Why the Hoop-la?

Lately I’ve noticed hula hoop classes popping up at various gyms, and a quick google search returned hundreds of hoopin’ home workout videos. A 30-60 minute hula hoop session (yikes!) is an alternative to treadmills and ellipticals. It is a low-impact cardio workout that also targets core abdominal muscles, although is not the best option for people with back pain. Since I haven’t hula hooped since my grade school days, I can’t wait to give the class a try. But this is actually an old fad: Citizens in ancient Greece and Egypt were known to hoop it up for exercise and fun. Who knew?