Back To The 80s
Maybe I have too much time on my hands at the moment. But I am a bit concerned about putting on weight while in isolation, so I’ve been thinking of changing up my exercise program. It’s a good idea to change it up occasionally, so your body doesn’t get too comfortable. My mind very quickly went back to a memorable time in my life. A time when aerobics had a huge following. Back to the 1980s, when I was a gym and aerobics instructor.
Who remembers aerobics classes? How about Aerobics Oz Style on TV? I loved it so much and can remember being devastated when it finished. Not that I was able to exercise along with them. Most days I had classes at the gym. But I did follow their routines and workouts. I was devastated when it finished. I remember it being on TV, mostly in the 80s and early 90s, but it went much longer than that. It finally ended in 2005. I didn’t watch any episodes after about 1995, as I became a bit jaded with aerobics from the mid 90s, . I’m probably biased but I loved the form of aerobics we did in the 80s. It was high impact and it was mostly fast.
I was involved from the start, when aerobics first evolved from simple classes with dance steps instructed by dance instructors. I never participated in those, but I know I would have been hopeless. I remember when I first noticed aerobics. I was in the gym doing a weights workout, when the first official aerobics class started. There was fabulous music, running, jumping, and other cardio moves, along with floor exercises. The next day I joined in wearing a daggy pair of tracky pants and an oversize t-shirt. I didn’t care what I looked like. Immediately I was hooked. I loved the high impact movements but was slightly frustrated that there weren’t more of them in the class.
At the time there was no qualification for aerobics instructors, and looking back, now that I understand exercise movement, some of the movements that were in those classes do make me shudder. Many of them would not have been approved as safe exercises. Even though classes and the exercises peformed were safer, after the instructors were qualified, that didn’t mean that classes were easier. My classes were always advanced, difficult, fast and high impact, but with very little co-ordination required, mainly because of my hopelessness at being co-ordinated. Because they were difficult classes, I very quickly picked up a following of footballers and netballers and it wasn’t before long that the clubs asked me to train them on one night each week. I look at this period of time as being the best time of my life with fantastic memories.
But times change, and in the 90s, high impact classes were no longer accepted. The new classes were low impact. Aerobics classes also became franchised, when Les Mills classes began in gyms. This came about because until that time, instructors choreographed their own classes and set their exercises to their own recorded music. I can remember spending hours devising new routines and choosing music. New copyright rules for music made it no longer possible to record music. Gym owners then had to pay for the music that was played in their gyms.
Today, you can go into a gym, anywhere in the world on the same day, and find the same Les Mills class being taught. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed Les Mills classes. I also enjoyed low impact classes when they were combined with weights. But I did yearn for a session of hard and fast exercise that a high impact class would give. I suppose, I was getting older, and almost at the end of my aerobics career and still preferred the early fast days of the 80s.
Fast forward to last week, when I heard that people in self isolation were exercising to Aerobics Oz videos on You Tube and 10Play, which is an app for Channel 10 TV. My ears pricked immediately. I hadn’t thought of Aerobics Oz in years, but I just knew that those videos were going to be part of my exercise program from now on.
The next day I did an Aerobics Oz workout and I was so happy. Yes, I was re-living my youth and yes I wasn’t as fast as in the old days. Actually I was quite slow, but I didn’t care. Aerobics Oz has energised my workouts and increased my enjoyment. I couldn’t stop smiling at the end of the session. I know now that when I go into the gym for cardio, I will be turning the clock back to the 80s and that makes smile and feel joyful.
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Jennifer, The videos are great. I can see how they energize your workouts and make them fun. Enjoy! #lifethisweek
Thanks Natalie. I appreciate you dropping by again
They’re great fun Natalie
I too look back on those days fondly. I can’t believe I ever had a g-string leotard! I used to love those classes, all the grapevines and easy walks and gallops… those were the days…
My scales are showing higher number too. As much as I love being in isolation it’s putting the kilos on
I LOVED Aerobic Oz Style and started doing it before I think it was even called that, in 1984 or so. I was (sadly) anorexic in my final year of high school and for some time after and though I played a lot of sport I used to do Aerobics before school. I’m not sure if it was ‘live’ on TV cos we had a video by then so perhaps I recorded it and then did it.
I’ve definitely put on weight. I got on the scales at my mum’s place the other day and it was depressing. (I’d asked her to hide them from me but she forgot!)
Life in isolation is causing the number on my scales to increase too Deb.
Holy cow! I got tired just watching it! My admiration for your fitness level knows no bounds Jen – glad you found something to make isolation a bit more fun (I’ll be sticking to my walking!)
Don’t be impressed Leanne. I’m definitely not as fit as I was. If I stay in isolation much longer I’ll be a roly poly and won’t be able to move
Wow, that brought back memories; no wonder we became friends so quickly – so many life parallels! I became an aerobics instructor in early 80’s – but I came from a dance background – so I loved choreographing new routines. But my classes soon became faster and harder – there were no bottles of water in the room; it was all fast & high impact. I recall running to the front counter to gulp some Gatorade type drink between my classes. Of course I had the high cut/low front leotard & footless ballet tights 😊
Sue you’ve brought back memories for me too. Definitely no water during a class! And yes I had the g-string leotard and matching leg warmers. So glad there are no photos in existence.
Oh yes I remember aerobics classes, although I never did the TV ones! I went out to classes, I even had my unitard! I’m so glad you were able to do them again Jennifer and had such fun doing so. I must admit I’ve been more active than ever during this time but I’m also eating more, so I think one outweighs the other!! Lovely to read your memories.
deb it’s been exactly same here. Lots of exercise and lots of eating. I must stop soon!
Oh my goodness, the memories. I think I had a Jane Fonda tape. I also know I went to the local GYM with my fit friend and had my aqua coloured tights and leotard. I was not a good aerobics mover but I did enjoy it in part. I also taught the kids at school each morning fitness program but that was to YMCA and Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.
Thank you for linking up for Life This Week. Next week the optional prompt is 18/51 Taking Stock #2 4.5.2020. Hope to see you there too. Denyse
Great memories Denyse. You’ve reminded me of the leotard. Yes I wore one too