Instructions for How to Hula-Hoop

Learn how to hula-hoop for an enjoyable activity.

If you spent time as a child hula-hooping, you may already be familiar with the typical hula-hooping motions necessary to keep the hoop spinning around you. While hula hoops continue to be favorite toys, they are also an enjoyable activity for adults. Not only are hula hoops fun but they are also effective exercise for your abdominal muscles. Learn or relearn how to hula-hoop to rediscover this popular pastime.

Instructions

1. Choose a hula hoop that fits you properly. Look for a hula hoop with a diameter of 32 to 45 inches. Adults cannot successfully use a child's hula hoop toy, so you should find a larger adult-size hula hoop to use if you plan to use it often.

2. Place the hula hoop around your midsection somewhere between your waist and chest. Hold the hula hoop with it pressed against your back with your right hand holding it at your right side and your left hand holding it at your left side.

3. Stand with one foot behind the other foot. Often people think the proper stance for hula-hooping is with your feet side by side approximately at shoulder width. This latter stance is more difficult.

4. Push the hula hoop to start it rotating around your waist. Some people prefer to raise the hula hoop above their waist slightly to start it and then they allow it to settle at their waist as it rotates around. Try pushing the hula hoop in both directions to see which you prefer. Right-handed people often rotate the hula hoop counterclockwise and left-handed people often rotate the hula hoop clockwise.

5. Shift your weight back and forth between the front foot and the back foot to rotate the hula hoop around your waist. Do not rotate your hips in a circle but rather pump the hula hoop by shifting your weight between your feet.

6. Practice hula hooping until you feel comfortable with the motions and can keep the hoop rotating.

Tips & Warnings

• The larger your waist, the larger hula hoop you will need. Larger hula hoops rotate more slowly and are more effective for beginners. Smaller hula hoops rotate quickly and can provide a more strenuous workout, if this is your purpose.

• Although some hula hoops are weighted to enable an effective exercise, you may not wish to use a weighted hula hoop. Weighted hula hoops can place undue stress on your core muscles that may make you uncomfortable. This is especially true for beginners.

References

• Hooping.org: How to Hula Hoop
• Weight Loss Methods: Weighted Hula Hoops