They say that history repeats itself. Apparently that includes working out.
According to an internal survey of National Academy of Sports Medicine’s (NASM) top trainers, the moment is right for some good “old” fitness trends to become new again.
“Anything retro is very in right now—especially for millennials and Gen X who are longing for a time that felt more simple, easy and fun,” says Darlene Marshall, NASM-certified wellness coach, personal trainer and host of the Better Than Fine podcast.
But what exactly does the retro fitness movement entail?
The favored exercise formats fitness professionals would like to see regain momentum range from step aerobics to power walking to parkour. But the common thread linking all these nostalgic workouts is that, in addition to being functionally effective, they’re also fun.
“Finding joy in your workout is the most important thing to make it sustainable for your life,” says Shanna Missett Nelson, CEO and chief choreographer for Jazzercise, Inc.
With that in mind, here are the top throwback workouts (ranked in order) that NASM trainers would like to see brought back to the fitness future.
1. Old-school calisthenics and bodyweight exercises
This took the top spot for retro fitness formats trainers would like to see return for a few good reasons. Primarily, it’s that calisthenics are extremely effective and also inexpensive.
Calisthenics focus on exercises that use your own bodyweight against the challenges of gravity to promote muscle strength, endurance, flexibility and coordination. In other words, you don’t need any fancy equipment, you just need you.
“Simple ‘calisthenics’ that can have a big impact on strength, balance and mobility include pushups, planks, bodyweight lunges and squats, situps, mountain climbers, and the grimace-worthy burpee,” says orthopedic surgeon Vonda Wright, M.D., author of the forthcoming book, Unbreakable: Go Strong. Live Long. Age With Power.
These straightforward, old-school bodyweight movements can also be modified to accelerate effect and difficulty by increasing duration, frequency and speed of movement. “By increasing speed, calisthenics can serve as both strength and aerobic exercise all at one time,” Wright says.
And because they can be done anytime, anywhere, you have no excuse for not fitting in a quick workout.
2. Classic step aerobics
“Step always has been and always will be effective—it improves your cardiovascular fitness, it’s a great calorie burner and it’s fun,” says fitness celebrity Keli Roberts, a multi-certified personal trainer, exercise specialist and step instructor on Cher’s 1991 fitness VHS, Cher Fitness: A New Attitude. “I even heard that Cher still does that workout—Cher’s best friend told me that her friends come over and they get together and do the workout!” Roberts says.
If sweating like Cher (who looks amazing at 78) isn’t enough incentive, also take note that step will work your leg muscles like nobody’s business. Other benefits of this weight-bearing workout include increased cardiorespiratory fitness, high calorie-burning potential and enhanced bone density.
In fact, one 2016 study found that when postmenopausal women with low bone mass did step aerobics for 10 weeks, they increased their bone metabolism and functional fitness, making this a great workout for people looking to prevent osteoporosis.
Roberts said that the COVID-19 pandemic seemingly re-upped interest in step since it was something that could be done at home. “On my YouTube channel I saw a real increase in the people using my step videos,” Roberts says. “Step has made a major comeback.”
3. Power walking
Sometimes the key to fitness is simply putting one foot in front of the other—which is one reason power walking was and still is a favorite fitness prescription from top trainers.
“Adequate fitness exercise doesn’t require reinventing the wheel,” says Everett Miner, NASM-certified personal trainer and owner of Miner Fitness. “Some of the most effective approaches are also the simplest. Power walking is basic, but because it’s effective, scalable and accessible, it’s one of the best ways to help people stay consistent. And consistency is one of the most important factors in any fitness journey.”
Miner suggests people interested in taking up power walking start small. “Before jumping into power walking, aim to establish a habit of getting 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day through regular walking,” Miner says. “This builds a baseline of daily movement, which will make the transition to power walking smoother and more sustainable.
“Once you’ve consistently hit your step goal, add in power walking by increasing your pace to where your heart rate reaches zone two (60%-70% of your maximum heart rate). This is a comfortable but slightly challenging pace where you can still hold a conversation but feel slightly winded.” Working out in that heart rate zone is optimal for improving heart health and burning fat.
Power walking also has the bonus of being either individual or social. “I have a group of female friends who get together and walk the hills in Ventura every Saturday,” Roberts says. “I personally have always loved how gentle walking is on the joints—add to that fact that it’s a good way to improve your mood, and for me, it’s a winner.”
4. Tae Bo or other martial arts-inspired workouts
There’s something about “kicking butt” that never goes out of style.
“The ’90s were a period of massive cultural change and people wanted to feel empowered, so we got Tae Bo,” Marshall says. With everything going on in the world right now, if ever there were a time for a boxing and martial arts comeback, it would be the present.
Interestingly, this type of workout is already gaining traction in the gerontology field. Boxing and kickboxing workouts have seen a boost among older populations with Rock Steady Boxing programs for people with Parkinson’s disease. Studies have shown that participants saw improved social life and decreased fatigue, fear of falling, depression and anxiety.
“I personally use boxing and kickboxing in my Silver & Fit online live classes to help improve cardiovascular fitness, balance, coordination and movement speed,” Roberts says.
5. Low-impact water aerobics
If you want a workout that also “takes a load off,” then you might want to revisit water aerobics.
Though the perception of this workout may be that it’s just splashing around in a pool, it’s a lot harder than it looks. At the same time, it’s gentle on the joints, making it a perfect choice for those with orthopedic constraints.
“Water workouts are underrated and an amazing way to boost your metabolism while making exercise easier and more efficient,” says Laura Chevalier, director of fitness and outdoor sports at Canyon Ranch Lenox in Massachusetts.
Water is a forgiving environment that allows you to exercise hard regularly with only a fraction of the impact of land-based exercise. “In chest-deep water, you weigh only 25% of your weight on land. In…
6. Jazzercise or other dance-based fitness classes
Perhaps nothing makes people think retro fitness more than leotard-and-legwarmer-clad images of Jane Fonda, Jamie Lee Curtis and ladies doing Jazzercise. But when it comes to girl power at the gym, there’s nothing better than a dance-based exercise class.
“I don’t believe dance fitness/Jazzercise or other OG fitness classes are making a comeback, but rather, they have been here all along,” says Nelson, the daughter of Jazzercise founder Judi Sheppard Missett. “Dance fitness was successful at the inception of the industry for all the reasons it is still successful today—dance is fun, brings joy, makes you feel better and can deliver amazing results.”
The benefits of dance workouts are plenty and include challenging the heart and skeletal muscles, but also the mind. “Dance is good for your brain because it releases serotonin, dopamine and all the feel-good chemicals, improves cognitive function, balance, and so much more,” Nelson says. “Plus, music makes it fun and the group fitness environment will keep you coming back for more.”
That sense of belonging is what may power its resurgence today.
“Because dance transcends all the ages and stages of life Jazzercise can bring multigenerational women and men together in the same room where all are able to enjoy the movement,” says Nelson, whose daughter is even teaching Jazzercise now, introducing it to a new generation. “This community inclusiveness and workout variability keeps people coming back to Jazzercise for long stretches—even decades—and is a huge part of why we are still successful after 55 years.”
7. Rollerblading
The technical term is inline skating, but “rollerblading” burst on the scene in the 1980s, and over 40 years later, it’s still a great way to tone the lower body while getting a solid dose of cardio.
According to the International Inline Skating Association (IISA), participation has grown 630% since 1989. It’s recently been on the upswing again for several reasons.
To start, it’s an activity that can be done outdoors—which was big during the pandemic. However, it’s more low-impact than running while still being considered a weight-bearing activity, which leads to bone mass building.
Also, skating trains the body in the “lateral” plane of motion—meaning side-to-side action. Accordingly, skating helps strengthen the hips and glutes in a way that you don’t get from your everyday forward-moving activities like walking. Better balance is another bonus.
Plus, rollerblading allows you to burn calories in a shorter amount of time—you can burn anywhere from 200 to 400 calories in one hour—making it a fantastic activity for weight loss and maintenance. All that to say, it might be time to strap on a pair of skates again. Don’t let anyone slow your roll.
8. Parkour
Working out is not child’s play, except when it is. For those who don’t know about parkour, it’s best explained as a man-made or natural obstacle course that participants traverse by running, jumping, rolling, vaulting or moving in whatever way it takes to get from one point to another as quickly as possible.
Established in the late 1980s in France, the movements in parkour originated from a training program for the French Special Forces. At first it was just a street activity, but then it started to gain global popularity thanks to performances by skilled parkour daredevils who flipped their way through commercials and films like the James Bond movie Casino Royale. At its core, however, parkour is simply about rediscovering the joy of movement.
“Parkour is all about getting back to those childhood roots—running around, jumping over stuff, climbing trees—you name it,” says Tyler McDonald, NASM-certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. “It’s a workout that hits all the marks: cardio, strength, flexibility and balance.”
Getting started with parkour is not only safer but also more fun when done with a “posse.” McDonald suggests hitting up community groups or checking out sites like Meetup.com to find local parkour classes. Some gyms are parkour-friendly, too, so keep an eye out for those. But ultimately, parkour is about using the world as your gym.
“Parkour is like the…
9. Hula hooping
While most people think of the hula hoop only as a toy that was popular in the 1950s, it turns out it also makes a great piece of workout equipment. But that idea is not new.
Throwing it way back—like, thousands of years back—people living in ancient Greece and Egypt actually used to exercise with hoops made from grapevines. While today’s hula hooping workouts are much less rustic, they’re still creative and usually include weighted hoops, choreographed moves and music.
Hula hooping as exercise is also surprisingly hard. If you’ve ever hula hooped for play, you know that keeping a hoop circling can be a challenge. Now, try that for 45 minutes to an hour.
According to a study on the efficacy of hula hooping conducted by the American Council on Exercise, “hoopers” can burn an average of seven calories per minute. Plus, hula hooping will not only boost your heart rate and torch calories, but it also tones the back, abdomen, arms and legs, making it a total body workout. As an added bonus, researchers said the rhythmic nature of hooping can be relaxing and meditative for some people.
The bottom line? Hooping is a perfect example of retro fitness: What goes around actually does come back around.
Photo from Shakirov Albert/Shutterstock.com.
