How Safe Are Weighted Hula Hoop Workouts?

The pandemic saw a lot of us trying out new fitness apps, buying exercise equipment and reassessing our lifestyle choices. As it turns out, being forced to sit at home motivated us to get moving. But out of all the unexpected things to emerge from the pandemic, the sudden rise in popularity of weighted hula hoop exercise might be one of the most surprising!

Of course, at Hoop to the Rhythm, I’ve been saying it for years - hula hooping is a fantastic form of exercise. Not only can it trim your waist and strengthen your core, it’s also a ton of fun and a powerful stress reliever. By using a weighted hula hoop, you can take your workout to the next level. But like with any new exercise equipment, how can you ensure you’re using it safely? Read ahead to find out!

What Is a Weighted Hula Hoop?

You might remember hula hooping as a child with a thin plastic hoop. A weighted hula hoop is very similar, except that the hula hoop weighs a bit more than the children’s version.

So why do we use a weighted hoop? Well, here are some pretty awesome reasons to add a weighted hula hoop workout to your exercise routine:

• You can tone your core. Using a weighted hula hoop engages your abdominal muscles and your obliques. This is especially useful for women who may have weakened core muscles after pregnancy and childbirth (when cleared by a physician for this type of exercise).

• It’s exercise without feeling like exercise. The first thing most people notice about weighted hula hoop workouts is that it doesn’t feel like exercise. But just like running on a treadmill or using an exercise bike, you’re burning calories and raising your heart rate.

• It’s low impact, but effective. There are many reasons why someone might need to avoid higher impact workouts. And if yoga and walking aren’t your things, hula hooping can be the perfect alternative. It’s not hard on your joints, and it burns more calories than walking. Perfect!

The safety of weighted hula hoop workouts is discussed in this blog post.

So, Are Weighted Hula Hoops Safe?

You can buy hula hoops in a range of sizes and weights, starting at around 1pound and going all the way up to 5 pounds. But how safe is it to exercise using heavier hoops? The good news is that using a weighted hula hoop shouldn't cause any problems (if you're cleared for this type of exercise) if you follow some simple rules:

1. Start out using lighter than "commercially promoted" hula hoops. Ideally you should start with a 1-1.5 pound hula hoop.

• Don't use a hula hoop heavier than 2 pounds. Yes, you can buy heavier hoops but heavier doesn't always mean better. If the hoop weighs over 2 pounds, you might be risking injury. To keep things safe, you can stay on the side of slightly below 2 pounds.

• Warm up before you begin any exercise. Weighted hula hoop workouts might be low impact, but you should still warm up first. Do some gentle stretches pre-hula hooping to get your muscles ready.

• Don't use the weighted hula hoop if you're recovering from an injury. Your body has gone through stress so it's important to recover fully from any injuries before using a weighted hula hoop.

If you would like to learn more about safe hula hooping and weighted hula hoop weight loss, then check out Hoop to the Rhythm’s Patreon community where you can gain access to