Wacces Weighted Hula Hoop, 3 lb

Let me start by saying that I was never able to hula hoop. I would spin a few times and the hoop would hit the ground, spin a few times and the hoop would hit the ground, and then I would get bored and quit. The large, weighted hoop makes all the difference. I was able to hoop almost immediately, and I quickly started to be able to do it for many minutes at a time. Note of caution: you will be a bit sore at first because of the repeated hits against your torso. The pain goes away quickly, and you acclimate to it quickly so you can do it for longer periods of time. I am now up to being able to do it for half an hour at a time, and I can read while doing it. It is also good to try to learn to swing it clockwise and counterclockwise (to start, people tend to one or the other) to make sure you are evenly working your muscles. I lost three inches off my waist after a few weeks, and my muscles are starting to get more defined. I love exercises that work me out before they get boring - I cannot really tolerate gyms for that reason. This has been added to kettlebells and trampoline for home exercise, and it is a great addition. It is easy to put together - snaps into place - but like others I hadn't gotten it quite "right" so the first couple of times it came apart. Once I fixed those two areas it was good to go. I've only been using it a couple of days, but so far it's perfect. I don't have any bruising (as mentioned by those people who bought the hoops with the inner bumps), but I've had a bit of difficulty keeping it up. However, I'm sure I'll be hooping if I keep trying since I'm getting better each day. Do beware however that this hoop is HUGE! I guess I'm still visualizing the kids hula hoops from years ago. This hoop requires quite a bit of free space so be prepared.  This hoop is fantastic. Very easy to take apart and put together; for those of you having trouble connecting segments, wiggle them a bit until you feel them click into place. The foam is very comfortable, and it's not painful like the hoops with knobs. I've worked my way up to 10 minutes in the first week, and while my side is a bit sore, I've had no bruising. If you search for hula hoop basics on youtube, there are several demos of how to hoop in different positions, e.g., squatting, bending over, leaning back. I've been mixing in different positions for a better workout and it's great. This hula hoop is 3 pounds and collapsible. The foam helps offset the extra pressure from the hoop's weight. It comes with all sorts of warnings of bruising, but i suppose this is mainly a concern if you have less fat and more muscle. I have never been bruised by this hoop. My hooping has improved significantly  and I can do a decent amount of tricks fluidly. I still use this hoop for exercise purposes, but I find myself using it more and more for drills. Because it's so heavy, it seems to drill tricks and moves into your muscle memory a lot quicker. I've been able to conquer clockwise hooping (going the opposite direction i normally go) because of this hoop. It has also helped me improve my off the body isolations. I recommend this hoop for beginners and intermediates alike; for those just looking for a fun workout and for those looking to learn more tricks. I also recommend getting this one and not the one with the ridges. Those do hurt. This one does not. And to all of those just looking for a fun workout, you will get bored with this after a while so it's a good idea to learn some tricks (you-tube is a great resource for this). The tricks will also improve the effectiveness of your workout (i.e. isolations work your biceps and triceps, etc.)