30-Minutes Daily Exercise - 10 Reasons Not to Miss it

The 80’s are dead and so are the exercises!
Current mood: annoyed

OK- with the exception of a few bands and actors, the 80's were a huge experiment of loud, big, fluorescent, layered, too much make-up and too much hair spray.  It was too much of most things- Poison, Bon Jovi, Boy George and one of my all time least favorites Spandau Ballet- ICK!

It also brought us some mighty fine looking gym wear like leotards, leg warmers, braided head bands, and thongs worn on the outside of our extremely tight spandex shorts.  Of course, we needed to have a skinny, little belt to hold the waist-line of our leotards, plus everything matched, was either striped, polka-dotted, or had some obnoxious tone of pink or purple in it.  Let's not forget the full on make-up and side pony-tails with coordinating scrunchy.  I remember watching all the women in class develop raccoon eyes by the end  because make-up was running down all their faces- they looked like a bunch of barbie dolls from Dawn of the Dead

We also created a long, extended version of muscle conditioning, nowadays known as muscle endurance training, and did what we we called body toning (AKA spot reduction exercises). We plied, pulsed, pushed, and pressed our butt cheeks up, down, to the side, and all around in an effort to lose the inches and develop cute little "buns of steel."  5-10 minutes were dedicated to leg lifts, and hip extensions, and it was always done to the point of pain and suffering.  There was no technique, form, or for that matter thought of effectiveness for our targeted muscle group.  We were so stupid!!! 

Unfortunately, as I witnessed again today, there are still some instructors who haven't grown out of the 80's body toning revolution and I must say, "It totally freaks me out!"  They still stand in front of the group getting their own personal workout, acting like a strung out cheerleader choosing "bogus" (one of my favorite 80's phrases) exercises that don't work, or the moves are so outdated they carry a tombstone. 

I mean, come on, we have to keep our certifications current by attending trainings and workshops....nobody, I mean NOBODY does standing dumbbell chest training (gravity? What muscle is contracting against the force? Not the chest, but the shoulders/upper back), but just today I saw an instructor teaching the fancy hold your arms at right angles and press your forearms together while holding dumbbells, then pulse it up and down until your shoulders burn off.  To top it off she called it a CHEST exercise.  I wanted to tackle her down and shake the old school right out of her.

Please, please, I'm begging all of my fellow fitness pros, stay current with your certifications and understand that times have changed, we've progressed as an industry and have much more education and training then our 80's ancestors.  Call me, e-mail me or visit www.fitlaunch.com to book a training and I'll gladly share everything I know to bring you up to date. 

I'll be keeping my eye out for offenders and will punish anyone practicing old school body toning classes with a backhanded -----slap.

The 80's are dead and so are the exercises!