Hula hoops are fun and easy to use. They provide a full body workout and are great for strengthening muscles. They are also a great way to get in shape and burn calories. You can even use them in the office while you’re on the phone or waiting for an important email. We explain step by step how to learn hula hoop as a beginner.

Hula hoop: burn calories and strengthen muscles

It’s the fitness trend! We used to spin the hoop around our hips as kids, now we spin in the comfort of our own homes and have a lot of fun doing it. Besides, hula hooping is a real calorie killer – half an hour of hula hooping burns around 200 calories, which is the equivalent of running for 60 minutes on the treadmill.

In addition, Hula-Hoop offers many other benefits:

• Your endurance and fitness improve.
• The movements improve the blood supply to your tissues and can make them firmer. The waist automatically looks narrower.
• Your coordination and sense of balance are trained.
• You train your abdominal, leg, arm, back and buttock muscles.
• Hula Hoop can prevent back and neck pain.
• Hula Hoop strengthens the pelvic floor and is therefore a great fitness tip for new mothers.
• It also massages the internal digestive organs such as the intestines, which stimulates digestion.

Learning the Hula Hoop: These tips must be followed by beginners

But especially as a beginner or newcomer, the hula hoop does not stay on your hips and quickly falls to the ground! With these seven tips you will become a hula hoop queen in no time:

1. The right hula hoop

The right hoop size is crucial. Therefore, buy a hoop that reaches up to your belly button when you stand next to it. Your hula hoop should have a diameter of about one metre and a thickness of about two and a half centimetres. For the beginning, you should take a slightly heavier hula hoop that weighs at least a little more than one kilo – then hula hooping will be much easier for you. Make sure that the hoop is stable. It should not give or sag – this makes the hula hoop more difficult.

2. It depends on the clothes

Before you even start, you should choose the right clothes. Disturbing folds in the fabric can interfere with the swinging of the hoop. It is best if the belly is free or you wear a tight top. A waistband that is too high and thick can also make it difficult to spin around.

3. The starting position

Find a place where you have enough space to gyrate your hips and ring. Stand hip-width apart and position one foot further forward. For right-handers, this is usually the right foot. To have the most secure footing, it is best to stand barefoot.

4. The position of the ring

Get into the hoop and hold it at hip height. The back is straight while doing this. Important: Make sure that the hula hoop is held parallel to the floor. If you hold the hoop at an angle, the hoop will wobble around your hips.

5. The right hip movements

Give the hoop some momentum and move your hips and belly slightly back and forth. Beginners usually make the mistake of letting their hips gyrate wildly. Keep your hands above the hoop. You can either cross them in front of your chest or stretch them out to the side. If all this works, the hula hoop should swing in circular motions around your belly, backwards and forwards again.

6. The direction of rotation

You will notice right at the beginning in which direction the hoop spins better. In the beginning, stay on your “chocolate side”. Once you have more experience, you can try a change of direction. This may feel unusual at first and you may not be able to pull in the other direction at first. But don’t worry – with a little practice and time you will be able to swing the tyre in the other direction.

7. Straightening the ring

The more often and the longer you swing the hoop, the longer you will be able to keep it up. As your hoop slowly slides down, bend your knees slightly to give it a little more momentum.

Learning Hula Hoop: What to do if the hoop keeps tipping over?

Despite our tips, it doesn’t quite want to work and instead of circling your hips, the hula hoop keeps landing on the floor? Keep trying and don’t get discouraged. Give yourself enough time to get used to the new movements and internalise all the tips. With the hula hoop, it’s a bit like riding a bike. Eventually, you get the hang of it and it gets easier each time.

Pain and bruises after training?

At first, the hula hoop can be painful and cause a bruise or two. But over time, the connective tissue layer on the abdomen becomes firmer and bruising no longer occurs.

You can check out our other useful articles about fitness here.