How fitness fashion changed: from aerobics to yoga in a hammock

Black-haired beauties trained for months before the Olympic Games, observed the PP (proper nutrition), went to the thermal baths – a kind of antique fitness centers, where you could work out, and steam in the bathhouse, and discuss who has more cubes on the press. Then, for many centuries in a row, sports were almost a dirty word: either translucent young ladies with protruding collarbones, or Rubens women with an orange peel on their steep hips (a nightmare of today’s fitonyash) were in fashion.

The second advent of fitness happened in America in the 70s of the last century. And all thanks to hamburgers and soda! The number of adults and children suffering from obesity threatened to turn into disaster, and the government sounded the alarm. In the States, a Council on Fitness was created, which included 20 of the best specialists in this field. His main task was to popularize training. But, as usual, the matter went only after beautiful women were connected to it.

What is this? Rhythmic gymnastics to music. Suitable even for those who have a panic attack from the very thought of playing sports.

How it all began? In the 60s, physical therapist Kenneth Cooper, who worked with US Air Force soldiers, published the book Aerobics, where he described how gymnastics affects the body, and published several exercises. In fact, they were intended for the military. But, of course, their wives, having read about the miraculous effect of simple training, could not help but try them on themselves. Cooper responded to the interest and organized an Aerobics Center for everyone.

But the real boom began a decade later, when actress Jane Fonda (by the way, suffered from excess weight and barbs from a slender mother in childhood) made a candy for TV out of dull activities. Nice guys and girls in multi-colored leggings jumping and squatting to cheerful music – American housewives agreed to such a sport!

A little later, Fonda developed her own training system, published a book, opened several gyms and released the first ever videotapes with aerobics manuals – for beginners and experienced ones.

Rhythmic gymnastics reached the USSR only in 1984 – the Hollywood actress was replaced by domestic figure skaters, ballerinas, and actresses. Jane herself appeared in the Soviet edition only once – in 1991 during filming in the United States. By the way, now the 82-year-old queen of aerobics is still releasing exercise discs, but for retirees. In the video, the actress (all in tight suits and with a perfect waist) talks about smooth stretching and dumbbell exercises.

What is this? Fitness video tutorial, which includes warm-up, strength exercises for the muscles of the legs, chest, arms, shoulders, back and abs. The exercises take only an hour and a half, but it is usually difficult for beginners to complete everything at once, so the trainers suggest breaking them into two parts.

How it all began? Almost every supermodel has released a video workout at one time: both Claudia Schiffer and Christy Turlington. But only exercises from Cindy Crawford became really popular. In fact, the main course of exercises was not developed by her, but by her personal trainer Radu – one of the most popular in America. But it was Cindy who decided to record the training in beautiful places and with detailed explanations. And after the success she supplemented the classes with her own lessons. Each of the courses is designed for its own audience. “The Secret of the Perfect Figure”, for example, is suitable for beginners – you can even do part of the lesson at work. The course “How to achieve perfection” is more difficult, and “New Dimension” is intended for young mothers who cannot spend half a day in the gym, but will find half an hour for quick and effective exercises at home. Experts criticized Crawford’s workouts for difficult lunges and heavy loads, but they continue to be successful. And looking at 54-year-old Cindy, a mother of two who can still wear a dress from her high school prom, it’s understandable why.

What is this? A kind of aerobics, which includes more than 20 areas: stretching, elements of ballet, oriental, Latin American, modern dances.

How it all began? Carmen Electra’s finest hour struck after she starred in the TV series “Rescuers Malibu”. When this sultry little thing ran along the beach in a red swimsuit with Pamela Anderson, the whole world froze. They say that even the fall in prices and the sale of shares on Wall Street stopped. Carmen was sure: you need to forge dollars while the hearts of the audience are hot, and she recorded a program to keep the body in shape. She had been dancing for many years, so she knew what to focus on. It is based on exercises consisting of several parts: first you need to tidy up the buttocks and waist – the most problematic female places, and then you can learn to erotically wag the hips and sit on the twine, almost like Demi Moore in the movie “Striptease”. And Elektra also talked about how to loose your hair and dance around a chair. And all this is inviting so that the partner does not die laughing while the girl is trying to untie the peignoir belt.

Of course, strip dance appeared long before the lessons of the Hollywood superstar, back in Ancient Egypt, where girls were gradually naked during dances dedicated to the god Osiris. But it was thanks to Carmen that the passion for erotic aerobics (and then strip plastics, half-dance, pole dancing) became widespread, including in our country.

What is this? Exercises and rhythmic dance moves that are performed in the pool or the sea and exert stress on all muscle groups.

How it all began? For the first time, classes in the water were shown on TV in the 50s in a show about a healthy lifestyle. Trainer Jack Lalane assured that the exercises are suitable for both toddlers and old people, and said that this is the most ideal type of exercise: all 640 muscles can be used almost simultaneously! In the 70s and 80s, water aerobics began to be used for the rehabilitation and training of athletes. After the athlete Glen Macwaters, who was shot in the thigh during the Vietnam War, developed a system of water exercises and was able to run again, water gymnastics became popular. The trainers had to complicate the classes and use additional equipment.

In Russia, water aerobics became popular after swimming pools began to appear in fitness clubs. Fans of this sport joke that only those women who do not fit a rubber cap do not go in for it.

What is this? An integrated approach to the entire body at once, due to which the maximum number of muscles is trained at the same time. Basic principles: correct breathing (the blood is more oxygenated and circulates better, the heart muscle and blood vessels are strengthened, the volume of the lungs increases), constant concentration, smoothness and softness of movements (the risk of injury is minimal, therefore the complex is suitable for the elderly and those with health problems ).

How it all began? Joseph Pilates was born a weak and sick child. Asthma, rickets, rheumatism – every time doctors wondered how he had not yet gone to the next world. But the guy turned out to be stubborn: he read books about breathing, did gymnastics, bodybuilding, swimming. And based on several sports, he came up with his own system of exercises. Already at the age of 14, Joseph got rid of half of his ailments and looked like an athlete, the artists even invited him to pose. At the age of 29, he moved from Germany to England, became a professional boxer, taught self-defense lessons to the Scotland Yard police, then emigrated to the United States, where in 1925 he opened the School of Healthy Lifestyle. The system quickly became popular among ballet dancers and athletes, and then among ordinary Americans.

Now Madonna, Jodie Foster, Nicole Kidman, Alessandra Ambrosio are promoting Pilates. Several years ago, they became interested in him in Russia. Fortunately, no special devices are needed for it, you can practice both at home and on the lawn. However, for especially keen athletes, there is a special simulator – a reformer that helps to work out all the muscles.

What is this? The combination of breathing exercises with different types of exercises. In general, the pace during exercise is slow, but the load is several times greater than during running or exercising on simulators. And it’s all about the unusual way to absorb oxygen: inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. This takes an incredible amount of energy, which means the effect is more noticeable.

How it all began? The program was developed in 1986 by the 53-year-old American Greer Childers. According to the official version, after the birth of three children, the woman dreamed of returning from the 56th clothing size to her native 44th. But neither diet nor exercise helped. And then she developed exercises that burn fat, help remove toxins and toxins, and contract stomach muscles (which means that at ten in the evening the legs are not carried to the refrigerator). According to the unofficial – Greer has never been fat (by the way, there is not a single photo of her overweight on the network), just an enterprising blonde needed an impressive story to launch the book “Magnificent figure in 15 minutes a day!” However, be that as it may, exercise works – proven by former plump women from different continents and celebrities: Kate Hudson, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Connelly.

Bodyflex, like Pilates, came to our country not so long ago, but there is no end to those who want to do it under the guidance of a coach.

What is this? A combination of cardio to burn fat and strength training to help shape your body. Exercises should be performed non-stop, preferably at the same time.

How it all began? Both CrossFit and Boot camps borrowed ideas from programs designed for the US military. These are analogs of army camps with severe discipline and overload. The main feature is that you can compete with each other. At first, a group of several people gathered every day in a park or gym and, under the guidance of an instructor, pulled dumbbells, moved trucks, and weighed in public. The main goal is to lose weight in a certain number of days. Those who went to her carelessly and gobbling up buns got from the mentors. Did you ask for tinplate? Receive and sign! The programs turned out to be so effective that the number of people wishing to participate in them grew every day.

And then videos of training appeared. The principle “who does not spare himself, he loses weight faster” went to the people. On TV, there were programs like the American “Lost the Most”, where the presenter – the now popular trainer Jillian Michaels – can shout at the participants who are shirking from classes, or demand to get rid of the “terrible, fat body”. After several months of exhausting workouts, the participant who lost more weight than the others receives not only enthusiastic aah-oohs from the audience, but also a decent amount. Another popular project is “Complete Body Transformation in 60 Days” with Sean Tee. And don’t be embarrassed by the coach’s smile, in the classroom this cutie turns into an angry Hulk: you just think: what a happiness that he cannot jump out of the screen and how to slap him for stopping to rest for half a minute. In Russia, by the way, an analogue of “Lost the Most” has recently started, and classes in parks and squares under the strict gaze of a coach are becoming more and more popular.

What is this? Exercises consisting of a mixture of strength loads (push-ups, twists, squats, lunges) and several types of dance genres. This is cardio workout plus working out all muscle groups. A nice bonus – you can not only lose weight, but also learn to move well.

How it all began? Thanks to the absent-mindedness of Colombian choreographer Alberto Perez! Once, when he came to training, he realized that he had forgotten to take a CD with music with him for training. But where did ours not disappear? The guy ran to the car for a cassette, which he usually listened to on the road, and began to improvise in the hall: he diluted standard fitness exercises with dance elements of salsa, reggaeton, bachata. The visitors liked it so much that at the next lesson they demanded to repeat the dance party. Well, a few months later, realizing that he had found a gold mine, the dancer came up with a name for his mix – zumba, which means “to be tipsy” in Mexican. Almost 10 years later, in 2001, two businessmen became interested in Perez’s invention (the mother of one of them just went to the Zumba) – both, by the way, are also Alberto. As a result, the three Beto teamed up to form Zumba fitness, a worldwide training system. Now zumba is dealt with in more than 185 countries, including ours.

What is this? Heard about suspended training? This is when two slings are mounted in the ceiling, into which you need to insert your arms or legs and perform exercises in such a suspended state.

How it all began? Exercises with ropes and hooks have been used since ancient times, later they were adopted by acrobats. And at the end of the 80s of the last century, the system was improved by Randy Hetrick, an American mentor of the “SEALs”. The exercises were just perfect to train the coordination of paratroopers in extreme situations. Plus, such training could be carried out outside the military base: Hetrik hung frayed Jiu-Jitsu belts and parachute straps in trees or in the gym. In 2001, he left the service and started to improve the belts, and four years later the whole world started talking about them.

Now TRX often flashes on Instagram videos of the Victoria’s Secret angels, especially Isabelle Goulard loves to work out on the belts. The 35-year-old supermodel, who seems to have no extra fat in her body, admits that she strengthens her thighs, buttocks, waist and arms with this workout.

In Russia, gyms are increasingly equipped with such devices, coaches admit: a pair of belts replaces a bunch of expensive exercise equipment. Another plus: the hinges can be taken with you on vacation or a business trip, the main thing is to find a suitable support for fastening.

What is this? Acroyoga is a cocktail of various asanas, acrobatics and Thai massage. One person lies on his back with raised legs, while the other rests on his feet with his torso, legs or arms and takes different positions on the weight. In anti-gravity yoga, the main feature is a hammock, suspended from the ceiling, with which you can fly, taking complex poses.

How it all began? BACKGROUND acrobatic yoga appeared in 1938, when the Indian teacher Krishnamacharya videotaped several air supports under the back with his students. The term was coined in 2001 in Canada by two dancers – Eugene Poku and Jesse Goldberg, who decided to combine yoga and acrobatics. And four years later, the practice was improved and patented in the USA by two instructors – Jason Nemer and Jenny Klein. By the way, many Hollywood stars call this method the secret of their slimness and youth. Gwyneth Paltrow, for example, has repeatedly said that this type of fitness helps her relieve fatigue and at the same time strengthen muscles, work on problem areas. And Gisele Bündchen encourages her modeling business colleagues to join her and feel weightless and plastic.

Antigravitational yoga – a very young direction of fitness. It was founded by Christopher Harrison, a famous Broadway dancer and world champion in artistic gymnastics in the States. The choreographer says that the idea came spontaneously: he and his team traveled a lot around the world, participated in the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games, and the Oscars. Of course, everyone was very tired. And once they noticed that if you lie down in a hammock and hang upside down in it, you can reduce the load on the spine and stretch it. At home, Christopher tried yoga, Pilates, dancing in a hammock, and it turned out to be very fun and interesting. This is how the first program for the general public appeared in 2007.

Now antigravity yoga is successful in Europe and Australia, and even in Russia and the States, it has already taken a place in the hearts of people and on the ceilings of fitness clubs.

What is this? Barre workout is a combination of ballet and strength exercises that target all muscle groups. The combination of various amplitudes of movements, as well as the number of repetitions and the duration of holding a certain exercise – all this puts a load on the body and pumps muscles.

How it all began? Since the training is based on ballet, it is clear that barre was created by a German ballerina. Due to serious injuries, Lotte Burke was unable to return to ballet and decided to create her own fitness program that would help keep herself in shape no worse than exhausting ballet training. Gradually, exercises with dumbbells, weights and balls began to be introduced into the methodology so that the effect was impressive.

What is this? Cycling refers to high-intensity interval group training on a stationary bike, usually accompanied by dynamic music and the encouragement of a trainer. During classes, all muscle groups are actively worked out and a large number of calories (up to 600) are burned.

How it all began? For the first time this direction of fitness appeared in the 80s, when athlete Philip Mills from New Zealand combined choreography with cycling. And already in the 90s, cycling reached fitness clubs. All thanks to the American cyclist John Goldberg, who reworked the set of exercises, making them easier and safer for beginners. At the beginning of the XNUMXs, cycle studios became very popular in the states, and a couple of years ago, drive trainings reached us.

What is this? A type of fitness aimed at stretching the muscles and strengthening the ligaments. Exercise will help restore strength, improve coordination, relieve spasms, reduce stress on tendons and minimize the risk of injury.

How it all began? The direction appeared in the 50s in Sweden, for the development of muscle elasticity and respect for the ligaments. The exercises were originally designed to warm up and relax muscles before or after sports. However, in recent years, stretching has evolved into an independent workout. And the most popular direction was the twine stretching exercises. A bonus is the fact that even beginners, seniors and pregnant women can do stretching.