There are many different ways to improve your physical fitness, restore your waist to its former slimness and effectively burn extra calories. One of the most popular options is spinning a gymnastic hoop or hula hoop. Many people who want to lose weight choose this method, since hula hooping is easy and simple. You can spin a hoop both in the gym and at home.
The hula hoop will be discussed in our article. Is it true that spinning a hoop helps you get rid of a few extra centimeters from your waist? What benefits will hula hoop exercises bring to the body? Is it possible for absolutely everyone to train with a gymnastic hoop or are there certain contraindications? Today we will find answers to these and other questions regarding the hula hoop.
Hula hoop: what is it?
A gymnastic hoop or hula hoop is a popular sports exercise machine with a ring shape, which is an economical but effective device for losing weight, getting rid of extra centimeters in the abdominal area, improving health and maintaining a beautiful figure.
Hula hoops were first used to improve the figure in Ancient Greece. Back then they were made of metal or wood. And plastic hoops, which are familiar to modern people, became popular in the late fifties of the last century. It was then that many American women turned their attention to this inexpensive but effective ring-shaped sports exercise machine, which you can spin while watching your favorite TV show.
Hula hoop training does not require any special skills. Children, adults and the elderly can spin the hoop. It is enough to devote 15-40 minutes to training every day to correct your figure and make your body more attractive. After some time, you will notice that your health has improved, your abs have become more pumped up, and the extra centimeters on your waist have disappeared without a trace.
15 minutes of intense training with a gymnastic hoop allows the body to burn about 120-160 calories. Thanks to the hula hoop, you can strengthen your back corset, speed up the metabolic processes occurring in the body, straighten your posture and develop coordination. Regular twisting of the hoop makes the waist and subcutaneous layer thinner, gets rid of subcutaneous cellulite nodules, and tightens the stomach and sides.
Soft hoop for weight loss
A soft outer shell often found on heavy-duty fitness hoops helps minimize bruising and bruising around the waist.
But full-fledged soft projectiles are considered to be models that do not have a rigid frame and that can be bent in arbitrary directions. They are made from reinforced polyurethane or rubber. Lightweight polyurethane models are mainly used as safe children's toys, and heavy rubber ones are used as a universal inflatable resistance band called "GymFlextor".
The Gymflextor (gymflexor) is the most effective apparatus of all hula hoops - it allows you to perform many strength exercises, although not everyone will be able to spin such a hoop around the waist, since it is a classic heavy variety. But buying such a universal exercise machine is a win-win option and it won’t hurt in your fitness arsenal.
Spinning a hoop: benefits for the body
Hula hoop is a useful sports equipment, exercises with which bring many benefits to the human body. Spinning a hoop helps improve balance and develop coordination. The movements of the abdominal and hip muscles become more coordinated, the vestibular apparatus develops significantly, and it becomes much easier and easier for a person practicing hula hoop to control their movements.
During an intense workout, almost every muscle group is used. This aerobic exercise has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system and strengthens the heart and blood vessels. Since during training with a hula hoop the muscles of the lower and middle back are actively involved in the work, the flexibility of the spine noticeably increases. And the more flexible your spine, the lower the risk of injury during various exercises. Regular training with a gymnastic hoop helps improve your posture and make your movements more graceful.
Thanks to hula hoop exercises, cerebral circulation improves , which results in active stimulation of brain activity. This has a beneficial effect on the emotional background and improves mood .
The massage movements of the hula hoop not only provide a deep massage of the internal organs and muscles , but also help speed up metabolism . Thanks to this, intestinal function is normalized , and the “orange peel” on the surface of the skin quickly disappears. Twisting the hoop promotes blood flow to the dermis , which allows the skin to acquire a healthy and attractive appearance and restore firmness and elasticity.
Don’t forget that the more intensely you spin the hoop, the more actively your body will burn excess calories and body fat .
The benefits of hoop twirling for women
Hula hoop training is an ideal option for those women who lead a sedentary lifestyle. The less a girl moves, the more her abdominal muscles weaken. Because of this, sooner or later the functioning of the internal organs begins to deteriorate, and their prolapse and displacement may occur.
Regular circular movements of the hips while twisting the hoop will help strengthen the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, eliminate congestion in the pelvic area, increase the mobility of the hip joints, and sculpt the curve of the waist and hip line.
It is also useful for women to spin a hoop because acupuncture points are activated under the influence of centrifugal force, due to which the flow of energy throughout the body is significantly enhanced. This helps to improve the health of the entire body, increase muscle tone and activate metabolic processes at the cellular level.
How much does a weight loss hoop cost, price and where to buy
Weight loss hoops can be purchased at sports stores. But the prices there are not always adequate and the same models are offered 30-40% cheaper by specialized market bathyscaphes.
There are many offers on the Internet, but this option is more for those who know exactly what model they need. For beginners, it is better to have the opportunity to choose a projectile for themselves using direct testing.
Prices for fitness hoops depend on the manufacturer, model and all sorts of additional options . These shells are affordable to anyone - the average price range ranges from 200 to 2000 rubles.
For example:
- A decent quality metal hoop like the Russian “Larsen” costs only 250 rubles;
- Aluminum Chinese of unspecified quality – 300 rubles. ;
- A regular plastic hula hoop of good quality costs 200-300 rubles. ;
- A simple massage hoop without additional modules – 350 – 450 rubles. ;
- Massage-magnetic model of the “Orbit” type – about 1000 rubles. ;
- Massage hoops with spikes cost from 500 to 1000 rubles.;
- Modular massage equipment (balls, suction cups, etc.) – from 700 to 2000 rubles. ;
- An expander hoop of the gymflexor type costs from 1,300 to 2,000 rubles. ;
- Chinese folding hoop with a built-in revolution and calorie counter - on average 1000 rubles .
It is important to know!
When training for the first time, it is useful to monitor your pulse to determine its fat-burning level. To do this, you need to subtract your age from 220 and multiply by 0.5. The resulting value is your fat burning indicator, which you can compare with a heart rate monitor.
Experienced fitness trainers are confident that losing weight with a hoop is quite possible , but not every piece of equipment is suitable for this. Also important for the result is the initial stage of mastering the rotation technique, the regularity of training and its sufficient duration.
Hula hoop twisting: benefits for the figure
The benefit of hula hoop for your figure is that almost all muscle groups are involved during the workout. Intense, but measured rotation of the hips does not cause shortness of breath, so you can maintain the same pace throughout the entire workout. You can spin a hula hoop and chat on the phone, watch a movie, listen to music. Since almost all muscle groups are involved when working with a gymnastic hoop, this increases the energy and tone of the body.
Hula hoop is rightfully called one of the most effective and affordable sports equipment that actively fights cellulite. Many people begin to notice results within 7-14 days after first trying out a gymnastics hoop.
Twisting a hoop promotes more active blood and lymph circulation, normalizes metabolism, makes the body more flexible and graceful, improves posture, helps make the waist a few centimeters thinner and strengthens the muscle corset around the spine.
Hoop training for weight loss
In 1 minute of training with a hula hoop, about 10-12 calories are burned. When choosing between a strict diet and a gymnastic hoop, experts advise giving preference to the second option, because sooner or later people who limit themselves in food break down and begin to gain back the lost weight. And training with a hoop provides long-term results, as it helps to get rid of extra pounds and a few extra centimeters in the abdomen and waist.
To achieve more noticeable results, you need not only to regularly spin the hula hoop, but also to reconsider your lifestyle. Avoid unhealthy and high-calorie foods and sweet soda, drink at least 2 liters of clean drinking water a day, move more, spend more time in the fresh air, go to bed on time, do not abuse alcoholic beverages, etc.
Hula hoop twisting: how to do it correctly and how much time should you spend on training?
A gymnastic hoop is a full-fledged sports equipment. For each individual zone (buttocks and hips, waist, arms), training must be carried out separately. There are many ideas and options for such training. You can find them in special books and on the Internet.
In order for hoop twirling to bring only benefits to the body, you should not train on a full or empty stomach. Experts advise starting hula hoop training 60-80 minutes after a small snack or 120-140 minutes after a full meal. After training, it is recommended to drink 1 glass of clean drinking water to prevent dehydration.
If you dream of becoming the owner of a wasp waist, then during training you need to keep your legs together and your body should be in a straight position. Only this position allows the muscles of the buttocks and abdomen to remain tense while spinning the hula hoop.
If you want to get rid of excess fat deposits in the buttocks and thighs, then you need to train with your legs wide apart.
You need to spend from 15 (for beginners) to 45 (for experienced athletes) minutes a day spinning a hoop. Don't be lazy and practice every day, otherwise it will be very difficult for you to achieve the necessary results!
Popular types of gymnastic hoops
There are several of the most popular types of this effective simulator.
✔ A regular hoop made of aluminum or plastic is a classic option. The classic hula hoop can be performed not only by adults, but also by children. You are unlikely to be able to achieve tangible results if you have serious problems with excess weight, but this option is ideal for those people who are just starting to get acquainted with hula hooping and do not want to walk around with bruises.
✔ A weighted hula hoop will help you in the fight for an ideal figure . Its weight varies from 1 to 2 kg. The inside of a weighted hoop is hollow, so it can be made even heavier by adding sand, salt, etc. This type of hula hoop, unlike the classic one, will work more effectively and quickly on your problem areas.
But do not forget that overuse of training with a weighted gymnastics hoop can cause irreparable harm to your spine. When choosing a weighted hula hoop, consider your fitness level and body type.
✔ Folding hula hoop is another type of gymnastic hoop. It disassembles, consists of 4-8 parts and is ideal for those people who travel a lot or live in small apartments.
✔ The massage hula hoop differs from other types of gymnastic hoops in that there are special balls with suction cups along its perimeter. This hula hoop effectively fights newly formed cellulite, as it has a pronounced massage effect. Experts say that in 1 minute of training, massage balls make about 280-320 presses on one problem area.
Massage hula hoop
How to spin a hoop correctly to lose weight?
To start hoop training as effectively as possible and burn excess fat on your sides and waist, you must follow the following rules:
- Stand straight, shoulders back, eyes looking at any central point.
- Here, not only a straight back and a straight look are very important - you need to completely direct your thoughts to training . Still, not everyone has the patience to rotate the hoop for more than 10 minutes. or half an hour.
- Basic position: stand straight and feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the hoop at waist level.
- At the beginning of the rotation, we direct the hoop in any chosen direction and begin rotating the waist, body and hips at the same time.
- When rotating the hoop, we try to keep the body in good shape for as long as possible so that the hoop does not fall.
You shouldn’t take the maximum number of revolutions and time on the first day. Start gradually. It’s better to develop your own program of useful exercises, observing rest days, during which the body renews itself, restoring muscles.
