The Army's Ready and Resilient Campaign integrates and synchronizes a wide variety of efforts that improve the readiness and resilience of the Total Army - Soldiers, Civilians and Families.
Physical exercise is an important part of the campaign and it offers numerous benefits, but many think of personal exercise as nothing more than a necessary chore. The following is a great example of how one can make exercising fun.
How many out there have not touched a hula-hoop since childhood? How many have never even tried hula-hooping because of the possibility of embarrassment or not being able to keep the hoop above the hips?
If this describes you, you're one of many. Don't despair; you can still do it as an adult.
Beth Lumsden and her coworker, Amanda Quintero, both environmental specialists at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, have begun implementing 'hoop dance' exercising during their half hour lunch break. They are looking for interested individuals who want to try the workout while having fun at the same time.
"You'd be surprised at the workout one gets from just 30 minutes of hula-hooping," said Lumsden, who has been practicing since 2009. "The hula-hoop is an extremely simple yet effective piece of workout equipment that can tone your thighs, abdominals, gluteals, and arms. And it's just as much fun as when you were a child. But don't despair, practice makes perfect."
Lumsden says first timers can start with the basic moves, such as around the waist, until they feel comfortable. After one feels ready they can step up to more advanced ones, mixing and matching tricks which she teaches along the way. Do any combination of moves for 30 minutes (you'll burn 200 to 300 calories per workout) three times a week for four weeks and you'll lose three to six inches all over your body. Yep, belly included!
Lumsden, who has built her own adult-sized hoops from irrigation tubing, says the heavier the hoop, the better the workout; some like to add sand or water inside the tubing for added weight.
"When I was visiting back home in Minnesota, I ran across a friend who taught me how to make the hoops," she said. "Once I got it down, I began hula-hooping in Yuma with the help of online tutorials and became addicted." She believes anyone else can have fun, too.
"Beth is a great instructor," said Quintero. "It took only one lesson for me to learn the basics. I found the movements to be very natural and fluid, and almost relaxing. We like to stay active during our lunch break by running the Legacy Trail or going to the gym, and now we've added hooping to our routine. It's nice to change things up and hooping is a fun way to do that."
Lumsden said that not only does your body benefit, hooping also improves your balance, posture, increases coordination and improves flexibility not to mention builds up your self esteem. It's more like playing, than it is a set workout. Hooping is good for your entire body, good for the soul and puts a lasting smile on your face.
Hooping has a spiritual side, also. As a perfect circle, the hoop is the ancient symbol for gnosis (knowledge with wisdom). It is the symbol of infinitude, the snake that eats its own tale, the cycle of death and rebirth, and the change within the whole. The circle has long been used for delineating sacred space.
If you ever catch them out hooping, feel free to join in for a lesson and some fun!
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