As we celebrate our 40th Anniversary this year, we decided to take a trip down memory lane—and with over four decades behind us, there are a whole lot of memories and moments to remember! Over the last 40 years, we’ve seen trends and changes in so many parts of the Bay Club, and one of the most fun to relive are those in fitness and group exercise.
Because the Bay Club has always been a place that’s devoted to member health and wellness, we’ve offered group fitness classes since the very beginning. We’ve always been on the forefront of the most popular exercise programs. And just as these fitness trends have changed through the decades, so has the latest workout fashion.
We connected with Deborah Yates, group exercise director for the Bay Club for over 20 years, to hear about the hottest fitness trends from when we started to where we are now. As a bonus, she filled us in on the best (or worst) fitness fashion from each era.
The “Far-Out” ’70s: The Bay Club came onto the fitness and hospitality scene in 1977. From the start, we featured the latest in group exercise, which, at the time, was dominated by dance-inspired aerobics like Jazzercise. The Bay Club has always had a strong member following in our dance classes, and the ’70’s were no exception.
The Fashion: For women, think bright neon spandex and leotards. For men, dare we say that there once was a trend called “jogging jeans”? Thank goodness they were short-lived.
The “Righteous, Radical” ’80’s: We can all thank Jane Fonda for bringing aerobics to the masses. More high-impact aerobics classes came onto the scene, and step aerobics became especially popular in the late 1980’s. Squash and racquetball also became popular around this time, and the Bay Club has always been proud to offer some of the best squash league play in California.
The Fashion: High-cut cut leotards, flesh colored tights and leg warmers were all the rage for the ladies. And remember those high-top Reeboks? Tight bike shorts and brightly colored tanks reigned supreme for the guys.
The “Dope” ’90’s: Welcome to the era of cardio funk, and more high-intensity burst workouts like boxing and Taebo. In fact, Deborah herself taught her fair share of classes called “Grooves,” “Moves,” and the like.
The Fashion: The fashion craze for the ’90’s included thong-cut leotards or briefs with short tights. Doc Martines came into fashion for dance classes, and many a flannel shirt was tied around the waist, as impractical as that is looking back. Hey, hindsight is 20/20. Everyone’s inner MC Hammer was channeled in and outside the gym.
The Acronym-Obsessed 2000’s (FOMO, YOLO, SMH, and every other viral abbreviation): Variety has been the spice of fitness from early 2000 to present day. In 2001, Zumba took the group fitness world by storm, ballet Barre’ classes entered the Bay Club (and everywhere else), and H.I.I.T. (high intensity interval training) became the biggest buzz, which we feature in programs like The Drop and The Battle.
The Fashion: Today, it’s all about tech-forward, wearable fitness. Fashionable athleisure wear brands changed the look of fitness forever, and moisture-wicking material has made it easy to go from the gym to errands without looking like a hot mess. Add a fancy heart monitor bracelet and you’re in style.
Check your clubs event calendar for 40th Anniversary events and classes over the upcoming months!