JANE FONDA

My New Year's resoltion: I will make it through an entire Jane Fonda workout without stopping.

I found a video of a workout from the 80's sometime, a decade that was long before Cross Fit (CrossFit? One word or two?) or Ashtanga yoga or whatever workout trend you may know by name. JF did habe a diverse repertoire of workout videos to het name, i.e. she did a Step Aerobics workout, but I'm too big to use a step. I'll drag my knuckles against the ceiling. I have to stay firmly on the ground here in my living room. So I am sticking with the classic, just aerobics, in all its 80''s glory.

The inspiration kicked me in the butt after I watchef Jane Fonda in Five Acts, the HBO doc that told JF's side of her life story through her various wins and foibles. I had no idea she lived in what could be described as a hippie commune; I didn't realize she gave up her own career to be the faithful wife to Ted Turner, after she was (and still is) one of the leading feminist voices of America. If you're too young to know who Ted Turner is, I don't have time to get into it right now.

Those workout tapes were created with the intent of making $$$ for her super-liberal political organization, Campaign for Economic Democracy. Profits from sales went to the organization, not her. By the 1980's, JF was a superstar with Oscar awards and movie blockbusters to her name, so she didn't need the money for herself. But in a twist of only-in-America irony, the workout tapes were more influential on American society than the political organization. People bought tights (men and women) and leotards (unfortunately, also men and women) and started dancing around as a form of exercise, which before then was not a thing. And look at us now.

Anyway--back to me in my living room. After a year or two of watching The Great British Bake Off (Great British Baking Show here in the U.S., but I watch an illegal feed direct from the UK, shh don't tell) and teaching myself how to bake many of the items from the show--although most of my attempts would've eliminated me from the tent--I ate everything I baked and a lot of it found a home on my waistline. It was worth every bite. But srsly my clothes don't fit anymore. So today I closed the blinds and, with the coffee table pushed out of the way, I jumped around and humiliated myself in the presence of my worst critic: myself. 

So, here we go. JF and I are going old-skool fitness together, and I'm going to do it every day. Actually Jane says 6 days a week. I imagine I'll do, like 5. Maybe 4? I don't know. I just lasted 15 minutes before I had to stop, but I started again for another 10; I will probably be sore tomorrow, so we'll see. 

 

Comments

[Shauna Rathbone]

Best of luck & have a great time w/ it! I had absolutely zero idea that the tapes proceeds went to a political campaign but that's amazingly forward thinking of her

[Mike Burns]

I'm a longtime Jane watcher and loved 5 Acts. She was ready to take a break from acting when she married to Ted. The well was dry.