Do you remember the 1980s fitness show “The 20 Minute Workout”?
*** I’ve dug out some vintage fitness videos for this post! I cannot believe these are still available!!!***
I still cannot believe that show was a Canadian production and not an American idea.
As a teenager, I just LOVED THAT SHOW SO MUCH!!! There is no doubt that there is a lot of Jane Fonda and Olivia Newton-John’s “Let’s Get Physical” (the video was blasting on MTV and Much Music in 1981) influence, but if you were a teenage girl in Canada in the early 80s (and if you were a boy), you made sure you didn’t miss that show!
According to Wikipedia:
“20 Minute Workout was created by Ron Harris in 1983, produced by Tantra Entertainment in association with the Canadian animation company Nelvana Limited, and broadcast locally on Citytv; in the United States, it was syndicated by Orion Pictures (Now part of MGM Television).”
The “20 Minute Workout” was my introduction to exercise … I wanted to be one of those pretty gym girls.
I still have no clue why my mind has been so preoccupied with exercises I used to do as a kid and a teenager, but I have to say that The “20 Minute Workout” has been on my mind quite a lot lately and I decided on a cold Saturday night to see if the videos were on You Tube … and they were!!!
The concept was quite simple for “The 20 Minute Workout”:
1) Pretty girls with SUPER fit bodies
2) Lots of make-up
3) Big hair and is some cases bad 1980s perms
4) VERY skin-tight aerobic wear
5) A LOT of very sexy moves (now this might be considered a stripper workout)
6) LOTS of cleavage
7) Great music
#8) Fantastic camera shots and camera angles
9) Hope for stay-at-home-moms
10) Entertainment for stay-at-home dads and adolescent boys
If you are a Canadian reader, you might remember this classic fitness show and if you are an American reader or one of my international readers, this might be a side of Canada you might never have been able to image!
One last thing, after watching about one hour of old footage from “20 Minute Workout”, I can tell you that if most people who have “losing weight” as part of their list of resolutions for 2009, did do “20 Minute Workout” for 90 days without missing a day, they would see the pounds start to melt!
Here’s a flash back of Jane Fonda’s Complete Workout:
Jane Fonda’s Abs Workout:
Here’s Olivia Newton-John’s “Let’s Get Physical” (this is a remix – Olivia’s has got even MORE attitude on this video):
Enjoy a few of my favourite videos from “20 Minute Workout”:
Work that body ladies!
Three pretty girls help you get in the best shape of your life:
This video has been retouched a bit … the creator removed the voices of the instructor to give dominance to Cory Heart’s “I Wear my Sunglasses at Night” song:
The “20 Minute Workout” warmup
The one in the blue workout wear was my favourite instructor!!!
Part 2 of the previous video … now that’s an aerobic workout!
A quick pep talk from the instructor:
Part 2 – get jumping!
Photo by la_mala1
Tags: Fit over 35
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