With the weather changing, more of our exercise will be done indoors. This week, I want to take a look at a 1950s fad making a huge comeback as a workout tool. The hula hoop is back and it is rocking a new generation of hoop fanatics as a fun and intense workout option.

Let's get a little retro and take a look at the new hula hoops. This popular 1950s and 1960s toy is back with a full range of colors, weights, sizes and types of tubing. These fitness, dance and performance hoops are not your parent's or grandparent's hula hoops you buy in the toy department at big box stores. These specialized, weighted versions come in a wide range of colors and various sizes with special pressurized tubing that are designed for active adults using them for exercise, dance and/or performance. You can, however, use the original child's hula hoops for arms or leg exercises if you have one lying around.

Most weighted hoops come in three basic sizes, small adult hoops at 38 inches and 1.5 pounds, a mid-size 40-inch hoop approximately 1.75 pounds and a somewhat standard adult hoop at 42 inches in diameter approximately 2.0 pounds. You can also get a heavier hoop around 3.0 pounds from a few hoop manufacturers.

When it comes to dance or performance hoops, they are designed a little differently. These hoops are better suited for individuals who want more of a challenging routine and they require experience to get the most from the hoop. Since these hoops are designed for faster paced workouts or to be incorporated into a dance routine, they need to be lighter and rotate at a quicker rate. The average size and weight of dance and performance hoops are 32-42 inches in diameter and between .75 - 1.5 pounds.

Hooping is an awesome way to tone your abdominal muscles and build endurance. Hula hooping will hit all the key core muscle groups like the rectus abdominus, external oblique, internal obliques and transversus abdominus. The beauty of hooping is its ability to give you a great cardio and core workout and at the same time, put a focus on muscle stabilization along with increased muscular endurance.

One area that gets missed in most exercise regimens is incorporating balance and strength building with stability while developing your muscular system. Hooping places an emphasis across these primary areas of stabilization strength, muscle endurance and neuromuscular control. Optimizing and building your core stabilization and neuromuscular pathways requires this combination of proper postural alignment, strength and balance, so as your hips rotate the hoop, you are forced to maintain that alignment.

Since hula hooping provides an effective overall body workout, some fitness professionals have noted that the repetitive motion also gives you a somewhat meditative workout. Weighted hula hooping seems to cover all the bases: fun, challenging, builds cardio and is calming. Sounds like the perfect exercise for your living room, recreation room or for that matter, anywhere big enough to stand and get your hoop groove on.

Now let's review core muscle group which will benefit from hoop fitness:

* Rectus Abdominis - Yes, these are the ones that are often called six-packs. They are located along the front of the abdomen. We all know exercises for your abdomen like situps and crunches, but hula hooping will certainly be a great new addition to your core regimen.

* Erector Spinae - This group of muscles runs along your neck to your lower back. These are often forgotten and rarely properly worked into most exercise routines. Since hula hooping is a stabilizing exercise where you hold and squeeze, it is great for strengthening your Erector Spinae.

* Multifidus - Located under the erector spinae along the vertebral column, these muscles extend and rotate the spine. These are difficult to strengthen, so hula hooping should reach deep for these muscles.

* Exterior and Internal Obliques - Located under the external obliques, running in the opposite direction. Hula hooping will build strength and help define this area of your core.

* Transverse Abdominis - Located under the obliques, it is the deepest of the abdominal muscles. This muscle gives you stability and is best developed through isometric and balance exercises.

* Hip Flexors - These are another group of core muscles that give you balance and stability. They are located in front of the pelvis and upper thigh, comprise the psoas major, illiacus, rectus femoris, pectineus and sartorius. Hula hooping will really build your hip flexors and strengthen and stabilize where you need it.

From what I can tell talking with friends who have started using hula hoops in their exercise regimen, it is pretty awesome. Even the Mayo Clinic has published a report showing that an average woman can burn about 165 calories in 30 minutes of hula hooping, and an average man can burn about 200 calories in 30 minutes of hula hooping. They state that 10 minutes of hooping on a regular basis will give you an excellent overall workout.

The new weighted hula hoops seem like one more great tool and one more fun way to get your fitness ramped up and stay off the couch, lose inches and tighten your core. I can't wait to get my hips into a hoop!

Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corporation.