Hula hoop

hey does anyone use a hula hoop?
what do you use it for (muscles/burn calories) and how often/long do you use it?

I want to buy one, I am just not sure what it does and how i should use it.

Everyone from Zooey Deschanel to First Lady Michelle Obama is hot for Hula-Hooping...Get a weighted one...

http://www.hoopnotica.com/shop.html...Look at the before and afters

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weighted-hula-hoops/AN01638
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD
woman hula hooping

Feb. 11, 2011 -- Working out with a hula hoop burns about as many calories per minute as step aerobics, boot camp, or very brisk walking, a new study shows.

For the study, researchers recruited 16 women between the ages of 16 and 59 and had them learn a 30-minute aerobics routine that uses weighted hula hoops twirled around the waist, arms, and legs.

After two practice sessions to get familiar with the moves, volunteers wore portable oxygen analyzers and heart rate monitors to record their exertion.
Hooping It Up

The study participants’ average heart rate was a brisk 151 beats per minute, about 84% of their age-predicted maximum heart rates. Their average oxygen consumption was about 20 milliliters per kilogram per minute, resulting in about 7 calories burned for each minute of hooping, or about 210 calories burned in a half-hour class.

“We were very surprised, actually,” says study researcher John Porcari, PhD, an exercise physiologist at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. “You think of hula hooping as just a recreational thing that kids do. 150 is a pretty high heart rate.”

The study was sponsored by the American Council on Exercise(ACE).

“The findings from our commissioned study indicate that hooping delivers a total-body workout that can improve flexibility and balance while strengthening the back, abdominal, arm, and leg muscles,” says Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, chief scientific officer...

Hope this was helpful~
Debbie~~

I make hula hoops!!!

One of my good friends who was close to 300 lbs started hooping; I made her an extra large hoop- you cannot use those for tricks, just for fitness. She has knee issues due to a high school injury, and hooping with her watching her diet has made a huge difference for her- she lost tons of weight, to the point where she could do other activities for fitness and fun. I couldn't be more proud of her.

It is great cardio, low impact, and also excellent for the core muscles. If you ever have any questions please let me know!!!

How long and how many times a week do they do this exercise?

This is also something you could do while standing in front of your tv. You could watch tv and still be exercising. Plus think of how great you would get at it. Cause I'm horrible at it!

Edit to ask: How many lbs do you get? I saw a 3lb one is for 100-160lb person. So what weight do you get?

Try this link to make your own. Then you can make it whatever size/weight you want. Plus these home made ones stand up to a lot of abuse.
http://www.jasonunbound.com/hoops.html