Before I ever started working out, I witnessed my mom catch a bit of the 80s fitness craze. She bought a handful of workout videos, and would work up a sweat in our living room while I watch (or, more likely, went off to play in another room). We still have the videos in our basement, along with all of our other VHS tapes. The one that sticks out in my mind the most is Buns of Steel.
Lately, my wife has wanted to get into a more regular exercise routine. She had an idea that it would be fun if we did something a little older, like Buns of Steel. We could tell people that we were doing the Buns of Steel workouts, and all laugh about it.
A quick youtube search turns up all the old classics, so we gave it a try. Buns of Steel is quirky, casual and accessible. The workouts are not terribly challenging, but they're also enough to feel like you're getting a good burn in. Each time we turn on the video, I think back to the days when I would watch Mom put on her workout gear and start bouncing around in the living room. I wonder if she struggled with the same parts of the video that I did. I wonder what her reactions were to the funny little comments Greg Smithey makes.
It feels good to be connecting with another part of Mom's memory. To know that, so many years ago, she was doing the same workout that I'm doing now.