bodies in motion
Gonna Make You Sweat! Five of the Best ’90s Exercise Trends
By Michelle Abraira
F
rom Billy Banks and TaeBo to Kathy Smith’s Aerobic Fitness, the 1990s gave us some of the most iconic fitness trainers and exercises to date. Filled with spandex, lots of neon and leotards and those endless infomercials, the ’90s were centered around one main exercise—aerobics. Let’s flashback to some of the most memorable fitness exercises of that decade that are sure to make you sweat!
Spinning
Before Soul Cycle popularized spinning for the modern world, spinning was one of the biggest exercise fads of the ’90s. Being one of the most popular forms of cardio today, spinning is a low-impact exercise that tones your muscles while also burning a huge number of calories. Many gyms these days also offer multiple spin classes run by a trainer who has put together a fun, fast-paced routine to get your blood and muscles pumping.
8-Minute Videos
If you wanted rock-hard abs or any part of your body to look rock-solid in a short amount of time, this was the perfect exercise for you. Designed by Jaime Brenkus, 8-minute videos were known for how simple they were to use and their fast results. Covering the entire abdominal region, these 8-minute videos consisted of 9 exercises, 45 seconds each, and worked out your obliques and lower abs, two areas that most exercise programs leave out. For even better results, make sure you’re staying consistent with the routine and eating right. Thanks to their modern-day counterparts on streaming cable services or YouTube, getting those defined, rock-hard abs can be achieved in just 8 minutes a day.
Step Aerobics
If you’re looking to get your blood pumping, step aerobics is a must-try. As the ’80s were ending, gymnast Gin Miller introduced the world to a new workout, step aerobics, as it was her only form of exercise she could to do rehabilitate her knee without exerting too much pressure on it. Made up of choreographed movements that work to tone your lower and upper body, this exercise is meant to strengthen your cardiovascular system. Being a full-body workout, step aerobics is a high-intensity, calorie-burning exercise that is perfect for those who want to lose weight. The best part of step aerobics? It can be done anywhere if you have a raised platform and some music to go along with your routine.
ThighMaster
With Suzanne Somers as the face of this major ’90s fitness trend, the ThighMaster was a workout no one could forget. Invented by Joshua Reynolds, the ThighMaster gave women a new way to tone and tighten their thighs, hips and butt. Toning inner thighs was made easy with the first model of the ThighMaster, while the second model toned your outer thighs. Even though the ThighMaster might seem like a thing of the past, the desire to have toned leg muscles is a major part of modern-day Barre or Pilates routines with plié squats or standing leg lifts.
28 tallahassee woman • august/september 2017
TaeBo
Who knew that pairing martial arts moves with fast-paced music would produce one of the most iconic workouts to date. Incorporating elements of karate and boxing paired with the flexibility and coordination he learned from taking ballet, Billy Banks changed the game of exercise with TaeBo. Even though this high-cardio workout may seem like a thing of the past, Jillian Michaels’ Kickbox FastFix incorporates those kickboxing and martial arts elements from TaeBo into her routine that are sure to make you break a sweat.