Feel the Churn in Style

Winter is in full swing, we ache for sun and dream of warmth while bundling in layers of clothing in an attempt to build a private sauna to protect against the cold. It’s the season of cabin fever, seasonal depression, and a time when whatever tans gained over summer are shamelessly gone, seemingly forever.

But at least this year we have the Olympics. Winter exercise might actually make this season manageable.  Except that generally when the Games are playing we don’t have to be outside, or exercising at all for that matter. Just a couch and a hot drink, perhaps, to stave away the weary cold days. It’s time we joined the Olympians with a little winter activity of our own, enjoying some aerobic exercise to ward off the winter blues. Thanks to Jimmy Fusil and Mike Wait of the art duo PopSoda, exercise isn’t just about burning fat, but also about making fat.  Enjoy those treats you guzzle down whilst gasping to the figure skaters who actually land a triple axle.  You churned it yourself!

In preparation for this Thursday’s butter-making aerobics workshops led by PopSoda and amusingly titled Feel the Churn, I have decided to examine some fitness fashion because it turns out that workout gear has changed dramatically and it seems that exercise (and life for that matter) is a little bit more fun with some flair. With Olympics on the mind let’s start by being grateful for the fact that our athletic costumes have developed radically from the Ancient Greeks. Instead of competing in the nude, the U.S. Olympians have a magnificent cardigan designed by Ralph Lauren to parade in the opening ceremony.

Thanks to some athletic clothing research, it turns out that we owe the 1950s thanks for synthetic fabrics like elastane, spandex and lycra. These fabrics began to alter clothing dramatically. No more itchy wool and cotton! Hello to breathable, stretchy fabrics. Yet, despite these new fabrics exercise wasn’t even that popular, especially when fat-jiggling belts were believed to inspire weight loss. Why sweat?

In response to the poor fitness of many army recruits, Dr. Kennith Cooper M.D. released his book Aerobics in 1968 which outlined the many ways to help increase fitness through aerobic exercise. Yet it wasn’t until the 1980s, with inspiration such as Olivia Newton-John’s music video for Let’s Get Physical that many Americans decided to take exercise more seriously, start sweating and don their finest leotards for some calf-burning action.

From step aerobics to dance aerobics, exercise became a fashion in and of itself. With Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons leading the nation, aerobic exercise took over. The leg warmers, the glitter, the skin tight leggings and leotards… it was all there. The images are classic, the looks undeniable.

Now it’s the 21^st century. How does aerobics fit into today’s fashion trends? How do people decorate themselves for physical activity? It turns out the look is eclectic, with bright colors from the 80s to newfab running shorts and advanced micro-fiber technology to undeniably hipster throwbacks and more. Athletic outfits are as diverse as ever. Just check out what various individuals from the Walker chose to wear for their first attempt at churning butter.

Aerobics with a contemporary twist. Get creative and come to Feel the Churn with some of your most ridiculous gear while sweating away the winter blues and making your very own sweet butter and find inspiration by watching Pop Soda’s butter aerobics somewhere much warmer. We’re excited, are you?

Written by Sheila Novak, artist and aerobic adventurist