Hula Hoop: Fitness Impact, Exercises and Tips | BARMER

A lot of children and more and more adults are swinging a hoop around their hips right now – hula hooping is all the rage. And not for the first time: the colorful tires have been around for almost 65 years and their recipe for success has hardly changed since then. On the one hand, you don't have to be a jock to pull off cool tricks with it - as the countless videos on the internet show. On the other hand, hooping or hulling with music is a lot of fun and is also healthy: It strengthens the muscles and coordination, helps you lose weight and can also prevent mental illnesses. So many reasons to start with hula hooping!

What is hula hooping anyway and where does it come from?

The first hula hoops were made in the 1950s in the USA. The term comes from hula (a Hawaiian dance) and hoop (English for hoop). The tire took off from a rocket: 25 million units were sold in less than four months.

Why is the Hula Hoop a cult?

It is not known how many Hula Hoops were sold in the almost 65 years after their invention. In many households there is at least one. Sometimes the tires disappear in the corner, then they are brought out again enthusiastically. Just like at the moment: the plastic tire, which is often wrapped in glittering foil, is back in fashion. Children and adults invent numerous tricks, there are hula hoop classes in gyms and video tutorials on the Internet. No wonder that one world record follows the next: In Thailand, 4,483 people circled their hips at the same time for seven minutes, the Austrian Roman Schedler swung a hula hoop with a diameter of ten meters and Andrea Hulamyhoop swung the hoop around her bottom 400 times in three minutes.

For whom is the Hula Hoop suitable?

Almost anyone can do the trend sport Hula Hoop - whether young or older, sporty or a bit fuller. There are great videos online of people who don't look like typical athletes and who can do awesome hula hooping moves. That's the beauty of it: You can start with a cheap tire without any prior knowledge - and still get better quickly. You don't need a lot of space, expensive equipment or courses. The movement immediately puts you in a good mood, especially when combined with music. And it all helps with weight loss.

Read how you can lose weight healthily by changing your diet - without any crash diet and yo-yo effect.

Which hoop do you need for a hula hoop?

The rule of thumb is: The larger the diameter of the hoop, the easier it is for beginners to get started. Most of the more professional hoops are made of polyethylene plastic and wrapped in brightly colored, glittery gaffer tape. Initially, practicing with a heavier tire is easier. They are available from around 15 euros in sports shops, toy shops or on the Internet.

In the meantime there are even tires with knobs and magnets. They should massage problem areas on the body while swinging and reduce fat deposits. The magnets are said to influence the body's magnetic field and boost metabolism. Whether this works and has a significant effect has not been scientifically proven.

How effective is hula hoop as a workout?

Hula hoop acts like dance sport: If you show some stamina, you really start to sweat. How many calories you burn and how much you train your muscles depends on the intensity and duration of the training as well as your height, weight and age. For example, a 26-year-old woman who is 1.70 meters tall and weighs 60 kilograms burns around 150 kilocalories during a half-hour workout. Not as much as other sports, but hula hoop is a good workout.

The trunk and back muscles in particular are strengthened, but also the buttocks and thigh muscles as well as the pelvic floor. In order for the tire to rotate, you have to tighten your abdominal muscles. In the long run, the stomach becomes more muscular and the back stronger. Both prevent back pain and neck tension.

The risk of injury is generally very low. However, orthopedists warn that rotating the hips can also cause disc damage and muscle strains if you don't warm up first. Therefore: It is best to do a light warm-up program, for example dancing on the spot, jogging or doing a few jumping jacks and then slowly warming up.

Pregnant women, people with fresh scars or fresh joint replacements should avoid hoola-hoop training.

The hip circle stimulates the metabolism and promotes blood circulation in the skin. The internal organs are massaged so that digestion and fat burning are stimulated.

Hula hoop is said to have a positive effect on the psyche and in the treatment of mental illnesses. Hoopdance, for example, has a positive effect on self-esteem and improves body awareness.

How often and for how long should you hula hoop?

If you want to see verifiable effects, you should train several times a week for a quarter of an hour and gradually increase to half an hour. If you keep it up, you'll really work up a sweat - similar to a salsa or hip-hop workout. As a beginner, the workload should always be increased carefully and always adapted to the individual performance level in order to avoid overloading.

Tips for beginners: This is the quickest way to learn Hula Hoop

Tight clothing - for example gym pants and a tight-fitting T-shirt - and sports shoes are helpful. You can also practice barefoot on a yoga mat. The main thing is that the ground is not slippery. You can then get started to a bit faster music: For the first moves there are many excellent YouTube videos showing how the tire stays up. It works like this:

Those who later want to learn more spectacular moves can join a gym or dance school that offers hula hooping. There are also special hula hoop studios.

How long does it take until you can hula hoop?

In the beginning, the hoop often falls to the ground, so it takes a bit of perseverance. But if you stick with it and practice several times a week, you will quickly get better. Good hula hoopers, like the ones you see in the circus, practice for several hours every day. But even with less time you can use the glitter tire for a sporty workout in which elements of aerobics, yoga, dance and body workout are combined. In hoop dancing, a dance sport, the hoop encircles various parts of the body such as the hips, legs, feet, arms, hands or shoulders. The hoop is spun, thrown or caught. There are so-called on-body tricks (i.e. hooping with your hips) and off-body tricks (circling with your arms).

Looking for inspiration for your next workout? Test flexible online courses, from yoga to Pilates to effective strength training - free of charge for Barmer policyholders.

Three good exercises with the hula hoop