Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Muscle Motion

For a brief time when I was a kid, we did morning workouts as a family. Of course we complained and dragged our feet getting out of bed to do it, but I think we all secretly liked it. There may be a good reason why.

I didn't realize at the time that the workout video we used was not your average run-of-the-mill workout. It was a somewhat funny video, but it was actually pretty hard to do. My dad would usually turn the volume down low because there was a woman's voice that would say really cheesy stuff. The video had only men working out. Men that were usually in some sort of costume, you know, like a doctor or a construction worker or an acrobat. This was normal, right? Didn't you have loads of workout videos like this?

I remember going to my great grandma's funeral during this family fitness period. One of my aunts found out we were working out so of course we had to show off our muscles. All us girls tightened our stomachs so she could feel our rock hard abs. It was great.
I've started and stopped many exercise regimens over the years, usually incorporating some kind of fitness video into my routine. However, I could never get that one workout video out of my mind. It was such a great workout and entertaining to boot. That's not very common.

Once during a family gathering my sisters and I asked my dad about that workout video. He claimed to no longer own it, but said that it was a Chippendale's workout video. WHA?! We all thought it was the most hilarious thing ever. It hadn't shown any naked men or been unsuitable for children so don't be too alarmed. Maybe it was for men who wanted to look like Chippendale's dancers? I don't know.

So here's the funny part. I want to get back in shape again and I really wanted that video. I'd made a couple half-hearted attempts at finding it online, but without a name to go on and not knowing any details, I kept hitting a dead-end. Then the other night, I somehow hit the jackpot. I finally found out the name of the video! It was called Muscle Motion and was made in 1983. Then I found it on Amazon! I am not kidding you, a new copy of the video was $50! What?! Who knew this video was a collectible? Don't worry, I didn't buy a $50 Chippendales workout video. I bought a used one for $9! Hee hee hee! I can't wait till it gets here. Yeah, you can feel my abs, just give me a month to work on them with my new Chippendales buddies.

See, doesn't it look fun?!


Ann said...

I can't believe you bought it!!! I was looking at the picture on the front of the box... I hated that butt workout. Maybe it wasn't the workout per say, but the fact that they did it to a classical song, with a conductor in the background. AUGGH! :) Good luck with the workouts, I remember the last level being pretty hard to do. You'll have to post a picture of your rock hard muscles.

Karen said...

I totally forgot about that! I'm sitting here laughing so hard I can't stop! If you get bored of your spin bike over there, you can come hang out at my apartment and do Muscle Motion with me! You liked it... don't lie!

heidi said...

That is HYSTERICAL! And doing the video actually does sound like quite a bit of fun. How did your dad ever come up with Family Fitness with Chippendales? He must be inventive & have a great sense of humor. When my parents thought we were too rambunctious they'd tell us to go outside and run around the house 10 times. Not inventive or humorous.

Rachel said...

I'm pretty sure the Shelley library has this video. I'm going to have to try it. I love the following things about this post:
1. That your entire family, including your dad, did this workout together.
2. That everyone felt that a funeral was an appropriate occasion for showing off/appreciating sculpted abdominal muscles.