Prompt Cast
The Evolution of Exercise: From Unpopular to Mainstream
TLDR Exercise was not popular or widely practiced until the 1960s in the United States, but by the 1980s, almost 70% of people were regularly exercising. The fitness movement in the 1960s and 1970s, the popularity of aerobics in the 80s, and the spread of health clubs in the 90s all contributed to the evolution of exercise into a mainstream activity.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Exercise was not popular or widely practiced until around the 1960s in the United States, with only about a quarter of Americans regularly exercising at that time, but by the 1980s, almost 70% of people were regularly exercising.
05:33
Exercise became popular and widely practiced in the United States in the 1960s, with almost 70% of people regularly exercising by the 1980s.
10:33
The fitness movement in the 1960s and 1970s was geared towards women, with the feminist movement and Title IX playing a role, and jogging became popular thanks to a New Zealand Olympic track coach named Arthur Lideard and a running coach named Bill Bowerman.
15:54
In the late 90s, running and jogging were still considered a subculture, with mainstream Americans not fully embracing the activities yet.
21:32
Aerobics became popular in the 80s, with Kenneth Cooper starting it in the 60s and women like Jackie Sorensen and Judy Shepard creating their own dance-based exercise classes.
26:59
Gilda Marks created the popularity of aerobics and had clients like Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons, with Fonda later ripping off Marks and becoming extremely successful with her workout book and VHS tape.
32:21
Richard Simmons released the popular fitness video "Sweat into the Oldies" in the late 80s, which became the best-selling home fitness video and knocked Jane Fonda off the top spot.
37:43
In 1939, Jack LaLaine opened the first health club in the United States, while Vic Taney established the health club model that became popular in the 70s and 80s.
43:32
Regional owners bought up health clubs and transformed them into all-encompassing gyms with amenities like whirlpools and saunas, thanks to Vic Taney's model, which is still followed today.
48:32
The fitness craze in the 90s led to the spread of health clubs and the revival of established forms of exercise like yoga and Pilates.
53:49
Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates, a German circus performer who created an exercise regimen based on stretching while he was imprisoned during World War One, and it was named after him.
59:31
Zumba was created by accident in the mid-90s by a 16-year-old aerobics teacher in Colombia and has remained popular for decades, while CrossFit is known for its intense workouts and is often referred to as a cult-like fitness program.
Categories:
Society & Culture
