I am on a mission to get some core stability/strength back, by doing stuff that doesn’t involve leaving the house (I have two young children). I run three times a week, which is great. But not so core specific.

I’ve long wanted to hula hoop as I have a friend who does and raves about it. And then, after seeing  Grace Jones hula-ing at the Jubilee concert...well.  Being able to hula hoop became my summer holiday challenge. I had bought my eldest a hoop in the toy shop and neither of us could master it. This was because, someone told me on line (and I’m so sorry I can’t remember who otherwise I’d credit you!), hoops sold in toy shops are…toys. Too light, too small, and virtually impossible to hula with. She said I needed a weighted hoop and one that, when held vertically, came up to approximately my belly button. (In fact you can see, when she brings it on stage, the hoop Grace Jones uses is big.)

So I bought one, from the The Hoop Dance Co. I got this one – plain, £11.99 (do you NEED flourescent? Do you NEED striped? I don’t think so) in 38″/625g for me and the 30″/550g one for my eldest. The smaller the hoop, the harder it is, so go bigger if you are in doubt.

Within 24 hours my daughter was hula hooping like a pro. And I can do 30 seconds without stopping. Major CV work out…I am half tempted to post a video of us hula-ing.

But no.