Do you want to buy a fitness hoop specifically for body shaping and strengthening the core, are you solving the question of how to lose weight with a hula hoop and which hula hoop to choose for this purpose? I wrote down a few tips for you what to look out for when choosing a fitness hoop.
There are several types of fitness hoops on the market. But they have one thing in common. They are big and heavy. This means that you can keep them on your body more easily, because their higher weight and slower spinning will give you time to catch the right momentum. But each hoop has its own benefits. There are not only massage weighted hoops that we see everywhere on the internet.
Types of fitness hoops
A massage weighted hoop is a special kind of heavy fitness hoop that has massage bumps on it. Recently, these hoops have been a big trend in fitness, weight loss and strength training. These hoops weigh 1-3kg and are produced around 100cm in diameter.
A classic fitness hoop is a type of hoop that is more similar to the ones we know from childhood. The fitness hoop is larger and heavier compared to the children's hoop. This hoop does not have massage bumps, the diameter of the tube is 2.5cm and it weighs from 600g to 800g.
Smart hoop. I really don't know why this device is called a hoop. It has nothing to do with the appearance of the hoop and its purpose. The only thing it has in common with the hoop is the movement that makes this device move. The device consists of a part that rests on the body and then a weight that oscillates around the body on a string. It weighs approximately 300g.
Hoop weight
It is true that as an adult you need a big and heavy hoop. The bigger and heavier the hoop, the slower the hoop spins and therefore you will have better control over its movement around your hips. But! A hoop that is too heavy can rather hurt you. Massage hoops usually weigh more than 1 kg. If you are just starting out with hooping and the movement is not natural to you, you do not know the right technique, you could even injure yourself with such a heavy hoop.
If you think that a heavier hoop will have better body shaping effects, it is not entirely true. Yes, you might sweat more with a 2kg hoop than with a 600g hoop, but extremely heavy hoops will initially cause you a lot of bruises and unnecessary muscle strain, after which you may not be able to hoop for several days in a row. Classic fitness hoops have the optimal weight for complete beginners. If you are not used to strengthening the abdominal muscles, even these hoops can cause a slight stretch in the muscles at first. In the beginning, it is good not to exaggerate the hooping and start gradually (minutes). Also, never forget to always spin to both sides so that you don't strain just one side unequally.
If you suffer from lower back pain, the extremely heavy weight of the hoop, repetitive rotational movement and spinning the hoop with way too much energy could harm you and cause back pain. Some massage hoops weigh even more than 2kg. Cases are also known when these hoops caused, in addition to bruises, pinched nerves or internal bruising of organs. Yes, these are extreme cases, but it is good to know about them.
Hoop size
The rules for choosing a hula hoop size are the same as for choosing other hoops. The appropriate size is the one you measure from the ground to the navel.
Massage bumps
The massage hoops have bumps around the perimeter that massage the abdominal area when rotating around the waist. But this means that the hoop is only suitable for the soft area around the belly. This hoop is absolutely unsuitable for spinning anywhere other than on the body. If you try to spin the hoop in your hand, the hoop will slip out of your hand and you will have ugly bruises on your hands caused by the hard bumps. The same goes for knee and chest spinning.
Classic fitness hoops do not have those bumps and are therefore suitable not only for spinning around the waist, but you can also try spinning on other parts of the body.
Material
Classic fitness hoops are made of HDPE material, which is solid but flexible at the same time. Our hoops have a push button, so you can partially fold them to a smaller diameter and pack them for the trip. They are equipped with anti-slip tapes, thanks to which the hoop does not slide on clothes and it is easier to keep it on the waist.
The massage hoops are made of extremely hard, rigid plastic. Since the hoops are also too heavy, they will probably create bruises in the waist and hip area in the beginning. With these hoops, you have to push a lot to make it spin. If you don't have the right technique, the hoop hits your hips hard and hooping can become a bit of nightmare :-). The nice thing about massage hoops is that they are made up of individual parts, so you can take them on the go.
So which fitness hoop is the best?
It depends on your condition. Using a massage hula hoop is relatively safe as long as you use a weight that is appropriate for your strength. However, when choosing the first hoop, I would choose hoops in maximum weight of 1kg. If you are in doubt, it is better to use a classic fitness hoop, which is lighter and weighs around 700g. If you feel any pain during the exercise, stop immediately. If you want to start spinning with a massage hoop, you should first think about whether this hoop is suitable for you, start slowly, hoop for a short time and see if anything hurts or if everything is fine.
In our e-shop you will find classic fitness hoops with an optimal weight, which are suitable as a first hoop choice.