So, you may remember I mentioned I had practised the hoop to the point where I could keep it spinning for 30 minutes (the duration of the class); but once my instructor added in leg kicks, arm movements and jumps my ability plummeted to non-existent. Luckily, she was super enthusiastic and told us beginners that we were 'doing great' which was an exaggeration if ever I heard one. She did say that as long as we kept the hoop going, then the rest was a bonus. And she was right, I felt achy in my stomach and lower back (read: love handles) yesterday, so the repetitive hip movement back and forth must have done something.
It was a really fun class and I'll be practising my moves in time for next week, but I'm under no illusion I can hoop for 30 minutes on a Saturday and end up with a beach body like a celebrity; you still need to fit in cardio a few times per week to reap real benefits.
