3 weird exercise trends form the past

strange exercise machines

Even though it may seem as though it’s been ingrained in society since the dawn of time, the culture surrounding physical fitness remains a relatively new invention. Back before the days of 24-hour gyms and at-home exercise gear, people got their workout by simply living their everyday lives. As dark as it seems, many families did not even have sufficient food to go around to be unhealthily obese in the first place.

The Vibrating Belt

These machines entered the general fitness landscape during the 1920s, when Americans were undergoing a period of prosperity, finding themselves with more time to be worried about their appearance. The idea behind this machine is that the machine would shake the belt, jiggling away the fat.

Totally Tae Bo

At age 21, Taekwondo instructor and actor Billy Blanks would utilize air kicks and shadowboxing as a means to inspire himself and warm-up for workouts. In the 1980s, Blanks moved to Los Angeles, originally to pursue acting but saw the exercise and fitness-obsessed town as a significant opportunity. Immediately he started a Tae Bo studio, which quickly attracted a celebrity clientele such as boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, Ashley Judd, and Sinbad.

ThighMaster

This fitness device, invented by Josh Reynolds, was a type of resistance training to your muscles. The attractiveness of this ThighMaster has been its simplicity. There were no wires or wires or confusing directions.