Hula hooping isn't just for kids anymore.
Starting Tuesday, Balanced Body will offer a Hula hooping dance class for students.
"Hooping is fantastic for weight loss," said fitness instructor Jodi Jainchill. "You get a nice, flat tummy from it."
Her adult class, which began Thursday, is also available to students if they can't make the more energetic Tuesday class.
Both one-hour classes will begin at 6 p.m.
Balanced Body, 108 NW 76th Drive, will be running a special through the end of the month for any student who calls and registers for the class ahead of its start time.
Classes are usually $10 for students but will be half-priced until the end of November.
"It's a lot more fun than the elliptical or treadmill," said Heather Manche, who attends Jainchill's Thursday hooping class. "I hate running and cardio, and hooping works way more muscles."
Jainchill was introduced to hooping by one of her good friends, Stephanie Moses, after she noticed Jainchill was under a lot of stress at the beginning of this year.
"She said 'Jodi! Your spine!' and handed me a hoop," Jainchill said.
Moses, Jainchill and their friend Stephanie Davis became a trio of hoopers, making their own weighted Hula hoops available during class or able to be purchased for $30 online at Jainchill's Web site, www.hoopandhealth.com.
This will be the first hoop dance class to be offered at Balanced Body.
Jainchill hopes to keep the class size small in order to provide a more intimate setting so she can help people individually.
"A lot of people can't move because as life goes on, they get stressed and insecure, and it makes the spine stiff," Jainchill said. "The human body was meant to move."
