Blast From The Past

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As I was pondering the plight of… (oooo, alliteration)…

As I was pondering the plight of my pained patella (hehe), I started thinking about the ’80s and ’90s when I was in the best shape of my life and how I never would have had such a ridiculous injury, or pain.  (Don’t even go there with the age thing… even if it was 25 years ago). So, I was thinking to myself, hmmm, what was it I did differently back then that I don’t do now?! And then I realized… it has to be all those awesome VHS workout tapes I did religiously.  (For the young ‘uns reading this, VHS tapes were what we… cultured… people used to watch movies on before DVDs or streaming).

So I went on a treasure hunt in my garage.  Hey!  Looky what I found!  A whole slew of old tapes I used to work out to!  Anyone care to take a trip down memory lane with me?

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Kathy Smith’s Fat Burning Workout — I loved this one.  I plopped it in the VCR no less than 3 times a week. This is probably one of the first HIIT workout tapes out there, which isn’t surprising as Kathy Smith is the fitness guru of the ’80s and ’90s (well, her and Jane Fonda, but we’re not talking about Jane right now).  Lots of lunges and squats (see, focused on knee and hip strength… she knew what she was doing).

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Then there was Donna Richardson.  Boy was she ever spunky!  Loved her too, and I did this one (which came out in 1994) whenever I needed a change up from Kathy.

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For years, I combined my aerobics with lifting weights, so I would buy Muscle and Fitness Magazine.  Anyone remember Cory Everson?  She was a champion weightlifter (Ms. Olympia, Arnold’s female counterpart), and she even had a role in Jean-Claude Van Damme’s movie, Double Impact.  Anyway, she was smart and got on the workout video bandwagon.  I lifted weights so I had to get it (1992).  I did this tape at least 3 times a week as well.  Cory Everson – Get Hard… the title says it all.

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I can’t leave out Victoria Johnson!  Holy dancer Batman!  I wanted to groove just like her!  In her Technifunk tape, she made a fun go of all those fabulous ’90s dances… like the Cabbage Patch, the Running Man, Ho Hey, etc.  Great practice for going out clubbing!

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I have about 10 or 15 more tapes out in the garage, but I think I’m seeing a pattern here… I need to get back to basics with my ’80s and ’90s VHS workout tapes, get that knee back in shape, then see how far that gets me down the trail! Woo hoo!  I’m excited!!  Now then… anyone got a VCR I can borrow?  Anyone?  Anyone at all?

46 thoughts on “Blast From The Past”

  1. honestme363

    Did Kathy Smith have a TV show too? She looks soo familiar. And if you lived closer, you could definitely have one of our vcr’s. We have 2 upstairs, one is a spare. But you would have to sweat you would wear a very 90’s workout outfit too. They kind of just look like bathing suits with matching socks 😂😃😄😁 Too funny. Hope your knee feels better soon.

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    1. neveradullbling Post author

      Hahaha Kelly! The leotards definitely looked like bathing suits with matching tights and socks, too funny! But it was great to go to the gym back then and be all color coordinated! And OMG! Really? You have a VCR? I think that’s awesome!! Ours died many times over, and eventually we just never replaced it! And I have no idea if Kathy had a TV show or not, but it’s quite possible, although she’s made a million tapes or something to that extent!
      Thanks so much re: my knee! I’m gonna go for a run on Friday so we’ll see how it goes! 😀

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      1. honestme363

        I am not even sure if they work. We just have vcr tapes of hubby’s family and his kids when they were young so we have been reluctant to get rid of them. And yes! Matching wrist bands and headbands!!

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  2. breidengale

    I love Kathy Smith!!! I still have a VCR in my bedroom. Came with the DVD player. But, I actually used to work out to a record. Yes, a record!! It had pictures on the cover of the proper form and the record had music like…”funkytown” playing while it told you what move to do. Thanks for bringing up some great memories!

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    1. neveradullbling Post author

      That sounds like Jazzercise!!! Remember how we used to have to do that in PE? Loved it! I will bet that’s where you developed your love for it, isn’t it!! 🙂 Funkytown! Now that’s a blast from the past!! 😀

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  3. Brian Lageose

    Confession: I was just never coordinated enough to do these workout tapes, and I would end up with odd bruises and broken furniture. I’m missing an important gene that allows you to watch other people doing something and then try to repeat it. This is also why I would run off the dance floor when people started doing line dances… 😉

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    1. neveradullbling Post author

      Ah yes… the bruises and broken furniture… it all makes sense now why the tapes didn’t quite work for you… besides the gene thing. But c’mon now… the Electric Slide or Boot Scoot Boogie?! It’s almost blasphemous you didn’t partake of such madness back then!! 🙂

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      1. Brian Lageose

        Yes, it probably IS blasphemous, but I just did not have the skills to rhythmically do anything in a coordinated group setting. And I was jealous of the people who could do so. On the flip side, if it was some type of freestyle competition, where you could do your own interpretive dance, you better get out of my way because I was ON a MISSION. What that mission might have been has been lost in the sands of time… 😉

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  4. lynne hoareau

    OMW ! Guess we are going dvd shopping ! hahahaha
    I had to chuckle…Funny how just the other day I was thinking about all the tapes I had and the times I would switch on the tv, and follow some little exercise programme in the early mornings, Flip I would do whatever was out there to keep fit and tonedI
    Now…fast forward to current day…….I need to see what dvd’s are out there, I need to do more exercise !
    Hope your knee is well on the road to recovery. Have a great day 🙂

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    1. neveradullbling Post author

      Lilias Yoga and You! Did you get that one on TV? I remember those exercise programs being on way back when, lol! I think that’s how I first learned to do a sit-up, and leg lifts, and… I’m telling you… back to basics, hehe! And thanks Lynne! You have a great day too!!

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  6. Janet wilson

    Oh PK you are going down memory lane, yes us ladies of a certain age have all been there hopping around the room. I also remember going to a keep fit class in a portakabin when all the ladies danced around the whole thing shook!! Think I’ll stick to exercise bike. Janet

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    1. neveradullbling Post author

      Hahahaha, that would be funny Janet, to have the whole floor shake and feel like you’re going to go right through or topple over possibly! But that bike does a body good, and you do great with it!! 🙂

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  8. artisticsharon

    Hahaha…what a blast from the past! I too have several Kathy Smith videos – LOVE her!! I still follow her cool-down stretching routine 😉 And I’m in the same boat…kept the videos but no VCR…wonder why we do that?

    I took a brisk walk Tuesday and a light walk yesterday – gonna go for an easy run on Saturday. Good luck with your knee, I hope it doesn’t give you any more trouble.

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    1. neveradullbling Post author

      Thanks Sharon!! The rest has done my knee a world of good!! So we’ll see! Glad you were able to get out! Boy, I’ll bet that first run was painful though, ;).
      I’ve seen VCRS for sale on amazon! I may have to invest in one, ;D

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  10. wanderwolf

    I had a VCR until about 5 years ago (and yeah, my bro and I grew up sticking those cassettes in the VCR whenever my parents went out. 🙂
    Thanks for the dance tips! The running man I can do 😉
    But I’m sorry to hear about your knee. Hope it’s healing and not a long-term issue?

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      2. neveradullbling Post author

        Lol! See what happens when I start playing online at work?! I’m distracted and totally don’t pick up on the funnies!! Yes! You do the Running Man amazingly awesome!! Haha!! Okay, sorry… I dropped the ball on that one!! 😀

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  11. arunadayamy

    This is awesome! I totally remember sweating it out to videos. I had good old Jane Fonda and Cindy Crawford. And my mom and I would find early morning workout shows–do you remember Gil? What a fun blast from the past! And how cool to start a revitalization. But you gotta wear the leotard and leg warmers!

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    1. neveradullbling Post author

      Ohmigosh! Gil Gilad!! I had forgotten all about him!! I must be missing tapes somewhere, because I KNOW I had one of him too!! Yes, the leotard and leg warmers! It doesn’t count if you don’t have them, lol!! 😀

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  12. creativecritters77

    OMG this takes me back! My fitness addiction started with The Firm on VHS (I’ve done Kathy Smith, among many others, as well). You know, I bet you could find all those on YouTube- that’s my workout go to now 😉

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  13. Lynz Real Cooking

    haha this is great! Those old tapes take me way back Paula! I did a Denise Austin, I think is her name, tape and it looked like those! Oh and a dancing to the oldies with Richard Simmons! My kid used to laugh! Fun times

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