Let’s Get Physical
I recently read the book Let's Get Physical by Danielle Friedman, a history of women's fitness. It’s a fun and inspiring read—I recommend it.
The book tells many stories, including those of fitness pioneer Bonnie Prudden and Jazzercise creator Judi Sheppard Missett. It takes you through the rise of gym culture, highlighting the first women to introduce yoga to our culture along with those who were the first to run marathons. One entire chapter is devoted to Jane Fonda. There is the story of how the Jogbra came to be.
I found myself reflecting on how my own personal history of physical activities paralleled these timelines. I wouldn't be doing what I am today if it were not for the women in Let’s Get Physical. My outlook on fitness has evolved with the times.
Turns out 1960 was the perfect year to be born female in NYC. Title 9 was passed while I was in public elementary school, so the equal opportunity for boys and girls in phys ed classes was not questioned. That worked out well since I was a very active tomboy who loved to run fast.
My mom enrolled me in Suzy Prudden's gymnastics class when I was an awkward 10 or 11 years old. Suzy Prudden was the daughter of Bonnie Prudden, the first person to promote the benefits of exercise for everyone.
I was in high school when the disco era arrived, along with this new thing called aerobics. I somehow ended up in one of the very first aerobics classes in Manhattan with a bunch of middle aged women. It may have been a Jackie Sorenson studio, I can't remember. I just loved to move to the music and I enjoyed that endorphin high. I also jogged around the reservoir in Central Park at a time when only 6 women ran in the NYC Marathon!
By the 1980s I was living in the Washington DC area and working as a restaurant manager. During my “off” time, I did aerobics classes at Body Design By Gilda. I was heavy into spandex! The first health clubs opened which meant group fitness classes became an alternative to those "boring machines." When I moved back to Manhattan in the early 90s I managed an aerobics studio called "Body Strength" (a precursor to the Strong Bones Challenge perhaps!).
As a young mom, I became addicted to step classes. I was disappointed when my favorite instructor left and her replacement, a Kripalu Yoga instructor named Jenny Michaels, took over the time slot. Yoga?! How boring! Or so I thought. But soon enough, I was hooked.
Let's Get Spiritual could be the name of the following chapter in my life. For 2 decades I explored all different styles and aspects of yoga, from athletic, “power” vinyasa to meditative, gentle flow. I chanted mantras to activate chakras and employed mindful meditation to experience being present in the moment. What began for me in a gym studio while my kids played in the nursery soon became a lifestyle.
Let's Get Physical nicely sums up where all those pioneering and inspiring women are now in their lives, in their 70s and 80s.
So where am I?
It was a diagnosis of osteopenia that got me into the gym, to face free weights and "those boring machines" in pursuit of bone and muscle strengthening. At the same time there is a growing trend in the yoga community to focus more on strength rather than flexibility. This is a very positive development that is key to long term health for women as we age.
I am more committed than ever to "woman's fitness". How lucky am I to have benefited from its evolution. I believe with all my heart and every bone in my body (yes! pun intended!) that appropriate, varied and enjoyable physical activities are key to thriving in the long game. I am super grateful to those who paved the way for me.
Here’s a yoga session I created after reading the book. I hope you enjoy it.
Susannah