"I tried the viral weighted hula hoop that means I can exercise while watching Netflix"

The hoop could be the answer to getting that summer body from home without venturing out to gyms

New ways of getting that ‘summer body’ are all the rage on social media at the moment, from workouts to try at the gym to methods that don't require a membership at all. One of the most popular ways that have gone viral the past few months, is the use of weighted hula hoops.

The new 'must have' piece of equipment has many different brands to choose from but the most popular is the Kmart smart weighted hula hoop brand. Coming in a variety of different colours these hoops have helped people shed pounds and even stones, with TikToker Adam Birks being a prime example.

Having managed to lose around four stones in the four or five months he had been using the hoop, Adam now holds daily lives for others to join in with hooping, encouraging and celebrating others successes.

Read More: "I've lost four stone in four months using unusual method- I'm the happiest I've ever been"

After hearing all the hype and watching many of Adam's videos on this piece of equipment, I decided to see what they were actually like and if they helped you lose weight and tone up. The hoop I got was the standard smart hula hoop from Kmart, which tends to cost around £34.99 but there are many deals going around at the moment so could be cheaper.

Upon opening the box, you get 27 links including the one that clips the two ends together, the runner, the weight and a cute little cool off towel as well. I found the actual assembly of the hoop to be relatively quick and easy to do, the links can be a little stiff to add and remove but still easy enough.

While the hoop comes with 27 links, I definitely didn't need them all and once adjusted had 19 links to make up my hoop. This hoop is really ideal as it's perfect for most people both of smaller size but also those who are a little larger. It's also adaptable for the space you’re in as you can lengthen and shorten the weight to what works for you.

The actual getting the grips of using the hoop was a little bit harder than the actual set up. In many of the videos I had watched, people had one foot in front of the other and were almost rocking backwards and forwards. Now while this did work for me to start off with, I found that I much preferred moving from side to side, similar to a normal hula hoop just with less hip movement.

After getting the hang of it I started to really enjoy it and I was able to keep it going for longer periods of time. For those who don't want to go to the gym and pay the extortionate price a membership costs nowadays, or aren't the biggest fan of running, this item really is perfect. I just pop on a show I’m watching on Netflix and hoop for the length of the episode.

While I really enjoy using the hoop as a form of exercise, I will admit it's probably not as good. When going to the gym you can often really feel the strain your body is being put through as your muscles do start to burn, whereas on this you don't get that from the start. Yes it's great but not for those who want to see results quickly and all over the body, and while it might be called weighted, it's no where near the level of dumbbells or any other weight you might find in a gym.

I would really recommend this to anyone wanting to get a little bit of exercise back into their life. It's quick, easy and you only have to do 30 minutes a day from the comfort of your own home.

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