Episode · Stuff You Should Know · 2023-05-25
Books mentioned on The Semi-Recent History of Exercise
Humans exercising for better health has not been around that long. Today we dive into this fun history as we cover why and when we started this now commonplace pastime.
Josh Clark discussed Jogging by William J. Bowerman and others, Jim Fixx's Second Book of Running by Jim Fixx, Aerobics by Kenneth H. Cooper, and Jane Fonda's workout book by Jane Fonda.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
-
Jogging
Discussed“he published a pamphlet kind of based on stuff Arthur lydiard had been talking about and then eventually wrote this book that I remember seeing on in houses of like friends of mine really for sure uh it was uh it was a very big book it was called jogging colon even back then a physical fitness program for all”
Where to get it
-
Jim Fixx's Second Book of Running
Discussed“there was another guy who really brought jogging to the masses his name was Jim fix he wrote The Complete Book of running released in 1977 and there was a proselytizer for running if there ever was one it was him get your fix yeah and he ironically died while jogging”
Where to get it
-
Aerobics
Discussed“he said I think aerobics is being sold short so he wrote a book in 1968 called aerobics and he said you know running and walking and biking is what people should be doing and that's that was his idea of aerobics at the time”
Where to get it
-
Jane Fonda's workout book
Discussed“and the next year she set up her own studio um I think a couple years later she published Jane Fonda's workout book which became an extremely popular bestseller it was number one on the non-fiction list and stayed there for six months by the way two million books”
Where to get it
