Weighted Hula Hoop : Benefits And Where To Buy

TikTok is great for many things, including cute animals, fun memes and UGC challenges. But in the midst of learning your next dance move or kitchen hacks, you can also find fitness inspiration: there’s a recent TikTok star #WeightedHulahoop, whose hashtag has been viewed about 130 million times.

Hula hoops have been around for decades, and you can remember them from their childhood playing days. As you get older, they are credited for burning calories and strengthening your core muscles.

Sure, it may sounds funny, but can rotating the circle around your waist really be counted as an exercise? We asked some fitness experts to give us a review on this throwback product, including what a weighted hula hoop really is, how to use it, and the benefits of hooping up some of the time. Here’s what they had say.

What Is Weighted Hula Hoop?

A weighted hula hoop is what the name suggests – it’s a hula hoop heavier than the typical plastic hoops you use and they usually weigh between one and a half and eight pounds.

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Weighted hula hoops are a variation of the original plastic version. As the name suggests, they are usually heavy.

They are also usually large and are made of a soft material.

Take a look at the potential benefits of a weighted hula hoop workout and how you can get started, even if you’ve never used it before.

Weighted Hula Hoops vs. Traditional Hula Hoops.

“It’s low-impact and combines cardio and strength training by increasing your heart rate and connecting your core and back muscles,” Gourley says.

Walker stated, “It is also effective for entire core muscle groups and lower body”. If you choose to do arm workout with hula hoop, then it’s a total-body workout. It can also help to burn body fat and reduce inches from midsection, walker says.

A small study from 2015 showed that regularly weighted hula hooping was associated with decreased waist and hip circumference. Another study from 2019 showed that relative to walking, weighted hula hooping reduced belly fat percentages in overweight subjects.

What Are The Benefits of Using Weighted Hula Hoop?

Although there is limited research focused on particularly weighted hula hoops, there is still solid evidence to support the following seven benefits;

1. Increases Core Muscle Mass.

Hula hooping activate the muscles of your core while you hoop around your hips. Because of the work that your main muscle has to do with this activity, it can help to strengthen the muscles around your middle part.

In the same 2019 study as described above, the researchers noted that participants in the Hula hooping group had a significant increase in muscle mass in their proboscis compared to the walking group.

2. Improves Aerobic Health.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends receiving at least 150 minutes of reliable sources of medium-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise each week.

Hula hooping is a funny, invigorating way to fit more aerobic exercise into your daily workout routine. It has the potential to offer the same benefits as salsa dancing or belly dancing.

Some of the amazing benefits of regular aerobic activity includes;

• Strengthen heart and lungs.
• Improve blood flow.
• Low risk of heart disease.
• A strong immune system.
• Improved brain function.
• Low stress levels.

3. Burns Calories.

According to the Mayo Clinic, during the 30-minute hula hooping, women can burn about 165 calories and men can burn about 200 calories.

It is comparable to other aerobic activities such as ball room dancing or walking at a speed of about 4.5 mph.

4. Reduces Belly Fat.

A 2019 study compared the potential benefits of the weighted Hula hooping program with a walking program for individuals with reliable sources. The 53 subjects included in the study either did an average of 12.8 minutes of hula hooping per day or walked 9,986 steps per day.⁽¹⁾

The researchers found that the subjects in the Hula hooping group lost a significant amount of belly fat compared to the walking group and also cut inches from their waists.

5. Loose Fat Around Your Waist And Hips.

A small study on 2015 evaluated the potential benefits of a 6-week weighted hula hooping program for women.

At the end of the 6th week, researchers found that the 13 women in the study had lost inches around their waist and hips.

Overall, it has been found that women on an average loss 3.4 centimeters (1.3 inches) their waistlines and 1.4 centimeters (0.6 inches) from their hips.

6. Reduces LDL (Bad) Cholesterol.

LDL cholesterol is often referred as “bad” cholesterol. If it becomes too high, it increases your risk of developing heart disease. Aerobic workouts, such as hula hooping, has the potential to improve your good cholesterol levels (HDL).

The 2019 study mentioned earlier also found that the LDL cholesterol levels of participants in the Hula hooping group had a significant decline at the end of the 6-week hula hooping versus walking program.

7. Increases Your Motivation To Exercise Again.

A 2016 pilot study looked at the intentions of women aged 18 to 45 for future exercise after completing 30 minutes of reliable hooping or walking.⁽²⁾

At the end of the study, the researchers found that women in the Hula hooping group reported stronger intentions for future exercise.

How To Use A Weighted Hula Hoop?

Before you start hula hooping, make sure you are using a hoop of a suitable size and weight. Wear form-fitting clothes, as loose clothes can get stuck and tangled in the hoop.

When you first start, you can spend more time with the hoop on the floor than with your waist. It may take some practice to get the time right, but the longer you stay with it, the better you will get. The key is to be patient and not give up.

Here’s how you can effectively use a weighted hula hoop:

Start by holding the hoop in one hand and stand by shaking your legs, one foot about 6 to 8 inches in front of the other. If you rotate the hoop clockwise, start your left foot forward and if you rotate anticlockwise, start your right foot forward.

If you’re just starting out, you must practice hula motion without the hoop. Move a little forward and backwards along your hips, bringing your weight from your heel to your toes and back to your toes and back to your heel again. Keep doing this until you’re comfortable with the speed.

Video Source: Hula Hoop Waist Workout For 15 Minutes. Day 1!

Next, place the hoop around your waist and the back of the hoop on the smaller part of your back, just above your hips. The front of the hoop should point slightly downwards.

Then, rotate the hoop and try to hold it to your front hip as you begin to move back and forth. You can change the speed of the hoop by changing the speed of moving your hips.

Who Should Not Use The Weighted Hula Hoop?

As with any new form of exercise, Walker says you should be careful and consult your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. And if you have any pain while exercising, stop immediately and seek medical help.

“It is relatively safe to use a weighted hula hoop as long as you are using a weight that will help you to use your strength and experience. Suitable for fitness level,” says Gourley.

Frequently Asked Questions. 

Bottom Line.

Weighted hula hoops are a heavy, strong variation of popular children’s toys. Hula hooping has the strong potential to be a funny, challenging and invigorating way to improve your aerobic health, burn calories, reduce fat, and build your core strength effectively.

Although it should be remembered, hula hopping is an economical way to stay active, and it can increase your motivation to exercise more often. It’s safe for most people, but if you have a back or hip problem or other health issues it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor first.

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