Hooping: A Revolutionary Fitness Program (Book & DVD) [Paperback]

Christabel Zamor (Author), Ariane Conrad (Author)

Book Description

Series: Book & DVD | Publication Date: June 4, 2009

Imagine an exercise that works every major and minor muscle group, burns 600 calories an hour, builds balance and flexibility, requires no investment beyond $25 to $35, and makes you feel exuberant, delightful, sassy, and sexy. And is so much more like play than work that you want to keep doing it.

That's right, what goes around comes around—the Hula-Hoop, which burst into fad-dom fifty years ago, is hot all over again, but this time for enormously beneficial reasons. Christabel Zamor, credited with reviving the Hula-Hoop with her HoopGirl Workout, is leading what Time magazine calls "the inventive new wave of fitness...that is catching on in health clubs across America." Hooping brings the best of HoopGirl into a full-color, fully illustrated book plus a 40-minute instructional DVD. Here's how to get started—where to find and how to use the larger, heavier "sticky" hoops; stretches and warm-ups; and what to wear. And then more than 50 step-by-step exercises that focus on the core (abs, back, butt), upper body, lower body, and overall well-being. The exercises are as fun as they sound—Limbo, Booty Blitz, Float Up, Wildwest—and each group comes with a recommended playlist of music, plus "challenges" for going further.

Hooping!: it's not just fitness, but metamorphosis, into a renewed you, with a strong core, joyful attitude, and a glow of self-confidence.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Hooping puts the fun and dance back into exercise!! Time flies and your body transforms.” —Christiane Northrup, M.D.

From the Back Cover

Hooping is transformational, a revolutionary program of 50 exciting moves that make you feel fit, centered, sassy, and sexy. Hooping works every muscle group, improves flexibility and coordination, boosts energy levels, and builds strength, agility and endurance.

Explained in detail and illustrated with step-by-step full-color photographs, these moves combine the sheer joy of childhood play with results you can see and feel. Practice them individually, then weave them into hoopdancing routines. It’s not just fitness, but metamorphosis, creating a renewed you, with a strong core, joyful attitude, and a glow of self-confidence.

Includes a 50-minute instructional DVD.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company; Pap/DVD edition (June 4, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761152415
• ISBN-13: 978-0761152415
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,470 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Near Perfect, August 21, 2009

By 

Angel - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hooping: A Revolutionary Fitness Program (Book & DVD) (Paperback)

When choosing which hoop dancing dvds to get, it was a hard choice between HoopGirl and Hoopnotica. I opted for Hoopnotica based on the reviews, so I had to get this book when I found out about it so I could experience the HoopGirl phenomenon too.

This book is a lot like Sheila Kelley's S Factor book, except for hooping. It starts off with Christabel's personal story and consists of illustrated hoop moves interspersed with motivational side bars, suggested songs, and personal anecdotes. The tone focuses on fitness, fun, and empowerment and is very positive. It starts off with basic moves and provides numerous moves to work through. Not only is there a lot of content to work through, but Christabel puts a nice focus on going from doing moves to actually dancing, including a list of moves you can do from certain positions and sample combinations. It would be hard to get bored with the content in this book.

On top of that, the authors had the genius idea of making this a combo book and DVD. Hooping provides an interesting dilemma in that, although DVDs provide excellent instruction, few people have enough room near a television to try out the moves. A book is a great way to bring the instruction with you when you take your hoop outdoors. The DVD was not exactly what I expected. It only contained a fragment of the moves in the book, and they were the more basic moves. Unlike the Hoopnotica DVDs which are based more on instructing than providing a workout, this DVD seems to be designed as more of a fun workout. It could be a good workout, but don't expect it to take you through the more advanced moves. On the positive side Christabel has a good narration voice (I presume it is her voice) and seems like a very fun person to take a class with.

There are two negatives about this book for me. First of all, I find a rather egregious lack of information about the hoops themselves. The authors provide suggestions for places to buy them, including the hoops they sell, but don't mention the different types of hoops (i.e. standard, collapsible, LED, etc.) or the ability to make your own. Given the cost of shipping hoops and how many people opt to make their own, it would have been great if the book included instructions on how to make a basic hoop. A conflict of interest for the authors, but I think the book suffers for not having it. Additionally, I personally would like to see more racial diversity in the book. And though there is a page about men hooping too, this book does not really seem geared toward men.

Overall, this is a great book. I think anyone else who comes out with a hooping book will be hard-pressed to try and top this one.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely awesome intro to hooping!!!, June 9, 2009

By 

Judith "Judy-NY" (Garrison, NY, United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hooping: A Revolutionary Fitness Program (Book & DVD) (Paperback)

If you ever wanted to get started hooping and were too afraid to, uh, ask, then this is your answer! Christabel Zamor and her co-writer, Ariane Conrad, have done an amazing job with this book. It has material for the beginning hooper and lots of great information for the intermediate or advanced hooper as well. Christabel includes info about the history and physiology of hooping, personal essays by hoopers, great breakdowns of different hoop moves, and ideas for combinations for those of us working on our "flow." Not a single page is superfluous, and the whole book is intelligently written and beautifully photographed. The DVD is great, including warm-ups, cool-downs, cardio, and a combination. Spectacular job!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life-changing..., June 22, 2009

By 

Cruz deWilde (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hooping: A Revolutionary Fitness Program (Book & DVD) (Paperback)

As a mid-thirties male with a desk job, I have to guess that I'm somewhat on the periphery of "Hooping"'s target demographic, making it all the more delightful and surprising that I've enjoyed reading it so much. With infectious enthusiasm, the authors explore every dimension of physical, psychological, and spiritual gratification that collectively characterize the hooping journey.

This book may well mark the pivot point on which society finally turns: away from the monotony of gym-based workouts, and towards a transformational adventure of full-body expression.