Back to the 80's - going retro with aerobics
- Apr 21, 2024
- 3 min read
We've all see the video making the rounds on social media of John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis thrusting away to Whitney Houston and Jermaine Jackson in the n1985 film Perfect. But what really is aerobics?
Well, aerobic dancing was invented by Jacki Sorenson in 1969, inspired by Kenneth Cooper's book "aerobics". It then rose to fame in the early 80s after Jane Fonda released an at home aerobics workout video.
Mia Burgess, a personal trainer and instructor at my gym, who also leads the aerobics class, says its a body weight, HIIT style workout for people who want a fun alternative to typical cardio activities like running.
Getting back into exercise and fitness, I've found that attending classes is one of the easiest ways to get back into the swing of things. I'll say that I am a spin class lover, also led by Mia, but her enthusiasm and energy made me want to try another one of her classes. So, I booked in and rocked up to my first aerobics class. Minus the brightly coloured leotards, leggings and leg warmers.
Due to traffic, I was a couple minutes late so by the time I made it into the room, the warm up was in full swing and everyone was moving around to get the blood flowing and the muscles warm. I slipped into the back of the room, chucked my bag into the corner and launched myself into the swing of it.
The warmup was easy enough to follow, a small repetitive routine to get the heart rate up. I watched Mia as she commanded the attention of everyone in the room and then fell into the steps as if I'd been attending for weeks already.
By the end of the warmup I was thinking, what was I worried about, this is easy, how much harder could it get?
But then the real routine started and as you probably guessed, I spoke way too soon. As someone who is lacking in both rhythm and coordination, attempting a dance-based workout was a challenge, the steps would change with each verse and chorus of a song and each time I would have to take a moment to process before continuing.
I miss-stepped, I stumbled like a new-born fawn and at one point I even tripped on the equipment rack that was lining the wall due to my lack of spatial awareness.
Despite my general lack of ability for dance-based activities and the awkwardness in which I carried out each move, the class itself was fun and engaging. Mia led everyone through the routines step by step, and the upbeat tempo of the songs kept my energy up once I began to tire.
despite aerobics being an 80's exercise, the music was modern and I knew the words, which for me is a necessity when it comes to music for exercising.
My one piece of advice for anyone thinking about attending a class, remember to bring a drink! I left my water bottle in the fridge and because I was running late, I didn't stop at the vending machine. Not that Mia wouldn't of let me pop out, but I was having so much fun that I didn't want to miss anything, (my face may not look it in the video, but I promise I was having fun).
As Mia describes, it is a HIIT style workout which means its high intensity and you use a lot of energy and can work up a sweat, staying hydrated during exercise is important. So, don't do what I did and remember to bring a drink with you.
If you're looking for a way to burn off some extra calories, aerobics could be the class you're missing from your life.
An aerobic fitness class, coupled with other sessions in the week like weight lifting and daily walks can easily help you maintain your calorie deficit, if that's your fitness goals. Or if your goal is just to increase your stamina and cardiovascular fitness, then this HIIT style exercise can do that too.
The easy going feel of the class, the good music and a great instructor like Mia make it a low-pressure exercise routine for anyone who may be intimidated by a weight room or doesn't get joy out of spending time on a treadmill.
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