Fitness at play with hula hoops
Melissa Bloomfield went from memory lane to active lifestyle
Published:Wednesday | July 27, 2022 | 12:06 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
They say you’re one workout away from a better mood. Now, can you imagine if a hula hoop is thrown into that active mix? Instructor Melissa Bloomfield realised that she was on to something special when she decided to bring a youthful exuberance to fitness. But her discovery was purely coincidental.
“I got into hula hoop fitness by accident. A friend of mine discovered hoop yogini, which is a transformational fitness regime, that integrates hula hooping with yoga and mindful meditation. We decided to buy hula hoops and try that for ourselves,” she explained to Lifestyle.
The path was paved with the best of intentions but it didn’t register to them that they were buying the wrong hula hoop locally. Their failed attempt sent them back to the drawing board. Then her friend inherited the right bunch of hoops on one of her travels and returned them to Jamaica. “I was at her house one night, picked up one of the hoops she brought down and it actually stayed up,” she recounted.
Bloomfield was fascinated by the simple yet indescribable joy of the activity, “I got the best high from it with the music. It was just so amazing.” For her, it was the youthfulness of it all, remembering the toy from her days of childhood. The fitness only came into play when others began recognising the difference in her body.
She embarked on a 30-day challenge to hoop every single day. And during that time, people started asking if she was doing hula hoop classes and they also requested the whereabouts of these hula hoops. Like Bloomfield, they too began reminiscing on this blast from the past game that they held so dear to their hearts.
She still didn’t have it in mind until she noticed the change in her body and her mindset. It’s more than just the body, she said, there was a unique alignment with her mind, body, and spirit – which is exactly what HulaFit Ja is about.
“For the mind, hula hoop relieves stress and improves mental clarity. It stimulated creativity and imagination. When you’re in that hoop, you can get so lost with the music and the motions of your body; it provides a meditative space,” she shared. It’s a full workout for the body, improving core strength, eye coordination, and balance, while increasing energy.
As for the spirit, Bloomfield explained that the hoop ignites joy from within and makes you happy. It is calming for your emotions, nurturing your well-being, and infusing this great sense of pride.
Since being in business for the first five weeks, the response has been going well. People are continuously asking if she is having classes. If she has now begun to sell hula hoops. “As a mom-trepreneur, I thought it would be a great thing to go into fitness. It’s something that people should take seriously. And I do believe it is an amazing low-impact way to lose weight,” she added.
According to the instructor, her hula fit is loads of fun. The low-impact workout incorporates dance on the body and off-body movement. “Some of the benefits to hula hoop classes is that you burn calories, body fat and you lose inches. The classes boost your cardiovascular fitness, challenge your core muscles, improve your balance and work on lower body muscles as a family-focused activity. It’s a similar burn to running and a high-intensity workout.
The only obstacles she has faced so far are getting some individuals to see hula hooping beyond a gaming activity just for children to tip the scale in health and wellness for adults as well.
Proud and passionate about her craft, she hopes to expand her clientele and continue to change lives, one hoop at a time. Her advice to those looking to hoop their way to a fitter version of themselves is to just go for it.