Brock Franks
Of all the things TikTok has made me buy over the years, a weighted hula hoop is probably the most unexpected. One showed that using a weighted hula hoop every day for six weeks helped reduce waist size, while another compared a group of people who used a weighted hula hoop daily and walked 9.9k steps a day, to a group of people who only walked the 9.9k steps.
As mentioned, I didn’t go into this challenge with an aesthetic goal in mind, rather to spice up my sweat seshs with something fun, but I did decide to measure mine out of curiosity.
I imagined I’d just do what I would with a normal hula hoop; move my body in a circular motion to keep it going, but given that this one was heavier and fitted to my waist, swaying around like my life depended on it didn’t quite work. PT Anthony Maritato says it's about making this a smaller, consistent movement that doesn’t require you to shuffle too much, adding: 'A steady rhythm is the best way to maintain momentum. Some clients may also benefit from using a metronome app on their phone, or choosing a song with a strong rhythmic beat to keep timing with the motion.'
Once I worked out how to keep going long enough to get through a whole episode of Schitt’s Creek (multi-tasking for the win) with minimal stops, my heart-rate shot up, and I finished every session with a serious sweat on. What I will say is that the ‘smart’ features of the weighted hula hoop I went for didn’t seem to reflect how sweaty and out of breath I’d get.
I’m not a fan of relying on fitness trackers, so it was no skin off my nose, but it’s something to keep in mind if that’s a feature you’d be especially swayed by.
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Even with the TV on in the background, the noise of the weight ball going around the links grated on me and put me off whatever I was watching. But I found an easy solution: I sacrificed Schitt’s Creek for music, and put my wireless headphones in.
While this unconventional method of movement did help me work up a sweat, one of the biggest issues for me was that the links around my waist were quite painful and often left marks. Maritato suggests a simple adjustment: 'Your arms should be positioned in a way that allows you to flex your elbows and, passively, keep your hands near shoulder level or above. Honest thoughts: after using the hoop almost daily, in conjunction with my gym workouts (usually made up of dumbbell exercises, two or three times per week), and maintaining my 10,000 steps a day, I didn’t see any physical changes. However, I was travelling during the two-week challenge, which meant that there were three or four days in which I wasn’t able to use the hoop, which may well have affected my results. Maritato says if a physical change is what you're after, long-term consistency over a balanced diet and exercise routine is key: 'Weighted hula hooping alone won't reduce fat – you'd need to look at your nutrition, too. 'Other cons include needing a large open area to avoid knocking over objects or hitting people.
But there are certainly some advantages: 'Weighted hula hooping is a novel idea that might get people to move more and have fun while doing it, which may well mean you see results that you haven't before.' Maritato adds: 'The motion of hula hooping may also help reduce lower back pain and stiffness, and improve core muscle activation.' I will say that it is a very accessible cardio workout, and there were times when I didn’t feel like going to the gym so I picked up my hoop instead. A final pro: I appreciated that the ball was made out of rubber, meaning that it didn't hurt me or damage my flat if (or should I say, when) it accidentally hit anything.
I’ll be keeping it on show in my living room, for the times when dragging myself to the gym is a no-go, but moving my body is a must.
