Say No to Sit Ups

This week one of my hoop students tweeted me saying she had sore abs! I tweeted back saying sore abs are great, especially as you didn't have to do a sit up to get them #saynotositups And now I have a new favourite hash tag #saynotositups is my new motto/slogan/mantra?! it is everything!!! I feels like it sums up so many things about my life, not just hula hooping!

When I first moved to London I had a pretty bad case of the old ‘Heathrow Injection’. It was well before I had discovered hula hooping so in order to shift the weight I got my self a rather expensive Personal Trainer. She was sweet and friendly and made me do Sit-ups… Yeah, did you hear that she made me do Sit-ups!!! I hated her of course, well at least for those slow and painful minutes where I was on my back desperately trying to get my upper body off the floor.

Firstly it turned out I had been doing them wrong for years. When she asked me if I could feel it in my abs I said ‘no but I CAN feel it in my neck, my back and even my arms’. The thing was my abs were non existent so I had compensated using the rest of my body.

My tummy has ALWAYS been my problem area. My sister is the same, if we put on weight its tummy and face (just to make sure we can’t cover it with cloths).

Everyone told me I had to do sit ups but I just felt like my abs were so weak that even a few were just too much. I was much happier to dress the problem instead of addressing the problem.

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When I started hooping it was because it looked freaking cool and I wanted those magical powers that move the hoop from your legs all the way up to your arms! Yes I wanted to be magic! And guess what it was, with in 5 months I had dropped 5kg with out even noticing and now that am using proper technique for my waist hooping I’m actually starting to see my abs! I even had a friend comment on them in an instagram video!! Look here!!! My first EVER COMPLIMENT ON MY ABS! EVER!!

So SAY NO TO SIT UPS and say yes to a hoop!

P.S. Move the hoop from your legs all the way up to your arms is not actually magical! Its the first think I tell people in my leg and chest hooping workshop but when I started I really thought it was.

Benefits of Hula Hooping

1. Burns Fat Hooping uses some of the biggest muscles in your body and so it’s forced to use its fat stores to provide the required energy. 2. Tones Your Body The ultimate workout for your core, but also works your glutes, thighs, legs and arms. 3. Increases Fitness Level Hooping is an aerobic workout and can help you burn as many calories as running on a treadmill. 4. Improves Your Mood It’s laugh out loud fun so you forget you’re exercising. 5. Improves Your Coordination Hula hooping is all about timing and rhythm and over time will improve your coordination. 6. Improves Flexibility Hooping requires significant motion especially in your spine. This can even help in the prevention of back injuries.