hula-hoop??

[musician]

Ok, I read in a magazine about a girl who'd discovered her nieces' hula-hoop was an excellent ab-workout, and I actually thought I'd give it a try myself, as I just cannot do situps (too boring). I've been doing it now for a few days (I bought a regular waterfilled one, the water is suppose to give extra stability I think... got it in a toyshop...)

It's actually quite fun! After my first day, of doing about 30-40 mins just one way, I got killer pains which lasted about 2 days (laughing hurt, so of course bf had to be extra funny all the time... hehe) and now I've kept doing it, learnt to spin it the other way aswell (both just take some practice to get the hang of, your just suppose to move your hips, and keep relatively still in the rest of your body...)

I'm trying to do half an hour each way (right and left) every day, cuz me and bf are going to a place with a pool in a few weeks, and I'd love it if I could have an alright belly by the (flatter, and without any nasty "back fat"... ewww...)

My question is, has anybody done this and seen results? How long did it take you to get a flat tummy etc?? For how long and how often did you do it...?

I'd hate it if it didn't give any results, I neeeed results...

[DizzyLizzy]

I don't know but it sure sounds fun...I was going to look into getting one myself but I have no idea the exercise value of it. (Although if you were sore you had to have been working those muscles!)

I did a quick search and found that weighted hoops are being sold for exercise purposes, both links are selling the product so exercise your own judgement when reading their claims!

http://www.shapeupshop.com/fitness/abs/heavy_hoop.htm

http://www.sports-hoop.com/instruction.htm

[musician]

yeah, I don't really believe there would be any difference in results if you buy a "special" hoop, like I said, I just use a kids one with water in it... aswell, it kinda pretty, blue and pink-glittery which also makes it a bit more fun... hehe

I used it again last night, and proudly completed my hour (only took a break for water between "right-swinging" and "left-swinging"...)
I don't feel my abs getting sore the way they did in the beginning anymore, but my back, front and face were pretty wet when I was done, so that's gotta show it's not a complete waste... I think it is probably an alright cardio actually, cuz you can spin the hopp at different speeds and still keep it up, and so if you want to you can a bit out of breath... I'll have too keep you posted on any results I see...

My belly and back are actually a bit skinnier now I think, looks like it any way, but that might be cuz of my long walks that I'm trying to do or the fact that I am dieting... I suppose I'll know if it gives proper results first when I get to my goal weight, and see if my belly is flat even though it never was when I've been at that weight before (though that is what your suppose to weigh at my height and though when I was last there I used to do quite a bit of exercise...) :icondance

[musician]

Oh, I forgot to say, but maybe it's obvious... You can do this in front of the TV, that's really what makes it a lot of fun... It's not hard once you get the hang of it, and you can just do it while watching your shows (a couple of half hour sitcoms and you can actualy feel like you haven't been wasting time watching them, or you can pop on a video, and then when your done, you can sit back and relax with some water and enjoy the last piece of the film... :nod )

[musician]

Mind, the girl I read about "only" did this for 30 mins 3 times a week.. So everybody doesn't have to go as crazy as me and do it every day... :yes :icondance :joy

[ztachick]

musician-- well this sounds like fun, can you go the whole 30 min with out messing sounds like a cool idea, not sure it wil work for a flat tummey it seems like it may be beter at trimming the hips and obliqes.. good luck and please do keep us informed how its going...