Discover the new fitness craze everyone is talking about.  The hula hoop is making a comeback as the newest way to get fit and have fun.  Today's hula hoops are bigger and heavier than the one's we used as a child so they are easier to keep up and going.  They can help you tone abs, hips, legs as well as arms and burn up to 200 calories in just 30 minutes of hooping. It will help strengthen your low back, trim your waist while improving balance and it is guaranteed to make you laugh and feel good.  We will be offering a free beginner hula hoop class Saturday April 24, 2010 @ 10:00 AM if you are interested in giving it a try.  Please call to reserve your spot as space is limited.  Shoes will be required for this class as it will be held outdoors.

 

So, why would a pilates studio promote hula hooping?  Because many of the same muscle groups we use everyday in the pilates studio are also used when hooping.  Transverse abdominis and obiliques are used with every rotation of the hoop around your waist and hips.  Transverse abdominis, your deepest abdominal muscle, stabilizes the lumbar spine and prevents too much movement.  We use this muscle everyday with every exercise we do in the studio.  Helping clients to find and activate this muscle is one of the first things we teach new clients. Strengthening this muscle can help relieve and/or prevent low back pain.  Obliques are also used while you hula hoop and these muscles are also involved in many, if not most, pilates exercises as you flex, rotate and  side bend performing pilates exercises.  Obliques are also important stabilizers for the mid-back and low back.  As your pilates program advances and becomes more challenging transverse and obliques muscles  must work very hard to perform the exercises as well as stabilizing to keep you safe. When we hula hoop muscles in our hips, legs and knees are used which helps strengthen and tone our legs, but it also gives us a cardio workout.  If you have been sedentary, it won't take very long before you will notice your heart rate is increasing, your are starting to breathe a little faster and there is a definite glisten forming on your forehead. If you have been exercising regularly it is important to find ways to cross train your body to prevent over use injuries.  Hula hooping is an energetic and fun way to explore new movement patterns and how they can compliment your current fitness routine. For a well rounded fitness program you must incorporate cardio, strength training/toning exercises and a balanced nutrition program.

 

Benefits of Hula Hooping:

 

 

As you can see hula hooping is an excellent way to improve your fitness level, compliment your pilates program as well as just being plain fun.  Anyone can hula hoop whether you haven't exercised for awhile or you just want to mix it up a bit.  Whatever your fitness level give hooping a try to see how much fun you can have while getting in shape.