8 Throwback Workouts You Totally Forgot About

Today there is no shortage of weird and wacky workouts to try your hand at (sword fighting, naked yoga, and underwater cycling to name a few). But long before the rise of the boutique fitness, we've dabbled in some pretty interesting fitness fads. In honor of National Fitness Day coming up Saturday, May 5, here are just 8 throwback fitness trends you won't believe your parents actually had the audacity to do.

1. Jazzercise

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Judi Sheppard Missett took the fitness scene by storm when she founded the OG Jazzercise franchise after noticing people were coming to her dance classes more for the exercise than for the technique. Not only are Judi's moves definitely worth stealing the next time you're droppin' it low to Despacito, but if her extreme peppiness and non-stop singing doesn't kill you first, you just might find yourself cracking a smile, for heaven's sake.

2. Jane Fonda

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Jane Fonda's Workout claims title to the TOP-SELLING VHS TAPE OF ALL TIME. Because VHS was also a thing. Every mom had a copy, and bounced and stretched along to Jane's rockin' leotard in the comfort of her living room. Many also credit Jane with turning her former ballet leg warmers into the iconic fashion statement that would continue to live on in exercise classes for years to come. For that, we are forever grateful Jane.

3. Dance! Workout With Barbie

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Yep, even Barbie got on the celeb workout video train. The 1992 gem Dance! Workout with Barbie features a group of girls including a young Jennifer Love Hewitt bopping around doing the "Sidewalk Strut" and, yes, the "Barbie Basic" before there was basic. Viewers may be disappointed to find out the Barbie herself is replaced by her real-life friend Kim Breux, but we guess too much animation was still hard in those days.

4. The Shake Weight

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Yes, the cultural phenomenon you already blocked from memory made its debut in households across America as recently as 2010. The infomercial that went viral for its not-so-subtle sexual undertones promised results for enduring the thrusting dumbbell for just 6 minutes a day. Then again, you can probably find other ways to get your arm workout in that last about 6 minutes a day.

5. The Infamous Vibrating Belt

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While results were controversial (for obvious reasons), many advertisements for the fat jiggling machines of the last century promised weight loss and improved muscle tone in targeted areas, all in just 15 minutes of passive jiggle-jiggling in front of your TV. The idea eventually spawned more recent products, such as the Flex Belt, and while most of us are a bit savvier these days, it's also oddly kind of satisfying to get jiggy with it, wouldn't you say?

6. Poodle Aerobics

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All right, this one's not totally "real", because what you may not know about this well-known gif is that it was actually a parody made by director Nagi Noda for Panasonic leading up to the 2004 Olympics. The short film uses a word-for-word script from 90's fitness celebrity Susan Powter, and dresses actress Mariko Takahashi in 'Popyeye' muscles, that resemble the poodles' fur. Ironically, the video not go viral until about 10 years after it first came out.

7. National Aerobic Championships

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You may have seen these clips floating around the interwebs, as they're always a #1 go-to when you want to show someone you're really excited. But did you know they're actually taken from the annual National Aerobics Championships in the US, that was broadcast on ESPN at the height of the fitness movement? Teams compete with routines that must include "4 consecutive push-up's, 4 consecutive high kicks, 4 consecutive sit-up's, and 4 consecutive jumping jacks." Not sure we could keep up...

8. Richard Simmons

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And last but certainly not least, the king himself: Richard Simmons. You may enjoy many laughs revisiting his eccentric videos from years past, but above and beyond his loud and colorful personality, we have to give him credit for his focus on helping and inspiring a largely underserved market to lose weight after his own 100+ pound weight loss journey. At the end of the day, Richard still serves as a reminder not to take yourself too seriously, and that fitness should never stop being fun.