FXP Hula Hoop Starter Kit 4234; in Diameter, Blue

Wanted to reduce a bit of a spare tire and was always envious of those 'hoop girls' at outside events. First.....very frustrating when I realized that I can't hula-hoop. I got an additional video (Hoopdance Workout) which gave good tips and after a few weeks of trying it sporadically, I'm still terrible but can get it going for a little while. Great exercise. This WILL bruise you at first (if you can't hoop), it's not a child's hoop. After a week or two, no more bruising and hopefully, firming up a bit.

This is fun, effective and convenient...and is sure to bring back memories of your childhood for anyone who grew up in the 70s when hula hooping was popular!Contents: 6 piece hula hoop, carrying bag (measures 23.5 inches when holding pieces), DVD (Fit in 15) and poster of exercisesQuality: solid plastic that looks like it will last for years; no cushioning that can fall apartPortability: lightweight and assembles/disassembles with ease, stores in carrying bagEffective: easily feel your core working to burn calories as you learn to move with the hoopComfort: takes some getting used to (not super soft, but also did not cause bruising, as some claim) - just build up slowlyFun Factor: super fun and challenging, but with the weighted plastic it is SO much easier to keep it going than the lightweight hoopsShipment: this arrived only in the product box - meaning there was no Amazon brown box protecting the product - they just put the shipping label directly on the hoop box and sent it. I read afterwards that you can ask for a Amazon box to cover it, but I didn't see that at the time I placed my order.I love the portability of this hoop, but I thought I could fit it in my carry-on bag when traveling and it's a tad bit too long to fit in my suitcase (see attached photo), which is the standard carry-on size. I probably could have carried it separately and put it under the seat, but I already had another smaller bag and you know how the airlines really limit you these days! This hoop does not have any cushioning whatsoever, but it still feels good because of the solid weight in the hoop. I previously had a hoop that had cushioning and made the mistake of leaving it out on my patio - it rained and ruined the cushioning so I wanted to order another hoop that wasn't so sensitive to the elements.I'm just doing it slowly to start - a few minutes a day. I haven't seen bruises as other mention, but I do feel the burn in my core! For some folks who have fragile systems or who tend to bruise super easily, it might be too much - but for strong folks looking to burn some calories and have some fun (especially as hooping brings back childhood memories), I highly recommend it. And if you haven't hooped since your childhood, I highly recommend watching YouTube videos to learn the tricks of doing it correctly to keep the hoop from falling - don't give up if it takes you a bit to get it going. I haven't used the video of exercises that came with the hoop yet, but am glad they added one so I can try using my hoop in a variety of ways.Also, the box the hoop arrived in showed there was supposed to be an exercise mat included - mine didn't come with one. When I asked Amazon about this they gave me the option of returning the package and getting a new one or taking a partial refund for the missing item. I opted for the partial refund since I was already using and enjoying my hoop. I was very satisfied with their options - great, fast and effective customer service!

I really wanted to like this but it really hurts my sides because of how hard the plastic is. This really is due to the plastic and not sure anything can be done. Maybe they can offer a foam slip sleeve for it to take the edge off. Literally! I only used it a couple times and prefer cardio kickboxing or Windsor Pilates instead. My pains are good from exercise not from bruising with this hoop. It literally feels like internal bruising. I'm well familiar with hooping as I was the one kid in P.E. Class who hooped the longest time. Was excited to start hooping again, but think I will buy original non-weighted hoop instead. Months later I'm still in pain on my right side. Wish I could return it, but can't.

To echo many others....IT'S FUN! But let's not confuse "fun" with easy. Nelly bar the door, it's a challenge & within 5 minutes I was dripping sweat. First workout found me blurting out explatives as the hoop kept hitting the floor.Just "hooping" is a challenge, but you want me to switch positions? Swap my lead leg? Move my arms? (Seriously?) *More blurting*Second workout was already showing great improvement with my coordination & the DVD is a great asset.The instructor is fabulous. She's professional, encouraging & appropriately dressed. (I'm no prude, but some of these exercise DVD "instructors" are flat trampy.) Her cueing in a pleasant voice is impeccable & there's plenty to do in addition to the actual "hooping". Her extensive background, including pilates, is obvious in the toning segments.Hoop is high quality & lightly weighted, easy to assemble, has a carrying bag & the guided dvd workout is awesome. (There's a printed flyer/handout that illustrates the moves as well.)I'm sore. Seriously. You'll use your body (mostly core, but legs too) in new & interesting ways.For the cost, this is a fantastic program.

Pretty boring workouts if you could call them that. Would only suit a completely inactive person or a senior looking for gentle exercise. Very very gentle exercise.

Easy to assemble and good video. I gave it four stars because one area on the hoop tends to poke out a little and rubs on my waist. It is somewhat annoying but hasn’t stopped me from using it.

OMG! I love this thing!Not at first though... I got it out of the box, put it together, tried to hula with it. No success, AND it kinda hurt when it got down to my shins and rolled around. So I put it away. A few weeks later I got it back out, got out the video and went to work. Some of the video segments are really just using the hoop for resistance/tension, kind of a yoga/pilates thing which she states in the video. Then, determined to figure out the hula-ing thing I tried it again. WOW! I'm not a young person, and I have nerve damage in my leg and foot, things don't work like they used to. But it really didn't take me long to get the hang of it the second time out. I love hula-ing every morning!

I give a 3 star because i would prefer a weighted, foam padded portable one. But other than that, it works.