Let's Get Into Physical: Part 7, New Year Resolutions!

Editor's note:  The following is a part of a continuing conversation between a man who came of age in the 70s and his grandson.

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"Hey Grandpa, it's one week into the new year. How are those New Year resolutions coming along ?  Ya know, the ones about loosing weight and getting into shape."

"Well, son, uh, well......Don't you have some new video games to play or something?  Anyway getting into shape these days isn't as much fun as it used to be when I was your age."

"Why's that, Grandpa? "

"Well, because back in the 70s and 80s, we had lots of neat-oo exercise stuff we could buy from the Big Book catalogs!  Let's take a look......"

 "Jogging was really big back then.  I mean everyone did it.  And those groovy catalogs had all the gear that one needed - right down to the stylish athletic shoes!"

"Wow Grandpa, with great looking gals like Kathy in short-shorts, no wonder you liked to jog!  Still it's too cold outside right now to take up jogging." (1)

"Ah son, you're not getting off THAT easy.  After all, those Big Books were chalk full of indoor aerobic equipment like this state of the art, high tech treadmill."

"Or this high tech indoor bike, complete with electronic controls."

"Did it come with Bluetooth like the Pelotron bike that mom got for Christmas this year?"

"Ahhh, no. And how many times do I have to explain to you that there was no such thing as the internet back then.  Anyway back to the exercise gear!"

"Hey Grandpa, what's with the belt machine and the wooden roller thing?"

"Well son, just like today, people were always looking for a shortcut when it came to taking those pounds off."

"Ha, ha, Grandpa, laying down while pedaling is about as lame as you can get!"

"I stand corrected.  Hey Grandpa, didn't they lift back in those days?  That's what I'm into - getting ripped."

"Well son, you're in luck...."

"Your complete home gym from Sears!"

"With sturdy and adjustable weight bench to hit all those muscle groups.  They even had celebrity endorsements in those catalogs....""

"Hey Grandpa isn't that Caitlin Jenner before the operation???"

"Who knew back then, let's move on. Perhaps we need to cleanse our minds with some nice, safe pics of dance wear from the 70s."

"People did ballet for exercise?!?  That's pretty weird Grandpa."

"Well, with good looking gals like Kathy and Karen, perhaps it wasn't so weird after all!"

"One thing to keep in mind is that people back then were more interested in looking good than anything else.  Getting in shape was just a side benefit.

"A tanning light from Sears?!?  Grandpa, I don't think that was such a good idea."

"Probably not son.  But those Big Book catalogs had everything you needed to look good.  They even had personal use items to unwind from a hard workout."

"For example, a 'Pedle-Dedle' for him and a.....well a.....Oh boy, this is awkward."

"Grandpa isn't that lady holding a......"

"That's enough son."

"It says it relives tension."

"That's enough son."

"And that it's good for all parts of the body."

"I said, THAT'S ENOUGH son!"

"Gee Grandpa, these old catalogs are pretty cool after all!"

footnotes:

(1) This pic is courtesy of Blue Senshi. Thanks!