It’s our latest GIVEAWAY, CS readers! And it’s the hottest fitness craze out there!

The Celebutante Sisters used to twirl in pink hula hoops back in the day. Now, there’s an adult version of this kiddie craze…and it’s the latest way to slim, trim and tone in Hollywood!

Hoopnotica is hip movin’, body groovin’, fitness fun. Here’s how it works: Spin the weighted, adult hoop rhythmically around your waist. Once you’ve given that a whirl, add in more advanced moves to work different parts of the body, like your arms, legs, and chest.

The workout is low impact. We can’t wait to try it and those who have say it’s a great way to tone muscle, increase flexibility, improve coordination and keep your heart healthy! Simply hooping around the waist burns an average of 300 calories an hour. Wiggle a little faster and burn up to 600 calories an hour!

Hoopnotica has certified teachers in more than 70 US cities and two instructional DVD’s that make it easy to learn from virtually anywhere. Starlets like Marisa Tomei, Beyonce, Liv Tyler, and Olivia Wilde have already hooped their way to a hot bikini bod. Are you ready to step out of the gym and into a hula hoop?

Check out our EXCLUSIVE interview with Hoopnotica CEO Gabriella Reading. Then, enter our fabulous GIVEAWAY. One lucky CS reader will score an intro to Hoopnotica kit, which includes a hoop and an introductory DVD. Simply leave a comment telling us why you’d like to become a hula girl. Open to residents of the United States and Canada. The contest ends on Monday, September 7, 2009. Good luck!

Let’s start with the basics! What is Hoopnotica Hoopdance?

Hoopnotica is like fitness “hula hooping,” combining cardio dance moves with a larger, prettier version of a childhood classic toy. It is easy to learn, even if you have “never been able to hoop”. Above all else, it is a fun activity that strengthens the core and blasts fat.

What happens during a Hoopnotica class?

If you choose to learn Hoopnotica in a class (some people learn on their own, or from friends, or from our award-winning instructional DVDs), you might likely start with a beginning basics class. We start with a complete stretch, warming up the body with the hoop as a support. We work on waist hooping first, explaining the fundamentals of “how it works” (not that complicated, but sometimes our bodies can over complicate even the simplest things). Our hoopers usually find that they are able to keep the hoops around their waist within the first 15 minutes of the class. Then we move on to walking and spinning with the hoop around your waist; great for really working the core. All the while, everyone is laughing (impossible to be unhappy in a hoop), and usually sweating more than they thought they would. In this first class, we teach a few basic moves that are designed to keep people motivated to learn more — just like on the playground when they were kids. There is sometimes a little competition between friends, and it is really fun to watch people relax over the course of the class.

We are loving the idea behind these sweat sessions…and so is Hollywood! Why did you gals decide to spread the word about Hoopdance?

For me, it started when I met Rayna. She was teaching a class in Hollywood that met twice a week, and over the course of the summer I became a little obsessed with it. I couldn’t believe how much fun I was having; laughing, dropping the hoop, trying again…I would come home in a state of euphoria after each session, and found myself thinking about it during the day. I was a young postpartum Mom, and I felt super self conscious about the weight I had gained/hair I was losing/wrinkles I was “earning” (nicely explained by my mom). So I was really needing something new and exciting to find my own sense of self. Hoopdance gave me the activity I needed to connect with my friends and relieve stress, and I loved it. Soon I started seeing changes in my body, and the scale reflected a total weight loss of 25 pounds. It was at this point that I decided I wanted to grow this business and share what I had learned with as many women as possible. I founded the business with Rayna and Keaton 4 years ago, and we immediately launched in Daily Candy. Instantly, the demand became too great to contain, with celebrities like Marisa Tomei and Rosario Dawson dropping into classes. I knew we were onto something good! Four years later we distribute internationally and manufacture hoops both here in Los Angeles and in China.

Tell us about the actual Hoopnotica hoop. How is it different from the one we had as kids?

All Hoopnotica Fitness Hoops are slightly bigger and heavier than the fragile, plastic rings you can pick up in the toy stores. These hoops are heavy-duty, and are wrapped in both grip and reflective colored tape, for a really beautiful, mesmerizing effect. The weight of the hoop allows the hoop to build up momentum faster, and so adult bodies need to work less to keep them going. The kids hoops are super lightweight and tiny. These hoops are perfect for who they were designed for; kids. We get a lot of adults who tell us that they “can’t hoop”. Really, they just need a bigger toy to play with.

What are the health benefits of Hoopnotica?

Hoopnotica is an experience that couples all the benefits of meditation with all the fat burning benefits of a cardio workout. You are strengthening all the muscles in your core, from your pelvic floor (great for postpartum moms: hooping+squatting to one side= the best kegel in the world!) to your lower back; Hoopnotica really slenderizes the waistline, improving posture and increasing self confidence. Your mind cannot wander, or else the Hoop will go down… which means that it sends you into a trance-like state where you are working out and totally zoned at the same time. Just hooping around your waist burns about 300 calories an hour; so that’s like taking a power walk. Once you learn to move the hoop up and down your body, and then on and off your body, the calories burn off at a rate that rivals running really fast — up to 600 calories per hour! This is great for people who only like to exercise a few minutes a day — it’s easy, you don’t need any real equipment, and you can pick it up and put it down. I keep a hoop in my yard and one behind my desk. It helps me to remember to “work-out”. Once you become familiar with all that Hoopnotica has to offer, you will be custom tailoring your workout to focus on whatever you want to: arms, legs, thighs and bootie… nothing escapes the hoop. I recently dropped 45 pounds with the Hoop It Off program; I designed it and live by it- and I feel amazing.

Just a reminder, CS readers. Leave a comment and enter to win an intro to Hoopnotica kit, which includes a choice of travel hoop and an introductory DVD.

It’s hip movin’, body groovin’, fitness fun…and it’s our latest giveaway! Hoopnotica Hoopdance is the latest way to slim, trim and tone in Hollywood!

Today, Hoopnotica CEO Gabriella Reading tells CS readers how to jump into a hula hoop and get moving! Read on for the scoop and find out how to enter our fabulous GIVEAWAY for a SECOND time!

We can’t wait to get hooping! How do we get started?

Go to Hoopnotica.com, and see where your nearest Certified Hoopnotica instructor is located. We have many teachers to whom we refer, and they are all listed on the website. OR, you could choose to buy the DVD series, and watch it with your friends. It is designed to give you the same quality of instruction that you receive in a class, on your own time. You simply watch a chapter, and then go outside and practice it. Although some people have the luxury of space in front of their TV’s, it is not necessary to watch them while trying the move. We included a fabulous “troubleshooting” section for when you get “stuck”.

Can anyone dance it up at a Hoopnotica class? What if you’re just getting back into an exercise routine?

Hoopnotica is great for everyone; from children to seniors; people in excellent shape, and those looking to introduce a work out into their lives for the first time (perhaps in a long time). Plus it is as low impact as you wanna make it. The more advanced moves require some jumping, but at its foundation, Hoopnotica has no impact on the joints. Everyone has their own, unique way of hooping. Some people hoop hard, others are more fluid and graceful. One thing is for sure; the hoop gives you a beat to dance to. This is nice for people who “can’t dance”. Those who love to dance will take to Hoopnotica like a fish to water…

What if we can’t find a class by us…or can’t make it to one?

I simply cannot recommend the DVDs highly enough. People are writing in from all over the world; sending us videos from their homes, sharing what they learned from the DVDs. Its awesome.

Hoopnotica is taking Hollywood by storm! How does it feel?

In an uncertain economy, and with so many people out of work, it is a little strange that we are doing so well. There is not a day that goes by that I am not grateful, and it makes me work harder. It is a pleasure to be sharing something we love with others; growing an in-house staff of brilliant women; generating business for others; and giving people a gift of a few minutes of joy. Whether people stick with the Hoopnotica program or not is irrelevant; I am just happy to get people out of their own heads a bit. I am proud of my staff for building this crazy company with me, and look forward to a prosperous future. We are over many of the initial hurdles, and are now starting to really move. What trips me out is seeing people on the streets in Santa Monica carrying our products, or talking to celebrities about how much they love it – I am always surprised at how far we’ve come, and the rate at which we continue to grow.

Ready CS readers? Simply leave a comment below to enter our giveaway for a SECOND time. First time checking us out? Enter twice! One lucky CS reader will score an intro to Hoopnotica kit, which includes a hoop and an introductory DVD. Open to residents of the United States and Canada. The contest ends on Monday, September 7, 2009. Good luck!

Looking for a fun and funky way to burn calories and get your heart pumping? Step off the treadmill and onto the dance floor! Whether you get moving at your local gym or dance studio, or buy a DVD to dance it up at home, this form of exercise is also a great way to build muscle. Learn about some of dance’s other heart healthy benefits from Jaana Kunitz, ACE Certified Fitness Instructor and Co-Creator of Core Rhythms®. Then…get your groove on!

Dancing gets your heart pumping!

The whole idea behind dancing is to move your body from head to toe. Your feet are stomping, your arms are pumping, and your hips are shaking, creating a full body workout. Dancing can actually burn as many, if not more, calories as other more traditional exercises, anywhere from 300 to 600 calories per hours depending on the intensity! Latin dance is the most effective form of dance exercise. It combines two important fitness components. One, it is an intense body toning exercise. Two, it is an extreme cardio workout. The secret of Latin dance is the muscle resistance technique. A dancer’s body is her/his equipment; hips and ribs isolate in opposition at all times creating a long, lean, and strong physique. I recommend our program Core Rhythms. You can find it as www.shopcorerhythms.com.

Dancing is a great way to tone your muscles.

When you dance you repeat movements over and over again, working the same muscle groups. This repetitive movement will strengthen and tone these muscles. For example, when performing foot patterns, the buns and thigh muscles are extremely stimulated and when performing body isolation moves, all the core muscles are activated. The muscles targeted depends on the dancing style. Flamenco dancing will give you a lot of legwork, whereas competitive Latin dancing is an extreme core strengthening workout.

Some other benefits of dance exercise are:

1. Dance exercise is based on interval training (Mixing high intensity bursts of exercise with moderate intensity recovery periods). Interval training is the best method for losing fat.
2. Because it is a weight bearing exercise, dancing develops strong bones.
3. Dance keeps your mind challenged by mixing the steps and rhythms.
4. Moving to music puts a smile on your face. It improves serotonin levels in your brain.
5. Dance improves your self-esteem and gives you better body awareness.

About Jaana Kunitz

Jaana Kunitz is an award-winning ballroom dancer, performer and choreographer and one of the most televised professional female dancers in the world. Her appearances include PBS “Championship Ballroom Dancing,” NBC “DanceSport Series,” Goodlife TV, ESPN and Ole Suzanna, and she was seen in the hit movie, “Dance With Me,” starring Vanessa Williams. In addition, Jaana is an ACE certified fitness instructor, making her a leading authority in dance fitness today.

As co-creator of the Core Rhythms program, Jaana’s vision was to be the first to develop a cutting-edge workout/fitness program that incorporated the techniques of Latin ballroom dance moves into a comprehensive and fun routine that anyone could do at home.

She has won numerous national and international championships, including 4th place in the World Latin Showdance Championships in Holland in 2003, and she was an American Championship Finalist, U.S. Open to the World Finalist, World Showdance Finalist, and North American Showdance Champion. Originally from Finland, she moved to America in 1990. Between the years of 1990-2003, her partnership with her husband, James, included competing, performing, choreographing and appearing on TV shows all over the world. Her Latin dance-based fitness program, Core Rhythms, has been featured on pay-per-view programs, QVC, ‘My Games Fever,” Fox News, and The Daily Top Ten.

According to Jaana, “As a little girl, I was picked on for being overweight.
That was the start of my interest in fitness, but soon a passion for dance took over. I loved ballet, jazz and ballroom dancing. When I moved to America, ballroom dance became my career. My goal is to share my success for keeping fit with others, and it is a thrill to know that I can inspire people and be part of improving their overall health and well-being.”

Between meetings at work, picking up the kids and all those errands, take some time to de-stress. All it takes is five minutes and one easy yoga pose. Here are some to choose from, courtesy of Chrissy Carter with YogaWorks.

5 Easy Poses to De-Stress with Chrissy Carter

Tip #1 – Breathe

How to Do:
Close your eyes and take 5 smooth, even breaths. Awareness of your breath can help calm your mind.

Tip #2 – Find Gratitude

How to Do:
Take time to feel grateful for the positive things in your life. Making a list each day will put your stress in perspective.

Tip #3 – Sun Breath or Sun Salutation

How to Do:
Conscious moving with your breath allows you to detach from the inner chatter of your mind and connect you back to yourself and what matters to you most.

Tip #4 – Repeat a Mantra

How to Do:
Repetition of a mantra, or sound, can help still the mind and relax the body.

Have more time? Try Tip #5: Restorative Yoga!

How to Do:
This practice is thought to be one of the best practices for your nervous system. Taking a class at YogaWorks where you rest in postures for longer periods of time with your body supported with bolsters and blankets will allow your body to rest, recharge and renew.

About Chrissy Carter

Chrissy is a senior teacher and teacher trainer at Yoga Works in New York. Her combination of intelligent sequencing with a breath- centered practice encourages her students to explore their own personal edge with consciousness and purpose. Known for her sense of humor and her light-hearted approach, Chrissy’s classes reveal how yoga can infuse the everyday. Her teaching style blends precision and alignment with the teachings of Krishnamacharya, guiding the practice inward towards the divine.

About Yoga Works

YogaWorks is a school for the rest of your life. When you walk through our doors you will not only find all styles and levels of yoga, but also a wonderfully diverse, warm and welcoming community of students, staff and teachers. Our goal is to guide students to greater self-awareness, focus, and health through our full spectrum of yoga programs. We do this with love, compassion, a sense of adventure, and a reverence for what each individual can accomplish throughout their lives.

Maybe you’re a wonder woman when it comes to the warrior. Maybe you like to de-stress in downward facing dog. No matter what pose you like to strike, yoga is calming…mind, body and soul!

And let’s face it. Summer travel can be seriously stressful. So the next time your plane is delayed or you’re sitting in bumper to bumper beach traffic, practice these travel yoga tips from Patti Asad of YogaWorks, a celebrity favorite in the Big Apple.

Travel Yoga Tips From Patti Asad

• One of the most powerful things about yoga is breath work. It has a powerful effect on state of mind and allowing you to come back to your center. Find a moment where you can sit still. With a long spine, rest your hands face down on your knees and thighs. Close your eyes, bring awareness to the breath, soften the muscles of the eyes and jaws and sense organs.

• Start Ujjayi breath, which is simply breathing through the base of the throat. Lips are closed. Breathe so the breath sounds like the ocean or the wind. Count the inhale from beginning to top and exhale so they are equal. Then, expand the inhale and exhale to 8-9 seconds long. Do this for a minute or two to bring yourself back to your center and allow yourself to relax a bit more and feel a bit less stressed and reactive to your environment.

• Reaching out through crown of the head, lift your chest up so there is a lot of space to breathe and keep your shoulders relaxed. Create a nice, long and even rhythm of breath for 2 minutes.

• When you are on a plane, walk to the back of the plane and place your hands on the wall. Walk away from the wall so the palms are flat, the torso and arms are parallel to the ground and the legs are parallel to the wall in an “L” shape. Press equally through the hands and hips. This is a modified version of downward facing dog with feet on ground (puppy dog). You will feel a deep stretch through hips. Make every part of the body active. This position is good for getting compression out of the spine and will lengthen the spine.

• You can also do squats on the plane. Simply go to the back of the plane. Keep feet flat and squat down. Place fingertips on the ground, drop your head and round your upper back. This is a great way to stretch the upper back and open up the hips.

• In the car? How about a twist? Sit with your spine long and your feet flat on the ground. Take your hand across the opposite knee. Twist through the spine while you inhale and lift through the chest. Look all the way over the shoulder. Take five breaths and release. Do the same on the other side. This will stimulate digestion and provide relief from sitting for long periods of time.

• Any time we are traveling we are sitting for long periods of time, which stops circulation. This creates sluggishness in the body and the mind. By doing a few simple yoga postures and breathing, you can jump start your energy and increase circulation and blood flow throughout the body.

About Patti Asad

Patti Asad has been teaching yoga for the past ten years. Her classes, which reflect her training in Ashatanga and Iyengar yoga, are of a strong vinyasa flow style, while focusing on basic principles of alignment. Her empahsis is on finding the harmony and rhythm between the body and the breath creating a graceful yet powerful flow. Patti’s compassionate yet encouraging style offers a well balanced class for all levels.

Patti also holds a Masters in Education and has worked with children of all ages. The mother of two small children, she has dedicated herself to teaching and inspiring many women in her prenatal yoga classes, and has come out with a prenatal DVD “Journey To Birth”.

About YogaWorks

YogaWorks is a school for the rest of your life. When you walk through our doors you will not only find all styles and levels of yoga, but also a wonderfully diverse, warm and welcoming community of students, staff and teachers. Our goal is to guide students to greater self-awareness, focus, and health through our full spectrum of yoga programs. We do this with love, compassion, a sense of adventure, and a reverence for what each individual can accomplish throughout their lives.

Celebrities dish out the dough to look red carpet ready…lunging, squatting and stepping with buff trainers like Kathy Kaehler (Julia Roberts, Kim Kardashian), Rob Parr (Naomi Watts), Mandy Ingber (Jennifer Aniston) and Patrick Murphy (Eva Longoria Parker and Mario Lopez.)

Now, you can get their fitness-know-how for FREE by logging on to Exercisetv.tv. The site features free, full length workout videos. Shhhhh…

It’s like having a private workout with a celebrity trainer…right in your own living room! Videos range from 2-30 minutes and let you customize your routine based on things like target area and trainer. Mix and match programs to really shake things up! Here are some examples of what you’ll find online:

• All About Arms, Perfect Pecs, Squat A Lot, Hot Bod Quads by ROB PARR
• Red Carpet Skinny, Red Carpet Posture, Red Carpet 3-Tiered Butt Workout, Red Carpet Ready & Rested, Red Carpet Core by JULIET KASKA
• Full Body Blast, Hollywood Hot Body, Sculpt & Streamline, Abdominal Meltdown by ELISE GULAN
• Celebrity Shred, Red Carpet Arms, A-List Legs, On The Campaign Trail by HOLLY PERKINS
• Push Up Performance, Legs Love Lunges, Bottoms up!, Perfect Posture Rows by PATRICK MURPHY

Today, the sisters discovered Dance Jam Calorie Burn by Jennifer Galardi. We’re tempted to take our new moves out into the real world, but we wouldn’t want to scare you!

Exercise is fun and relaxing. Still, as hard as we try, it isn’t always easy to squeeze in a 5 mile run, relaxing swim, or hour long dance class every day. Today, Yoga guru, travel and fitness expert and entrepreneur Erica Gragg tells CS readers how to take advantage of ‘spare moments’ throughout the day- whether they be sitting at your desk waiting for a conference call to begin, standing by your car waiting for your children to come out of school, brushing your teeth in the morning or shopping with friends. Each provide an opportunity to boost your metabolism and sculpt your body!

Tips From Fitness Guru Erica Gragg

• Keep (2) one-liter water bottles on hand in your office at all times. While waiting for a conference call to begin, or even while listening to the conference call (if you can multi-task, that is!) use the water bottles as weights- some bicep curls, overhead presses, upright rows, triceps, kickbacks- 15 – 20 reps of each (or until muscle is fatigued) and you will be sculpting sexy arms in no time!

• Waiting for your children to come out of school provides a great opportunity to sculpt the legs and tone the tush. Using your car as a ‘wall’ stand with palms facing and touching the car window. Balance on the left leg, knee slightly bent. Flex the right foot, point toes to 2:00 and with control kick the leg back. Do 15 reps and then hold for 10 seconds. Switch legs. Do two reps against car window and then challenge your core by stepping away from the car and balancing while drawing a semi circle with your foot (imagine drawing a curved line from 12:00 to 6:00 and then back up to 12:00 again). Do this 8 times on each side. Always keep the standing leg slightly bent so as not to hyper extend.

• Brushing your teeth provides a great opportunity to tone the thighs, tush and core as well. Toothbrush in hand, find a wall you can lean up against. Then take a seat in an ‘imaginary’ chair. Make sure feet are hip width apart and that knees are over ankles. Do not cheat yourself by having hips higher than knees, instead lower hips until they are in line with your knees. Then just ‘sit’ and brush your teeth. Try doing this every time you brush your teeth. Trust me, you will feel it and see results, as well!

• When shopping with friends…walk, take the stairs instead of the elevator and then walk some more! Walking is a fun and effective way to burn calories throughout the day. Each step adds up, so whenever you have the opportunity, take advantage of it.

About Erica Gragg

Yoga guru, travel and fitness expert and entrepreneur Erica Gragg is one of the founders of Escape to Shape and offers guests the vast knowledge of her yoga expertise, cultural insight and intricate organization skills on each of the programs. Known for teaching a very powerful, yet playful “Vinyasa” flow, Erica’s practice is inspired by the subtle to the grand discoveries each individual makes through their practice. With classes set to music, from tribal, to lounge to classic rock songs, guests are able to find their own personal rhythm and expression through each asana. Erica was the co-creator of the acclaimed fitness program Bikini Boot Camp and is the author of Bikini Boot Camp – Two Weeks To Your Ultimate Beach Body. She has created time efficient and results driven workout and fitness tips for publications such as Health, Self, Shape, Fitness, The New York Post and Ladies Home Journal. Erica is now enjoying a new journey with Escape to Shape and is lured by the opportunity to travel and experience new cultures while pursuing her true passion, teaching. Erica strongly believes that each and every person can make a difference, even in the seemingly smallest of ways, and that life is meant to be lived and enjoyed, each and every breathe to the fullest.