Virgin Active brings back the Hula Hoop

The Virgin Active Health Club in Sydney’s Frenchs Forest has revived the Hula Hoop craze familiar to many from their childhood years.

The Club’s ‘Hoop and Tone’ classes started at the beginning of June and extra classes are now being offered due to their popularity.

As the Club explains in an online statement ‘Hoop and Tone’ classes are “a fun way to strengthen core muscles, get a bit of a sweat up and burn some calories away from the bellies! It's also great for coordination, spacial awareness, balance and more importantly the smile factor!”

Fitness industry interest in the Hula Hoop has rise over recent months, with fitness writer Susan Quilty suggesting “if you're looking for a quick and easy way to strengthen your core muscles and you want a change from pilates or yoga, why not give hula hooping a try?”

As Quilty explains “the same plastic hoop that's been a staple of childhood play for decades is also an amazing exercise tool. The Hula Hoop can effectively trim (the) waist, hips, and thighs, build abdominal and lower back muscles, and give (the) cardiovascular system a work out.”

US-based Quilty adds “you can buy a simple hooping hoop for a few dollars at nearly any toy store”, but she does highlight that “the trouble with toy store hula hoops is that they are usually kid-sized. Hoops with a larger diameter rotate slower, making them easier to keep in motion. However, once you have it down, a smaller hoop will give you a better workout, as you have to move faster to keep up with it.”

A few years ago, Holly Iverson, a fitness instructor in Milwaukee, felt that the Hula Hoop she used in fitness workouts was just too lightweight. By stuffing the hollow plastic tube with telephone wire and wrapping it in foam for comfort, she was able to create an aerobic exercise aid that boosted the value of the workout. The added weight makes the hula hoop easier to move.

As reported on the TeamFlex website “those who would snicker at the idea of using the retro toy will give greater respect once they try it. Much harder than regular aerobics, using the heavy hoop can be much more tiring.

“Because of the added weight, (users) get not only an aerobic workout session, some strength training is added as well.”

In the United Kingdom, Hulaerobics™ is a unique program offered at all of Virgin Active’s 72 clubs.

The Virgin Active UK Hulaerobics™ Hula Hoop weighs around 600 grammes and is 90 centimetres in diameter.

A Hulaerobics™ spokesperson explains “this all makes for an easier hula experience as the weight, combined with the material used, helps to grip your waist for a more successful workout.”

3rd October 2008 - VIRGIN SEEKS TO REDEFINE THE GYM EXPERIENCE IN AUSTRALIA