Weighted hula hoop workouts are the latest Tiktok exercise obsession: Here’s where to buy one

The fitness trend is said to help strengthen your abdominal muscles and lower back

Hooping is an accessible, low-impact way to keep fit at home (iStock/The Independent)

During lockdown, going to the gym has been off the cards, meaning many of us have been on the lookout for new ways to boost our endorphins and get a serious sweat on.

Aside from running, we have been introduced to a plethora of exciting training methods, from virtual barrecore and YouTube HIIT sessions to the Peloton phenomenon. But what comes next?

Read more: Is Peloton’s £1,750 exercise bike worth the cost? Here’s our review

While it might not seem like the obvious place to look to for workout inspiration, TikTok – yes, the social media app famed for dance routines and pasta recipes – has become the go-to destination for anyone wanting to take up a new fitness challenge.

The latest of which, might be the most niche of them all: weighted hula hooping.

On the platform, there is more than 40 million views on the hashtag #weighteeddhulahoop, with thousands of videos of newbies and professionals alike extolling the virtues of the workout for its core-strengthening and endurance-building capabilities. But, how exactly do you do it and does it really help improve your fitness?

Jess Love, a hooping expert and circus artist that has been practising hula hooping for more than 20 years, previously told The Independent that it is not only a great cardio workout but also an unbeatable core exercise, adding that the key to a good technique is to focus on moving your chest forwards and backwards, not circling your hips.

“Start with the hoop against the small of your back, then give it a good start, pushing it towards your belly,” she said. “It should rotate a couple of times, and then you’re ready. As the hoop moves past your tummy, push into it.

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“Anyone can do it, whatever your fitness level, age, body shape. It’s fun, low impact, you can do it with friends, and it’s a little bit silly – which is good for the soul!”

Interested in getting yourself in a spin this summer? Read on for our top picks of weighted hula hoops that have been put through their paces by our beginner tester.

Powerhoop deluxe: £49.95, Powerhoop.com

(Powerhoop)

This model from Powerhoop, one of the best-known brands in fitness hooping, was crowned best buy in our round-up of the best weighted hula hoops, with the reviewer praising the brand for not only delivering a brilliant hoop but a whole community of online classes, tutorials and teacher training.

“Its deluxe model is expensive, but it’s the ultimate weighted hoop and is suitable for beginners and expert hoopers: it comes with intuitive steel inserts to slide inside the hoop to customise its weight, all the way up to a serious 2kg, and is lined with colourful, flexible plastic gradations that help the hoop grip to you without bruising,” said our reviewer. “Both our novice and experienced testers loved this hoop, and its grippy casing made it one of the easiest to get started with.”

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Opti weighted hula hoop, 1.8kg: £17.99, Argos.com

(Opti)

One of the heaviest styles in our round-up, this one is suited to more experienced hoopers and is great for an intense ab workout, with our reviewer saying it caused “some serious core burn”.

“Despite being heavy it packs down easily, so won’t take up a huge amount of space. If you are exploring hooping purely as an ab workout and don’t have any plans to try any tricks or routines, this is the one to buy,” they said.

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Opti weighted hula hoop, 1.25kg: £15.99, Argos.com

(Opti)

If you’re just starting your hula hooping fitness journey, this was our reviewers’ favourite lighter style.

“This is smooth, light and easy to get going thanks to its grippy foam casing,” they said.

“The weight was just right for a beginner – heavy enough to give you a better chance of keeping it spinning and to give you a decent workout, but not so heavy it becomes painful to use. Like the heavier Opti hoop, it packs down small and is easy to reassemble, so it would be a good option for travelling.”

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