Some hula hoopers use grip tape on the inside of their hoops for everyday use and have no issues. I personally don’t find grip tape to be very reliable as it can get caught on your clothes or shoes while flowing, which can cause the grip tape to rip off. For a more permanent solution, I would recommend sanding the inside off the hoop instead of using grip tape.
Taped hoops: Taped hoops are hula hoops that have a layer of decorate tape on them. The decorative tape can really make a hoop stand out. However, over time the tape will eventually start to lift and will get some scuffs in it; this is normal wear and tear. Taped hoops are best to avoid using on concrete and are better to use indoors or on grass as the concrete can cause the hoop to scuff if it hits the ground. Taped hoops can add more weight and grip to your hoop, making it a good solution for added grip and slowing down movements as opposed to a bare, smooth hoop. Don’t leave your taped hoop out to long in direct heat such as in a vehicle on a hot summer day, this can cause the tape to lift over time.
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Hoop wax: Hoop wax is a wax you rub on your hoop for added grip. The wax sticks to the hoop but won’t come off on skin or clothing. Hoop wax is light weight wax that won’t affect the weight of the hoop. Hoop wax is typically used on the inner side of the hoop; however, you could rub it all over your hoop is you need extra grip on the outside, such as if you are balancing the hoop on various parts of your body. Hoop wax can easily be removed with a rag and rubbing alcohol, so it is not a permanent solution.
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Overall, it is important to experiment with different hoop sizes, thicknesses, and weights to find what is going to work best for you; after all, everyone has their own unique style of hula hooping! I hope you find this post informative, and I wish you the best of luck on you hoop journey!
Hula Hooping as a Family Activity: Getting Kids Involved
by: Olivia Campbell
Hula hooping is not just a fun activity for kids—it’s an engaging, low-cost way for the whole family to stay active together. Whether you’re looking for a new exercise routine, a way to encourage movement, or just a fun bonding activity, hula hooping offers something for everyone. Here’s how you can get your kids involved and make hooping a family tradition!
Why Hula Hooping is Great for Families?
1. Encourages Physical Activity: Hula hooping improves coordination, core strength, and cardiovascular health while keeping kids active in an enjoyable way.
2. Affordable & Accessible: Unlike other sports or activities that require expensive equipment, hula hoops are inexpensive and can be used anywhere.
3. Enhances Motor Skills: hula hooping helps to develop fine motor skills in younger children while improving flexibility and agility for all ages.
4. Fosters Creativity: Kids can invent their own moves, create hoop routines, or even decorate their hoops with fun designs.
5. Strengthens Family Bonds: Learning and practicing together creates opportunities for encouragement, teamwork, and shared joy.
How to Get Kids Excited About Hula Hooping:
1. Choose the Right Hoop:
- For younger kids (ages 3–6), use smaller, lightweight hoops. Keep in mind for waist hooping, a very light hoop will be difficult to keep up but will be appropriate for off body tricks such as spinning the hoop around the hands, or on the arms. For waist hooping, a hoop with a larger diameter will be easier to keep up. In general, if a hoop reaches the child’s belly button when placed vertically on the ground, then it should be a good size to use.
- Older children (7+) and adults may find weighted or larger hoops easier to control.
- Let kids personalize their hoops with colorful tape or stickers to make them more appealing.
2. Start with Simple Moves:
- Teach basic waist hooping before moving on to arm, neck, or leg tricks.
- Turn learning into a game—see who can keep the hoop spinning the longest!
- Use fun challenges like “Hoop Freeze Dance” or “Simon Says” with hooping moves.
3. incorporate Music & Dance:
- Play upbeat songs and encourage kids to move and dance while hooping.
- Create a family dance routine incorporating hula hoops.
- Host a “Hoop Dance Party” where each family member shows off their best moves.
4. Make It a Friendly Competition:
- Organize mini hoop contests with small rewards (e.g., “Who can hoop the longest?”).
- Set up obstacle courses where kids must hoop while navigating through challenges.
- Create a “Hula Hoop Olympics” with different hooping events.
5. Take Hula Hooping Outdoors:
- Bring hoops to the park, backyard, or beach for a fun outdoor workout.
- Try glow-in-the-dark or LED hula hoops for an exciting nighttime activity.
- Incorporate hula hooping into family hikes or picnics as a fun break.
6. Use Hula Hooping for Learning & Mindfulness:
- Incorporate counting games (e.g., count spins or how many tricks they can do in a minute).
- Practice mindfulness by focusing on slow, controlled movements and deep breathing.
- Introduce storytelling by having kids act out stories using their hoops as props.
Hula hooping is more than just a childhood pastime—it’s a fantastic way for families to connect, stay active, and have fun together. By incorporating music, games, outdoor activities, and creative challenges, you can keep kids engaged while making movement an enjoyable part of family life. So, grab your hoops and start spinning your way to quality time and lasting memories!
