When was the last time you hula hooped?
Did you have one of those cheap plastic $5 hula hoops when you were a kid? Well, hula hoops are not just for kids anymore.
Hula hooping requires both concentration and coordination; it engages you mentally and physically. It really requires that mind/body connection thing that every one keeps talking about and it’s fun.
Your brain grows new neurons as long as you keep your brain active. And to keep that hula hoop moving up and down and around requires the active engagement of your brain. It’s definitely more fun than sudoku.
How often do you have fun? What do you do for fun? One thing about fun and play, is that it takes your mind off whatever problem/stress you have in your life at that moment.
While hoops have been found in many cultures through out the centuries and have been made of different materials like willow, rattan and stiff grasses, the hoop went viral in the late 1950’s when a plastic version was marketed for kids. In 1958 more than 25 million were sold in 4 months.
While 28” hula hoops for kids have remained a childhood staple, the adult versions are heavier and bigger (mine is 46” in diameter). Now it’s called Hooping or Hoop Dance and there are even websites and clubs devoted to it.
Whatever you call it, its fun and the benefits are many. Hooping tones your body, helps you burn fat, and your abs and core will definitely feel it. It also improves your coordination and the flexibility of your spine. It improves your mood and will definitely make you laugh if you’re doing it with friends or family. My daughter and I laugh so hard watching each other(or my son) that, of course, we lose concentration and drop it but that’s the point, isn’t it, to have some fun?
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