Looking for a great new workout? Try the good old hula-hoop.

You may have hula-hooped for fun as a kid – but now you’ve got an even better reason to give it a whirl. 

Hooping can provide an excellent cardio workout and also has meditative benefits once you get back into the swing of it. You’ll need a new hoop. That kid-sized version won’t do now that you’re taller. Hula-hoops have come a long way and are now available in a variety of styles. From simple, inexpensive light-weight practice hoops to high tech lighted hoops that will inspire you to hoop at night put on a show.

Hopping can burn up to 600 calories an hour. The whirling rhythm and rocking back and forth stimulates the heartbeat and can do wonders for coordination and balance too.