It’s a universal truth that time causes eventual change, no matter how slow or fast it may be. Over the past century, fitness trends have thoroughly evolved the way individuals stay in shape. Let’s take a dive into some popular fitness fads of the past 10 decades!
The Daily Dozen
The Daily Dozen was originally created in the 1920s by a former college athlete named Walter Camp. It was a prominent workout plan that took the United States by storm. It contained twelve calisthenic exercises that were fairly simple to complete.
Women’s League of Health and Beauty
During the early 1930s, women’s fitness became more mainstream. The saying “Movement is life” became the go-to motto for the Women’s League of Health and Beauty. It was created by Molly Bagot Stack. Leg lifts, star jumps, and toe touches were just a few of the exercises that were practiced.
Stretching
The major fitness trend within the 1940s focused on lots of stretching. Flexibility seemed to be the desired attribute at the time. This decade also projected the desired body type for women to be more curvaceous than the past.
Hula Hoop
Hula Hoops were originally created as toys, but soon became the epicenter for fitness routines in the 1950s. People realized that a couple minutes of nonstop hula hooping served as a great full-body workout.
Vibrating Belt
This fitness fad was popularized during the early 1960s. You would loop a wide belt around any fatty area, and the vibrations were supposed to somehow shake the excess fat away. This trend didn’t last long.
Jazzercise
Jazzercise took over the 1970s. It combined jazz with Pilates, kickboxing, and many other active exercises. Jazzercise was an introduction to choreographed workouts.
Aerobics
Aerobics could be described as Jazzercise on steroids. The 1980s were taken over by Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons. Their choreographed aerobics tapes incorporated dance moves and high intensity exercises.
Taebo & the Thighmaster
Taekwondo specialist Billy Banks created taebo: a martial arts workout that incorporated a boot camp style of exercise. Suzanne Somers and her famous Thighmaster were also extremely popular in the ’90s with numerous infomercials for the public.
Zumba
In the early 2000s, Zumba made its way into mainstream fitness. This aerobic fitness style mixes salsa, tango, bachata, and flamenco dance styles to upbeat Latin or pop music. Zumba combines interval and resistance training.
CrossFit and Yoga
Although Crossfit was invented in 2000, it has slowly become one of the top exercise fads in today’s time. It is a mixture of multiple sports and exercises that promote significant weight loss and overall improved health.
Health Life Magazine 