From Jane Fonda to Today - How Our Fitness Has Changed


We are all familiar with the pastel leotards and knee high leg warmers that had such a tight hold on the 80s. It was the perfect aesthetic for exercising at home while watching Jane Fonda on VHS tapes. She produced content that allowed viewers to exercise in the comfort of their own home. Her routines were created by Leni Cazden. Fonda and Cazden collaborated at her Beverly Hills studio for the workout series. Her series was perfectly tailored for women who wanted to work out, and a true success for the Fitness industry. Fonda's triumph was able to break through a male dominated atmosphere and provide a space for women to both be comfortable at home while working out, but relate to a female instructor. We've since developed away from VHS tapes to aerobics classes at our local gyms. Be it social-hour, or working out, gyms have soared in popularity since VHS at-home workouts. Remember jazzercise, Tae Bo, Spinning classes? Now we’ve added on barre, yoga, pilates, and even pole dancing classes as themed workouts. But even since COVID-19’s shut-down, at-home IOT or software-enabled fitness equipment, are becoming popular again. Things like Peloton bikes, Hydrow rowing systems, and Bala Pilates equipment. All of these at home workouts provide great ways to meet your goals in the comfort of your own home. 



Jane Fonda Workout Video

Then: VHS Workout

At home workout videos swept the nation in the 80s. There was an influx of brightly colored leg warmers and phrases like "feel the burn." Jane Fonda was the face of female empowerment and would bring routines to your living space. She would start to release her content under the name Workout Starring Jane Fonda in 1982. There are 22 videos in her entire collection. Can you believe it? Fonda would go on to release other workout products that would be in collaboration with her VHS workout tapes. But the leg-warmers and leotards are still a bright light down memory lane. 

 

 

Women using weights and a Peloton TV App

Now: Peloton 

Working out at home has been made easier with items like Peloton. This at home workout routine is an American exercise media and equipment company based out of New York. Their most known products consist of stationary bicycles and treadmills that connect to the internet which provides workout classes for you to achieve your goals on your own time, comfortably without going out. The media stations have touchscreen displays where you can follow numerous workout videos. Overall, there are twelve different types of led-workouts. Each have multiple classes ranging in difficulty. While you gain the privacy of a home-workout, and also the expertise of a selected fitness expert. Unlike VHSes of the past, you take control of your fitness on a micro level. 

 


Women in yellow wearing Bala anklets

Now: Bala 

Bala was started in 2018 with the intention of providing functional workout accessories for anyone wanting to improve their health and achieve personal goals. Bala started out with producing products like their famous bangles which are weighted bands. These are perfect for your pilates training at home. They have since moved to other accessories like Bala bars, Bala Beam, The Power Ring, and many other items. What’s impressive is the Husband + Wife founders really aim to innovate in the space. They believe product innovation is long overdue, and are changing and improving the industry’s accessories one wrist weight at a time. Today, it’s good to know there are 

 


Woman Using A Hydrow

Now: Hydrow Rowing Machine 

Hydrow is an immersive at home rowing machine that claims to meet all of your workout needs. It uses patented electromagnetic technology to stimulate drag which realistically replicates being in the water. The machine also features a touchscreen that offers workouts streamed on actual bodies of water around the world. It is known for working 86% of your body's major muscle groups right from your living room! There are over 3,000 workouts to choose from - beyond the live classes, maps, and cinematic journeys to take. And perhaps most notably, this is on Oprah’s Favorite Things Holiday list! ~A blessing only to happen in the last 20 years!

 

 

Jane Fonda with weights on her sofa

As a society our technology has progressed. That can be seen through the newest models of at home exercising. Jane Fonda was one of the few who paved the way for women to embrace exercising at home. Fitness was taken out of the home, and then brought back in. Between manufacturers actively improving what seemed to be stagnant designs, to multi-faceted media machines like Peloton and Hydrow, this technology provides a perfect way to "feel the burn” in today!



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