80s fitness trends are making a big comeback today

During the 1960s, American Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper developed a series of aerobic exercises to help patients with heart disease.

In the 70s, this movement became popular with the creation of exercise videos, starring the likes of Jane Fonda. By the 80s, aerobics was a big part of the culture, with dynamic fitness classes that incorporated music and high-energy movement to create a fun form of exercise.

Examples of popular retro workouts include calisthenics, cardio exercises, and power running. Requiring only your own body weight, these exercises are simple but effective. Let’s explore something.

Calisthenics promotes muscle strength and coordination by using one’s own body weight to perform movements such as push-ups, burpees, squats and handstands. It has become a very popular form of exercise to improve strength with your body weight, and improve balance.

Dance-based fitness has also become popular in recent years, inspired by jazz classes. Modern classes combine choreography with cardio, creating a fun and effective routine. Dance exercise not only has great physical benefits, but also supports mental well-being by boosting serotonin and reducing stress through music and movement.

Water aerobics is a joint-friendly form of exercise that’s gentle on your body but great for muscle strength. Increased water resistance trains muscles efficiently and effectively.

Rollerblading helps strengthen the hip and glute muscles due to the side-to-side movement while skating. This outdoor activity encourages you to move in a completely different way to other forms of exercise, and is a great way to get out of the house.

Hula hooping is not only a great form of entertainment, but has been used as an exercise for years now. Weighted hoops are popular now, they burn calories quickly and tone the core, arms and legs.

Parkour, as nutrition and exercise scientist Amelia Phillips said Hello!, is a sport that involves strength, balance and coordination. “It’s a very community-friendly sport that brings people together while exercising the whole body.”

Martial arts and kickboxing exercises have a great impact on a person’s social life and their physical health. A true mental sport, this type of exercise has been shown to improve mental health. Tae Bo and martial arts rose to prominence in the 90s with the empowerment culture, so we expect it to grow with the current political and economic climate of the world.

Sometimes, simply walking is the most effective form of exercise. Especially the power runs are simple, but stable, and can be enjoyed in a group or independently. Increasing your speed increases your heart rate and improves heart health at low intensities.

Finally, classic aerobic steps are a fun form of exercise, burn high calories and improve cardiovascular fitness. Often done while watching fun exercise classes on TV, they have become popular again during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The 80s fitness boom saw stretch fabrics, bright colors and aesthetic accessories becoming increasingly popular, which created a crossover between gym wear and fashion, and led to our current obsession with athleisure wear in everyday life. Brands like Lululemon, Aloe, and Tala have seen incredible profits as a result.

Amelia Phillips shared Hello! It’s retro “is becoming fashionable again, especially for millennials and Gen X who are experiencing the excitement of ’80s athleisure culture. They’re looking for the simplicity it offers”.

Today, group fitness is on the rise, as classes or running clubs are a form of exercise and a means of meeting new people. They give people a chance to connect with others, not just workout solo at the gym.