He may not have had the muscles of Jack LaLanne or the widespread recognition of Jane Fonda, but Richard Simmons nonetheless burst into the fitness scene in the late 1980s with a charismatic flair. There he came, saw and conquered with a number of exercise videos that help revolutionize aerobic fitness. One of his most popular, "Sweatin' to the Oldies," has sold more than 10 million copies.
"Sweatin' to the Oldies"
Simmons' debut video, "Sweatin' to the Oldies," was a newfangled idea for the late 1980s. Rather than using monotonous aerobic moves coupled with equally monotonous music, Simmons introduced the concept of aerobic dance. "Sweatin' to the Oldies" combines dance moves with popular rock-and-roll tunes and has since expanded to include a series of five videos. A 20th-anniversary box set of "Sweatin' to the Oldies" is available on DVD and includes the first four "Sweatin'" videos, 100 minutes of new material and a motivational DVD entitled "Love Yourself and Win."
Other Videos
Richard Simmons didn't keep his sweating contained to the oldies. He also offers DVDs entitled "Boogie Down the Pounds," featuring moves set to music of the 1970s, and "Sit Tight," a DVD that gives you workouts you can do while sitting. Simmons has more than a dozen exercise videos overall, available on video or DVD. Music is a major focus in his routines, with additional titles such as "Stretchin' to the Classics" featuring classical music and "Tonin' Up Broadway" stocked with Broadway show tunes.
Benefits
The music in the exercise videos serves to motivate and keep you moving, as does Simmons himself. An energetic, enthusiastic and comical man, Simmons interacts with the exercisers in his videos, who are not professional dancers but, rather, ordinary people trying to lose weight and enhance their fitness levels -- just like the viewers at home. His videos are accessible to everyone, with the ability to tailor the featured workout to a number of fitness levels by working out at your own intensity.
How to Buy Them
Richard Simmons exercise videos are widely available at fitness retailers, general merchandise stores and shops that sell books and DVDs. Subscription movie plans and video rental outlets also often have his videos or DVDs available. The anniversary box set of "Sweatin' to the Oldies," cost $50 in March 2011, with single videos or DVDs priced between $15 to $20 each.
Member Comments