LOS ANGELES, Jan. 19, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- It's a trend that, no matter how many times it goes around, it keeps coming 'round and 'round. You may have thought that the hula hoop was dead, passe, but, in fact a new "turbo" version, the Heavy Hoop, invented by fitness instructor Wendy Iverson, is very much alive!
"Cardio Hoop" classes are becoming very popular in fitness clubs nationwide for its fat burning program. And also a big hit in London!
Cardio Hoop swirls Los Angeles with its premiere on Tuesday, January 20th at 6:30PM at the legendary Gold's Gym Venice -- Wednesday, January 21st at Gold's Gym Hollywood at 8:30 AM and Gold's Gym Thousand Oaks at 5:30 PM. Wendy Iverson, the heavy hoop's inventor, is being specially flown in to teach this master class which will be unprecedented. Wendy will be on QVC this month along with many national TV shows.
Wendy Iverson, the heavy hoop inventor, is a self described "fitness fanatic" who has taught a variety of group exercise classes in her own studio and top clubs across the country for more than two decades. Creative and innovative in her teaching methods, Wendy became frustrated with the fact that no fitness equipment was available that provided the user with cardiovascular, conditioning and strength building benefits at the same time. Having weighed down her own body with a variety of belts, vests and similar devices while working out with a traditional childhood classic hula hoop, Wendy came upon the idea that it would be more beneficial to transfer the weight to the hoop itself. Aware that the circular form of a ring was far superior to the linear shape of the traditional weight lifting bar, Wendy began experimenting in the basement of her home in Milwaukee more than 14 years ago.
Starting with a round shape, Wendy went through several generations of development, which included everything from telephone wire surrounded by duct tape to plastic pipe with metal pieces. Finally determining that a solid steel rod provided the most even displacement of weight and energy, the real genius of her creation came from the nature of the foam covering. Her design utilizes a floating motion that is user friendly, helping to prevent injury during exercise while still allowing for optimum rotation and movement. This is clearly not the familiar toy that has entertained generations of children. The U.S. Patent Office has awarded Wendy a patent for the Heavy Hoop. And so, as they say...the rest is history.
Fans of the Heavy Hoop, which is fatter and heavier than the traditional version to provide a tougher workout, swear that it is by far the most effective way to trim waists and thighs, as well as get a washboard stomach. Unlike conventional hula hoops, which are made from hollow plastic and sometimes filled with small ball-bearings for a smoother rotation, the latest hoop is considerably heftier, weighing 3 lbs. With that extra weight providing added resistance as you twirl, it tones a range of muscles and burns calories more effectively than power-walking, aerobics or Pilates, say its manufacturer.
That's not all. "When you circle a hoop around the waist, you need to switch on all your muscles," Lorna Malcolm, the Fitness Director of the Reebok Sports Club, in London told The London Standard. "Although the main movement is in the trunk and abdominal area, your legs and arms are working to stabilize you. Because you are using upper and lower body, it is a cardiovascular activity that will leave you out of breath."
Studies conducted by Conrad Ernest, an exercise physiologist at the Cooper Institute for Human Performance and Nutrition Research in Dallas, confirms the regimen's aerobic potential; an eight-minute spin burns as many calories (about 110!) as much as running an eight-minute mile! So round and round, off go the pounds!
For further information, please log on to www.heavyhoop.com or contact Bordeaux International PR at: 818.205.9673 or email Bordeauxprr@aol.com.