Core Memories Unlocked!
January 2024
New Year's Resolutions & Retro Workouts
As the New Year began, most of us made at least one New Year's Resolution for 2024. Whether or not we were officially calling it a “resolution” for the year, everyone has things they hope to change in the New Year. For myself, those resolutions include reading 50 books this year, getting back on my Duolingo game, and of course, becoming more consistent with my workout routine, so I can be healthy and fit as I get married later this year. For me, this means trying to work out 12 days per month, but it definitely means different things for different people! Especially people like Richard Simmons, Jane Fonda, Tony Little, and Billy Blanks, who were tearing up the fitness scene in the 80s and 90s. As many take up the quest to live a healthier lifestyle in 2024 with me, let’s take a trip down memory lane and remember how retro workouts might inspire us to have fun with our own!
The 80s and 90s were a time for innovation in fitness. With the VHS becoming widely used and cable TV starting to expand to include more stations, a greater variety of shows, and reaching more households, the market for workout videos was created. Budding celebrities fought to produce shows that were fun, burned calories, and increased ratings for the networks on which they aired. Nowadays, utilizing some of these classic videos might be a great option for maintaining that work out resolution further into the year, even if you’re just burning calories from laughing!
Aerobics is probably the most famous example of a retro workout. With exercises led by Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons, aerobics came into the spotlight, and has remained a fun way to work out! Although we typically don’t wear neon unitards, sweat bands, and leg warmers anymore, it’s certainly still an option if that’s what inspires your workout mood! And while you are in that unitard, you might as well try out some other 80s hits, like jazzercise. Though jazzercise was originally invented in the 60s, the dance/exercise combo really thrived in the 80s era fashion and technology. Jazzercise was actually a class I could take while in college just a couple of years ago, so it definitely has staying power! If you’re looking for some inspiration to keep your resolutions on track, dancing in bright colors is a great way to have fun and burn calories! Or, at least, the infomercials have most of us convinced.
If you’re looking for a more “masculine” option, we’ve plenty of options for this as well! In the 90s Billy Blanks gave us a mixed martial arts series to do in the comfort of our homes - Tae Bo! This didn’t require much in the way of equipment, fancy outfits, or even the rhythm required for jazzercise but it’s still super fun. If you’ve spied me kicking and punching the air through a window or something… no you didn’t.
However, if Tae Bo isn't for you, maybe something with a bit more equipment is up your alley? Something like the Gazelle, perhaps? This cross-body training device was brought to us by Tony Little (and his ponytail), offering ten unique exercises within one workout, providing cardio and resistance training at the same time. If you aren’t looking to purchase a gym membership or something as expensive and modern as a Peloton, but need a purchase to stick to your resolutions, the Gazelle might be the way to go!
The 80s and 90s made working out seem fun, even if, in the long run, working out was just as much of a struggle as it has always been. If you are struggling to stay motivated this new year, going back to some of these classics might be a great way to have some fun with it! Even if these work out types aren’t for you, maybe they can inspire you to find new fun ways to go about your everyday routine! Even just dressing up in 80s workout gear could be a fun motivation! Maybe we can even use this winter’s snowstorms to ski some fresh powder in some classic 80s neon ski gear!
Whether your resolution is to work out more, live a healthier lifestyle, or is completely unrelated, I wish you the best of luck with your resolutions and the happiest of New Years!
- Maddy
