Let's All Exercise

First things first; I have an odd ability to recall several different songs from Sesame Street, one of which involves 3 pigs dressed in exercise duds and singing a song, "I've got a new way to walk. (Walk Walk)". Another one I remember is a group of the Sesame Street puppets all doing exercise and singing "Let's all exercise (and Grover shouts EXERCISE!)"

Mom has always been one who tries to take care of herself and stay healthy. We accompanied her on so many walks and bike rides between our house, the barn, or Gardner's that I'm surprised there isn't a permanently worn path down the asphalt on River Road!

When we were all young there were many a morning I can remember waking up, walking out to the living room and finding mom working out with her PBS aerobics show, the one with the 3 "Sandy Duncan hair cut" ladies in the 80's hot colored leotards and leg warmers.

I also remember several of mom's workout videos, one in particular being a favorite amongst us kids...SWEATING TO THE OLDIES with Richard Simmons! We'd turn that on just for some laughs--"I'm a pony, I'm a pony!"

Along with the videos, mom went through a few pieces of exercise equipment. We had the exercise bike that doubled as a coat rack fan that sat in the hallway. It was something similar to this:


There was the stair stepper or air stepper; it was a red contraption that had two billows, one under each step, so when you stepped on them they would compress. It seems like you were able to adjust the air pressure making it easier or more difficult.


But I think the most favorite was the Gut Buster. That's the one where you could sit on the floor, put your feet in two bicycle type pedal/stirrups and pull on a springed handle. I don't even want to try and guess how many times we were pinched by that thing! Can you believe you can still find it on Amazon?!