Retro Aerobics Workouts Make a Comeback

Pull out those leg warmers and dust off that "Flashdance" soundtrack, because we're going back to the future of fitness. Back to the 1980s, in fact, when dance aerobics and Richard Simmons reigned supreme.

With the economy forcing us to get back to the basics of life just to get by, gyms and fitness centers are seeing a rising interest in retro classes. At New York City's Crunch fitness center, there are Retro-robic classes that let aerobicizers get their dance on all in the name of breaking a sweat. "The class is timeless," teacher Carol Johnson tells Reuters. "Good for the heart, spirit, and wallet."

And at Retrofitness, an entire chain of health clubs devoted to that most colorful decade, members on treadmills and elliptical machines watch 1980s movie classics on TV while heavy metal favorites like Poison and Def Leppard blast from nearby speakers. Probably most importantly, Retrofitness boosts an old-fashioned price tag too -- just $19.95 a month for membership.

Rob Piela, a personal trainer at Crunch, explains it best: "Any of these trends come around, it's just reinventing for the sake of keeping peoples' interest peaked," he explains. Boredom is the curse of any good workout routine.

Pull out that stretchy headband and slip on those leg warmers, then slide one of these retro fitness DVDs into the player for a flashback fitness hour of your own:

• Jane Fonda's Lean Routine Workout: For a refresher in 1980s workout wear, this highly popular home video (it's sold 17 million copies) is your pick. Get it used on Amazon for less than $6.
• Richard Simmons - Disco Sweat: The DVD is fairly new, but -- come on -- it's Richard Simmons. I think the guy invented the 80s.
• Kathy Smith: Fat Burning Classics: Three throwback workouts in one modern DVD format.

Whether you go total retro or just add Olivia Newton John's "Physical" to your playlist, let us know in comments if retro fitness sounds fun to you.