Is Hula Hooping Good Exercise?

This post has been updated for 2022.

Most people are drawn to hula hooping because they are looking for a fun way to get some exercise.

So, IS hula hooping good exercise, for real for real? Or is it just something silly that kids do?

The answer is a resounding YES, hula hooping is AMAZING exercise.

Pictured: Jillery of #TeamRuby

Even if all you ever learn how to do is hoop around your waist, you are going to get a really good workout. If you can carve 30 minutes out a few times a week to hula hoop, you will see major progress towards your fitness goals.

Whether those goals are to just remain active as you get older, or to lose weight, or to tone muscles, hula hooping is a great solution for all of the above.

So how does hula hooping provide a good workout?

Hula hooping requires use of many muscles to keep the hoop moving, whether you’re hooping on your waist, legs, chest, or even your arms. Continuous hula hooping will bring your heart rate up to the same level that any brisk movement would, such as dancing, Zumba, power walking, etc. So at its most basic level, hula hooping is a really good cardio workout.

There are other ways to exercise with hula hoops though, if you’re looking to tone muscles, including drilling simple motions and tricks, which will really help you target certain muscle groups. Most moves will tone your core naturally, and whatever moves you choose to focus on can help you workout your back, shoulders, arms, and legs. If you check out my Youtube I have a lot of beginner tutorials to give you an idea of what I mean.

If you’re ready to seriously start your hula hoop journey, take my Six Week Beginner Hula Hoop Challenge for All Bodies. This course is a take at your own pace collection of videos that will give you a broad yet specific understanding of all the basic foundational moves in hula hooping. Each day is a new lesson plus assigned homework to give you a sense of direction in your first six weeks of hula hooping exercise. 

Is hula hooping good exercise for everybody? Or is it only for people with a thin waist?

As a plus size hooper I can positively tell you that hula hooping is great exercise for everyone. No matter your body size, or ability level, or your age, hula hooping can be life changing for you and is most definitely an amazing workout. Hula hooping is low impact so it’s easy on your joints which is what makes it such a great choice for people who have special circumstances or limitations.

At the same time, it’s still a challenging workout for even the most fit people. That’s the beauty of hula hooping – you can do as much or as little as you want with it, and there’s so much to learn it can challenge anyone.

Hula hooping is more than just good exercise

I have to tell you that the fact that hula hooping is good exercise is just icing on the cake for most hoopers, including me. I am so grateful that my body gets the workout it needs from hula hooping, but I would still do it even if that wasn’t part of the equation.

The reason is because hula hooping makes me feel so good on the inside – it really helps my mental health by providing relief for stress and anxiety. 

I also love that it brings our family together. All of the kids in our family love the hoops and are always eager to put their devices down and enjoy some screen free family time.

So between the amazing physical benefits and all of the other health benefits of hula hooping, I would completely understand if you emailed me right now asking me to rush your order. 🙂 

If you need help choosing the right size hula hoop to start with, go here.