Let's all have a good stretch now and reminisce about the golden era of exercise TV. It was the '80s, and bouncing women in neon leotards were never more than a few channels away. � Remember how we would drop the newfangled term "aerobicise" in conversation? And how we thought Olivia Newton-John's hit "Physical" was about working out?
Now, like leg rainbow warmers, exercise shows have gone out of style -- all but disappearing from mainstream TV. It's not because we've cured the problem; the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's most recent statistics indicate that 28 percent of Illinoisans do no leisure-time exercise whatsoever. And those were the people who could muster up enough energy to respond.
"Those shows are just pretty much gone," says Charlene Prickett, who hosted the longest-running fitness show in North America, "It Figures," from 1976-1997. Now 64, Prickett is fabulous proof of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, but she's no longer as-seen-on-TV.
"The audience is there, but it's not there apparently in enough number to make it worthwhile to television networks," she says by phone from Alberta in western Canada. "Fitness changes, just like television and food and cars. The No. 1 cause is always the bottom line."
Back when she was producing 165 episodes a year, Prickett just had to prove to studios that she'd be successful in syndication. Eventually the marketplace changed, and you were nothing if you didn't have a sponsor. "I was successful in producing a popular show, but I was not successful in reeling in advertisers," she says.
Now semiretired, she sells her DVDs online and hosts "high adventures" for fans in places like Hawaii. She's ready for that to change, too. "This year we're selling DVDs," she says. "Next year it may be downloadable from iTunes."
You could almost work up a sweat, trying to find a television workout. And if you happen to come across Richard Simmons, he's probably sitting -- as a late-night talk-show guest.
What happened to his shows? "I got into the infomercial world," says Simmons, who still regularly teaches classes at his Beverly Hills studio, Slimmons. "I've done 33 infomercials over the years." There was more money for everyone involved -- except for the audience. For instance, you may know Chicago's John Abdo from his fitness show. But more likely, you're familiar with his AB-Doer infomercial.
Like Prickett, Simmons transitioned to videos and DVDs. He's just finished his 59th DVD, "Sweatin' to the Oldies 5."
There's plenty of money in exercise, but without workouts on TV, cash-strapped Americans have one more excuse to be sedentary. "Because of money, people are putting themselves on the back burner in terms of health in general," says Simmons. Many shows have transferred to channels such as FitTV and ExerciseTV, which aren't available in Chicago.
Simmons says he's still offered shows, and is doing a new series in a different genre: reality TV. He's hoping to inspire people to move, but shows like "The Biggest Loser" and "Celebrity Fit Club" have ironically made weight loss a spectator sport.
The audience has changed, says Chicago's Dr. Michael Applebaum, whose consulting firm is called FitnessMed. "Watching fit people do fit things makes the majority of people, who are by definition nutritionally and physically unfit, uncomfortable," he says.
On the plus side, motivated exercisers have gotten out of the house and into health clubs. "There isn't a sense of accountability with television programming as there is with group classes or appointments with personal trainers," notes Johnny Vu, marketing director for CrossFit Chicago, which has locations in Lincoln Park and the West Loop.
"Americans have invested thousands of dollars on home exercise equipment such as P90X, Bowflex, and treadmills, only to have them gather dust and fill the 'For Sale' section on Craigslist," says Vu. "If you miss an appointment with most personal trainers and coaches, they'll still charge you for their time. When your pocketbook is hurting, you'll make sure to show up for those appointments."
Whether you're into health clubs, at-home equipment, DVDs or just about any other exercise medium, you're probably looking for one thing: a gimmick. Americans got bored with jumping jacks generations ago.
"Too many of the exercise shows became too similar," says Frank Nunez of Chicago's UNICUS Fitness, which is headquartered at the Fitness Lair at Michigan and Wacker. "It was always the same kind of thing, where the exercising was done to music or some kind of eight-count beat. All studies show that the only people that this appealed to were people who were already going to work out."
As for the sedentary audience, they quickly built up immunity to the routines. "If people from that crowd watched, it was just to enjoy the bodies on the show," says Nunez. Accordingly, UNICUS specializes in programs such as Wedding Boot Camp and Beach Body Emergency Classes.
The fragmentation of fitness is most obvious in the DVD industry. There's literally something for everyone. Jane Fonda has given birth to DVDs from "Dancing With the Stars," "American Gladiators," "Dirty Dancing," P90X, the New York City Ballet, Bollywood, Elmo, Kendra Wilkinson, Gilad Janklowicz, Carmen Electra and Bonnie Franklin (whose DVD is titled "I Hate to Exercise, I Love to Tap"). Among many others.
Exercise on TV is out of style now, but there's always the possibility of a comeback. "Television has always been subject to inexplicable disappearance of once very successful genres," says Fordham University television and media professor Paul Levinson. "What happened to the Western, wildly popular on television in the 1950s? The disappearance of the exercise show is much the same."
Today there are cooking shows all over the dial, as well as series about real estate, cakes, multiple births and little people. Soon exercise will be the only topic not covered.
So keep that clicker handy for the return of cardio TV. "I predict it's just a matter of time," Levinson says.
FITNESS FEATS
TRY ALTERNATIVES: VIDEO GAMES, WEB, PHONE APPS
For every excuse you can come up with not to exercise, there's a fitness alternative you probably haven't considered.
TV
Though exercise shows have mostly vanished from mainstream TV, a few are left if you look really, really hard. WTTW shows "Aire Yoga" daily on channel 11.4, but you have to get up at 5:30 to see it -- and speak Spanish.
You also can keep an eye out for WTTW specials on healthy lifestyles, such as "America's Walking." If you're lucky enough to get the Pentagon Channel, you'll enjoy "Fit for Duty" six times a day. FitTV and ExerciseTV are the cable channels you're looking for, but you won't find them in Chicago.
ON DEMAND
You'll find more than just movies if you look. Comcast, for instance, offers selections from FitTV.
VIDEO GAMES
Dance Dance Revolution is still an entertaining way to fool yourself into exercising. Wii Fit is a great way to interest kids in moving. You also can look for titles such as "My Weight Loss Coach," "My Fitness Coach," "Gold's Gym Cardio Workout" and "Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum."
INTERNET
Go to YouTube and search on "exercise." See? You'll also find free videos at websites such as ExerciseTv.TV, and ToneItUp.TV. There's a dedicated fitness video page on Hulu, with offerings from Denise Austin, ExerciseTV, Self and more. If you're a NetFlix member, you'll find exercise videos you can "watch instantly." Thin-site.com has a full video library of exercise options, including "Coffee Break Workouts" that you can do at your office.
HEALTH CLUBS
If you're intimidated by the beautiful sweaty people, take advantage of kindler, gentler facilities such as Curves. You can burn up to 500 calories in 30 minutes, at 16 Chicago locations.
SMARTPHONE APPLICATIONS
BlackBerry? Try FitDeck Mobile, which illustrates exercises that don't require equipment. Android, Palm, or Windows Mobile? Fitsync offers a collection of workout routines. If you're into iPhones, PumpOne offers 20 different apps, and iPod Touches have a big selection as well.
EXERCISE EQUIPMENT
There's not much exercise on TV, but you can exercise while you watch TV on your treadmill. If you invest in a $199.95 FitDesk, you can combine a stationary bicycle with your laptop computer, working up a sweat while you work (or shop, or play games).
Paige Wiser
Color Photo: "Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum" gives you a workout regimen.; Color Photo: LEOTARD LEGIONS: Exercise shows, once a popular staple on television, have gone out of style. Nowadays, you can almost work up a sweat trying to find a TV workout.; Color Photo: FitDesk ($199.95) combines a stationary bike with a laptop.; Color Photo: "I got into the informational world," said Richard Simmons.; Color Photo: Olivia Newton-John got "Physical" in the 1980s, but things have changed.
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