Twirl yourself back in shape

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Michelle Obama seen hula hooping at the South Lawns of the White House —AP

Bored of your regular Sunday morning jog? Maybe it’s time for you to shrug the mundane fitness routine and opt for something more rhythmic and fun instead. Hula hooping, which is already a popular form of workout in the West, is fast catching on among fitness enthusiasts in India as well. It’s not just youngsters, the hoop is much loved by senior and middle-aged citizens too.

Kavita Merchant, a hula hoop trainer, says that what makes hula hoop a popular form of working out is the fun factor. “I have been hula hooping since I was 15. I took to it because I was bored of my walks, skipping and other forms of exercises. This seemed just perfect. I don’t even realise that I’ve worked out so much since I enjoy it. And that, I feel is the main reason for its popularity,” she says.
Hula hoop basically refers to a plastic ring which is twirled around your hip, neck or waist. The invention of the hoop dates back to the 14th century when people would use wooden and metal hoops. Later on, a California-based company invented the plastic hoop which took the world by storm. Eventually, hula hooping became so popular that a World Hula Hoop Day began to be celebrated by its patrons.
Malvika Rao, a banker by profession, says that this is her favourite form of workout. She also says that the size and weight of the hoop directs the style of the hooper. “If you want to hoop slowly, use large hoops and for lighter and faster circles, thin tube hoops are better. The hooping vocabulary means fun all the way. There are so many core body moves and off body moves. But one has to practise almost everyday to get comfortable enough to get the flow,” she explains.
International celebrities such as Michelle Obama, Kelly Osbourne and Beyonce are known to be patrons of hula hooping. In recent times several bootcamps across the metros have introduced hula hooping as a form of workout now.
Radhika Lal, a media professional, who has attended such bootcamps, says, “I am really happy with the results I have achieved in terms of weight loss. What’s more, my five-year-old son has also picked it up quite well.”