Twist And Shout

Is Hooping the Next Exercise Craze?

From step class to Pilates to spinning, exercise goes through fads. Some are fun and keep exercisers motivated to stick with it; others are not and fade away. Is the next exercise trend on the horizon - the one that promises to whittle waists and tighten tushes - hula hooping? Hooping enthusiasts and Gaiam, a company that produces exercise equipment and videos hope so. The latter has hired Marisa Tomei, a hooping enthusiast who credits the hula hoop for helping her get in shape for her nude scenes in the movie The Wrestler, to shoot a hoop workout video that will be released in May. And she’s not alone in her enthusiasm for the sport. Internet sites, exercise studios and classes dedicated to the hoop are getting national attention as aficionados claim to lose weight while having fun.