Like many women my age, I discovered I was losing some bone density. Nothing major or scary, but my doctor urged me to take more calcium and develop a weight-lifting routine. I’m definitely more of an outside walker (every day) and much less of a weight-lifter (almost never), but dutifully, I looked into what I could do to build more muscle mass.
Fortunately, my insurance will cover a gym membership, which is, of course, much cheaper for the company than paying for hospital stays, surgeries, and physical therapies for their insured customers, and more importantly encourages a healthier lifestyle. I’m not much into going to the gym every day, but a brand new one opened up close to me, and it is really nice.
So my husband and I enrolled in their SilverSneakers classes, which, if you’re not familiar, are stretching, weight-lifting, zumba, water aerobics classes, etc, designed for seniors. Ahem, people my age. The classes are enjoyable and low-stress, and their workouts are excellent.
After that first class, as we were leaving that spiffy, sprawling, modern gym that had more exercise equipment than I would even know how to use, I couldn’t help thinking about women throughout history who would never have dreamed of such a high-tech place to exercise. Farm and ranch wives didn’t need a work-out routine when they already worked hard inside the home and out, caring for crops and livestock, with a minimum of tools to make their work easier. I can only imagine how tired they’d be at the end of every day!
But what about the women in cities who were raised not to exert themselves?
Nineteenth-century America required modesty for women. Young boys could compete in sports and games, but daughters were expected to get their exercise from doing normal household chores. For those females who might be prone to athleticism, any public performance was decried as immodest, selfish, and attention-seeking, especially if she was in her childbearing years.
However, in the 1830s, a fad called “calisthenics” arrived from Europe. Women took to the light choreographed movements that were set to music and resembled dance steps. Society approved the routines as graceful and dignified, emulating upper class beauty and elegance.
As the years passed, females increased their physical activity by walking in
zigzags, marching in place, bending the arms and legs, and skipping, their intent mainly on increasing blood flow and preventing bad posture. In time, with the advent of elite women’s schools and country clubs, more aristocratic activities like tennis, croquet, archery, and bathing-beauty swimming in lakes or beaches thrived in popularity.
For others, there were opportunities to exercise at home with these manmade contraptions for those who could afford them. There was no such thing as “work-out clothes” like we have, and so women simply exercised in private and in their regular clothes which included, yep, their corset.
Men even exercised in their suits.
By the 1890s, the bicycle had created a social revolution and eventually became accepted as a means for women to stay active. Two million bicycles were being manufactured every year, and like today, they were designed with a “step-through” frame to enable women to climb on and off. They certainly dressed for the occasion, hats and all. Some added weights to their dress hems to keep them from flying up, and this young lady could most certainly be wearing her corset.
Can you imagine? Ha!
The Olympics began in ancient Greece, but were abolished because of paganism. The games were finally revived in 1896, although women were not allowed to compete until 1920. A special “Women’s Olympics” on a smaller scale than the men’s began in 1922 and continued well into the 1930s.
Fast forward to today, and exercising is roundly applauded and encouraged for its health benefits for all ages. Children as young as two can enroll in tumbling classes. Soccer and t-ball teams are organized for four-year-olds. Sports of all kinds abound for male and female, young and old, in public arenas open to spectators who cheer on the participants. The benefits are enormous, and we’re all living longer lives because of them.
The SilverSneakers program began in 1992, partnering with health care plans like mine to help seniors enjoy convenience access to fitness programs geared just for them.
From their website:
“From national gyms to local community centers, there are more participating fitness locations available in the U.S. to SilverSneakers members than there are Starbucks.”
We’ve come a long way, for sure, and thank goodness for that!
Do you like to exercise? What’s your favorite kind of physical activity?
Are you familiar with SilverSneakers? Do you have their program near you?
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