However...
I didn't like the way it felt on my arms, so I thought... how about a heavy, padded, hula hoop?? I ran out and got one! It breaks apart into several pieces and gives you a great workout, and yes, it worked!
Since I happen to be a metalwork and lighting designer, I sit by a computer screen all day long and constantly work my fingers and hands with a graphic tablet pen; this creates lots of muscle knots, which are no fun at all.
First, let me just say that after spinning the hoop up and down my arms for a while, the constat, smooth pressure of the heavy piece started to work my muscles until they began releasing. Red blotches giving off heat started popping up where ever my knotted muscle trigger points were being indeed triggered and released; nothing happened in the places where there were no issues. How could I tell that the places which needed releasing were being triggered? Because those were exactly the places where my muscles were sore in the first place. It's important to add that the hoop is quite thick and is wrapped by foam, so none of this hurts. I will wait a few days and do it again... meanwhile... I really took a liking to the mighty hula hoop and in the short time I played with it, I have gotten slightly better at keeping it up on my mid-section. I do believe that the hula hoop will become a friend of mine...
First, let me just say that after spinning the hoop up and down my arms for a while, the constat, smooth pressure of the heavy piece started to work my muscles until they began releasing. Red blotches giving off heat started popping up where ever my knotted muscle trigger points were being indeed triggered and released; nothing happened in the places where there were no issues. How could I tell that the places which needed releasing were being triggered? Because those were exactly the places where my muscles were sore in the first place. It's important to add that the hoop is quite thick and is wrapped by foam, so none of this hurts. I will wait a few days and do it again... meanwhile... I really took a liking to the mighty hula hoop and in the short time I played with it, I have gotten slightly better at keeping it up on my mid-section. I do believe that the hula hoop will become a friend of mine...