The K-MART Smart Hula Ring Hoop, currently the cheapest on Amazon at £17.40, is causing quite a stir.
This isn’t your average hula hoop: the K-MART version features detachable segments allowing you to adjust the size to your preference.
It also includes a weighted ball on a string that you spin around yourself, eliminating the need to keep the hoop up.
The ingenious design of the K-MART ring ensures it won’t fall, making it ideal for beginners and preventing constant interruptions to pick it up.
What’s more, it even disassembles into 24 pieces, referred to as links, with a simple button press mechanism.
Research indicates that hula hooping is an effective weight loss strategy. A six-week study involving individuals using weighted hula hoops reported a decrease in waist size.
Furthermore, the American Council on Exercise stated that hula hooping could burn over 400 calories per hour.
You can utilise between 15 and 24 links to perfectly fit your waist size. The hula hoop also boasts a 4.3-star rating from 13,385 reviews on Amazon.
One delighted customer proclaimed: “This arrived quickly and was on offer so very pleased with it! I have been using this for 30 minutes every day for the last four days and I really enjoy it. Once you get the momentum it is very easy to do.”
Another commented: “Side to side, back and forth. Comes with 24 links, I’ve started with 19 links. Hope to drop a link in a couple of weeks. That’s the good stuff.”
One shopper did find a flaw in the weight loss tool, claiming: “One downside to this is, it’s VERY noisy! If it were quiet or quieter it would be perfect. Best to listen to music with earphones. Otherwise, a nice way to raise your heartbeat and fingers crossed, lose some weight.”
An additional reviewer shared: “Bought this and I absolutely love it. I think the best thing I can say is that I let a friend have a go with it and she bought herself one within 10 minutes of trying it. It is easy to assemble, once you ‘get’ that it just clicks and then making it bigger or smaller is dead easy.”
In terms of practicality, the reviewer advised: “When changing the size, just hold it to prevent the weight holder coming out of the hoop. The same with the actual hula hooping, once you get going, you’re away. I’ve been using regularly and you do need a bit of space because the weight swings out, but it’s brilliant fun.”
“I’m so glad I purchased this,” another wrote. “I’m not one for workouts or exercise but this is so good, I’ve only been using it for three days and can really notice it working… cannot wait to see the end results!”
Of the negative reviews, one person said: “It’s so noisy it gets irritating, takes up a lot of room. Overall, I would not recommend.”
Argos also sells a weighted hula hoop for £22. The item weighs 1.8kg and has a rating of 4.5 out of 308 reviews.
One person said: “This hoop is not for the faint hearted – think my first one was 1kg and this is 1.8kg – bit bruised currently but my bodily will harden up. Feels good and then hoop appears very good quality and you can dismantle it. Very happy with it.”
A less happy person said: “I had to return this hula hoop as it was far too heavy, I used it once and could only hoop for a couple of minutes before I had to stop. I have since bought a 1.2kg hoop from elsewhere and this is perfect for my needs.”