National Fitness Hall of Fame

1900 - 1920s - Promoting Good Health 

Early 20^th Century life was much different then today.  Work was hard and laborious and typically extended from sunrise to sunset.  There was little time for recreational activities and most of the modern luxuries that we take for granted today, did not exist.  For many, life during this time was limited to completing chores and surviving the elements.  One such element that many people faced during this era was illness due to infectious diseases.  Mortality rates from measles, scarlet fever, typhoid, whooping cough, diphtheria and other diseases were very high during this time and most medicines used to prevent and cure these diseases were not yet available.  

The average life expectancy in the United States in 1900 was 48 years and if Fitness was discussed, it was in reference to creating good health.  President Theodore Roosevelt who held the office from 1901-1909 was born in New York City in 1858 into a wealthy family.  He struggled with poor health in his youth but triumphed over his illness with regular exercise and became an advocate of the strenuous life.  He encouraged US citizens to be physically active throughout their lives.

America was very rural during this era, but as people moved from the farm to the city, during the early 1900s, the benefits which could be derived from living a Physical Culture Lifestyle started to be understood by the public.  This lifestyle however was not easy to adopt, as according to the US Department of the Interior, the estimated average work week for factory workers was 60 hours.  Many women also put in sixty or more hours of housework each week making the benefits of exercise difficult to appreciate.  

Keep in mind that when studying this era in history, Fitness was focused mainly on urban dwellers in major East Coast cities.  Rural America, which comprised was most of the country, did not really appreciate or recognize fitness during this time in history.

Sanitariums & Wellness Retreats

Sanitariums of the late 1880s and early 1900s were created primarily for treating individuals suffering from physical problems related to disease and not that of mental illness.  In the 1800s, tuberculosis was the nation’s leading cause of death. The “White Death” as it was known, was much feared and little understood and at the time there was no vaccine or antibiotic available to fight the disease.

Edward Livingston Trudeau (1848-1915), an American physician, founded the first tuberculosis sanitarium in America in 1885.  He started what became known as the "sanitarium movement" in the United States.  Patients who came to his sanitarium were offered lots of fresh air, moderate exercise and healthful diets.

The Battle Creek Sanitarium first opened as the Western Health Reform Institute in 1866 and was the most famous health institution of the time.  John Harvey Kellogg was the medical director at the sanitarium and encouraged a low fat, low protein diet with an emphasis on whole grains and fiber-rich foods.  He also recommended a daily intake of fresh air, exercise and educated patients as to the importance of hygiene.

1930-1940 - “Tough People during Tough Times”

After the Wall Street Crash of 1929 most of the decade was consumed by an economic downfall.  The Great Depression was a worldwide economic depression that lasted 10 years (1929-1939) leading to widespread unemployment and poverty, especially in the United States. President Herbert Hoover worsened the situation with his failed attempt to balance the budget by raising taxes. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected, as a response, in 1933, and introduced the New Deal.  FDR also said, "The State's paramount concern should be the health of its people."   

Often referred to as “The Greatest Generation,” the people of this era had to be tough and resilient and there was, “No rest for the weary!”   Just as the nation was trying to recover from a great depression, it got drawn into yet another great war - WWII.   The bombing of Pearl Harbor left the US with no choice but to join the war effort.    

“He-Man” Mail Order Courses 

The era of the 1930s & ’40s beckoned men to; “Be Tough and Stand Proud” for the nation was in the grips of a Great Depression and followed immediately by World-Wide War.  Good thing there were plenty of “Strong Men” around to provide assistance to the American public.  The physical educators of the day provided instruction on how to develop a strong and powerful body and help men create a “He-Man in the Mirror” persona.  Most of these instructions came in the form of booklets and pamphlets which were sold through the mail.  George Jowett, Joe Bonomo, Lionel Strongfort, Joe Weider, Ben Weider, Earle Liederman, Bob Hoffman and Charles Atlas were just some of the powerful men who offered these courses. 

1950s-1960s - “Let the Good-Times Roll”  

The American life in the 1950’s was good for most people.  WW-II was over, the economy had started to recover, jobs became plentiful and the middle class was flourishing.  Bigger houses, bigger cars, and bigger waist lines became status symbols of the day.  For men a hefty waistline meant that you were a good provider and could afford the spoils of life.  This of course was not true for the American women as they were subject to a strict double-standard that was in place during this era.  Many movies, television shows and print advertising featured beauties with “Hour-Glass” bodies and with the unspoken expectation that women were to posses a lovely, curvaceous figure.  

Many health and beauty experts of the day got their chance to show women how to develop that beautiful “Hour-Glass” shape.  It was actually the first time that women, on a mass scale, learned about body shaping and fitness.  

Over ONE MILLION POUNDS – that’s what Paul Fogarty’s attests to in 1955.  With over one million pounds and miles and miles of waistlines being trimmed and slimmed from the figures of Midwest women in the past six years.  All of this has been accomplished by the largest calisthenics class, “Your Figure, Ladies” Paul Fogarty’s television program featured daily on WGN-TV - Chicago. “It is undoubtedly the only program on the air that thrives on making its audience smaller!”

Paige Palmer hosted the first daily televised fitness-oriented television show in the United States.  “The Paige Palmer Show” ran on WEWS-TV, Cleveland, Ohio from 1948 to 1973. 

Harold Zinkin, a competitive bodybuilder and California health club owner, invented the Universal Gym in 1957 and patented it in 1960.  The standard "Universal Gym" incorporated stations for eight or ten different exercises in a single large frame. Often these units included non-weight exercise stations, such as a chin-up bar or a slant board for sit-ups.  Athletic and exercise venues of all sorts - schools, colleges, YMCAs, private gyms (such as the Vic Tanny chain), and professional sports teams - acquired Universal Gym machines to supplement or replace free weights.

The 1970s – “Restless & Radical Times!” 

The 1970’s marked a time of radical change, as America was faced with numerous problems including: the Vietnam War, an oil crisis, sky-rocketing inflation, double digit mortgage rates, high unemployment and recreational drug use which combined, defined the era historically.  By the end of Jimmy Carter’s presidency (1977-1980), the idealistic dreams of the 1960s were worn down by inflation, foreign policy turmoil and rising crime. 

Politically, the United States went through several changes during the 1970s. There were liberal Democratic administrations for most of the 1960s.  Then a conservative Republican, Richard Nixon, was elected.  During his second term, President Nixon was forced to resign because of the Watergate case.  Vice President Gerald Ford became president after Nixon's resignation.  About two years later, he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.  The election showed that Americans were angry with the Republican Party because of the Watergate case.  But they soon became unhappy with President Carter, too. They blamed him for failing to improve the economy. 

The two major physical activities that defined the 1970s, with regards to FITNESS were; racquet sports (i.e. tennis & racquetball) and jogging.  These activities were at the peak of their popularity during this time.

Tennis Anyone? 

In the early 1970s the number of tennis players in the US quadrupled.  Tennis’ surge in popularity came in part because of the success of American tennis stars, Chris Evert and Jimmy Connors.  The #1-ranked players in the world were captivating the American public by their stellar play on the court and they inspired many to start swinging a racket!  In addition, two up and coming American players started to shine.  Tracy Austin & John McEnroe brought youth, exuberance and renewed freshness to an old game.  

Additionally, in the nation’s growing suburbs, parks and recreation departments started to built beautiful outdoor courts for the community and many even installed lights for night play.   

The Racquetball Revolution 

Racquetball, which was invented by Joe Sobek in 1950, became very popular during the ‘70’s.  It was easier to learn than tennis and the courts were far less expensive for clubs to install, so it quickly became the “in” sport.  Beautifully designed indoor racquetball clubs were erected and many of the finer clubs featured glass showcase courts with plush grandstand-like seating which attracted many new members. 

By the late 1970's racquetball was one of the fastest growing sports in America with more than 10 million participants, up from an estimated 2 million in 1975.  However, the “Racquetball Craze” quickly came to a halt when in the early 1980s, dance aerobics was introduced to America.  Many racquetball courts were converted into aerobic rooms and health clubs started to make the switch to physical fitness centers and kicked racquetball to the proverbial curb. 

Jogging "Craze" 

Defined as a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace, jogging starting in the 1960’s but gained wide-spread popularity during the 1970’s.  In 1968, there were about 100,000 people jogging regularly.  By 1978, the number of joggers increased to 27 million; an incredible increase in just ten years.  In 1977, People Weekly magazine even did a cover story featuring the top two television stars of the day on the cover.  Lee Majors, the “Six Million Dollar Man” & then wife, Farrah Fawcett-Majors of Charlie’s Angels fame, were pictured on the cover jogging together with the headline, “Everybody’s Doing It! – Stars Join the Jogging Craze!” 

Many people credit, Bill Bowerman for developing the concept of jogging in America.  In 1962, after visiting Arthur Lydiard, an athletics coach and proponent of jogging in New Zealand, Bill came back eager to tell everyone about the benefits of jogging.   Bowerman then published his book, “Jogging” in 1966 and established jogging programs for men and women of all ages.  The popularity of these programs helped to spread the concept of jogging as an exercise throughout the United Stated.

The 1980s - “The Totally Awesome Decade” 

The ten years from 1980 to 1989 became known as “the decade of excess” this "Totally Awesome" era and would give rise to a “Fitness Boom” unparallel throughout American History.  Power Walking, Aerobics, Yuppies, Bodyshaping, Headbands and Leg Warmers were all household terms during the 80’s.  It was a time when singer Olivia Newton John encouraged everyone to exercise with her #1 smash hit, “Let’s Get Physical.”  

The ’80s saw a revamping of the Modern Health Club and if you were young, hot and happening, “The Health Club was the Place to Be!”  In the ’80 more women as members.  Owners started to create separate “women-only” areas inside the club with gorgeous chrome-plated machines, beautiful aerobics rooms complete with plush red carpeting and fully mirrored walls.  Some even had juice-bars & discos where members could socialize and mingle.  

Young women flocked to these new social havens to see and be seen!  It was almost a requirement for women get dressed up in the latest fitness fashions and get made-up with heavy mascara and blue eye shadow, before entering the “gym.”  Don’t get me wrong, women wanted to get in shape but because the club scene was such a new experience for most, everyone wanted to make sure that they looked good going in!  If fact, the club scene was so “totally awesome” that in 1983, Rolling Stone magazine ran a special feature about health clubs, placing sexy supermodel Christie Brinkley on the cover and titling the story, “Looking for Mr. Good-Body - Health Clubs: the New Singles’ Bars.”  The movie, Perfect was based on that article and was released shortly thereafter in 1985.  It starred John Travolta as the reporter and Jamie Lee Curtis as the aerobics instructor and was a very actuate portrayal of Club Life in the 80’s.

“The Media Shapes Up”

Fitness was such a hot topic in the 80’s that almost everyone wanted in on the action.  Many mainstream news publications printed cover stories about fitness which featured celebrities wearing the hottest fitness fashions.

• Nov. 1981:  TIME magazine features; “The Fitness Craze – America Shapes Up”

• Aug. 1982:  Time magazine features; “Coming on Strong: The New Ideal of Beauty”

• Oct. 1982:  LIFE magazine features, “Women Muscle In; they join men in bodybuilding, the sport of the 80’s.”  (This issue featured actors Arnold Schwarzenegger & Sandahl Bergman on the cover).

• Feb. 1987:  LIFE magazine features; “The American Way of FITNESS” which had Christie Brinkley and daughter on the cover.  
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MUSCLE & FITNESS magazine published by Joe Weider became the leading fitness/bodybuilding magazine in the world during the 1980’s but some “muscleheads” of the 70’s were having trouble accepting it’s expanded scope and felt that Joe had sold them out!  In a 1980 editorial reply, Weider set the record straight about changing his beloved Muscle Builder magazine to Muscle & Fitness. 

“We cannot and will not be left out of the expansion of fitness.  Our message is clear, and will be brought to all!  We will not be left behind.  I want to advance and upgrade our message so that every man, woman and child knows exactly what weight training can do for their muscular system, health & longevity.  I’ve set the changes and we are going to blast our way through to new dimensions in bodybuilding.”  ~ Joe Weider

The 1990s - “The Gnarly 90s!”  

Cable TV & the “Prime-Time War” 

The Gulf War or Operation Desert Storm as it is called lasted approximately one month but it was one of the most stressful eras that Americans had ever seen.  With Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s threat of chemical warfare and more than 500,000 Iraqi soldiers to back him up, Saddam invaded and occupied their neighboring country, Kuwait, infuriating the West.  President George H.W. Bush deployed US forces into Saudi Arabia and urged other countries to send their own forces to the scene.  Several nations joined the coalition, forming the largest military alliance since World War-2.  

The Formal Formation of the Personal Training Industry 

During the 90’s there was an explosion of jobs for fitness professionals.  Not only did the number of fitness job positions increase, but newly created career opportunities become available to those in the field.  The financial success that health clubs experienced in the 80’s sparked the interest of hospitals, universities and park districts as they explored the possibility of operating their own fitness centers.  Each sought to create their own unique brand of specialty fitness; hospitals used a wellness platform; universities preferred the exercise science avenue and the park district centers included fitness activities for seniors and kids.  

Universities not only built huge, state-of-the-art recreation complexes for students, many schools started to redesign their physical education curriculums to meet the changing environment.  Colleges of Physical Education became the College of Kinesiology as the “Gym Teacher” became “Exercise Scientist.” 

In the era of the ‘90s Personal Training Services expanded “Beyond the Celebrity” to the general public.  In the 1980’s (and before) personal training was typically reserved for executives, VIPs and other celebrities.  In a 1984 article published in Muscle & Fitness magazine, author Armand Tanny proclaimed a New Profession and introduced, Brad Harris - Trainer of VIPs!  Brad Harris (1933–2017) was an American actor, stuntman and bodybuilder.  He appeared in a variety of roles in over 50 films and as a trainer, helped many Hollywood VIPs get fit and look great.

Vince Gironda was also an early trainer of celebrities and in his book, “How I Train the Movie Stars” he introduces circuit training to “The Stars.”  For a few instructors, “Training the Stars” was exciting and profitable however it wasn’t until Tony Little entered the scene that personal training came “to the Masses.”    2006 NFHOF Inductee, Tony Little became an international fitness superstar in the 1990’s and is one of the most recognizable fitness celebrities today.  Rather than choosing to train clients one-on-one, Tony chose the “One-on-Millions” philosophy.  He did this by creating his Target Training Video/DVD Series which provided expert personal training to be performed in the convenience of the home.  It was the first of its kind and helped the public appreciate the benefits of having a personal trainer and the affordability to do so.  After Tony’s explosion on the scene, “Everyday People” got to experience the benefits that could be had from hiring a Personal Trainer!