Add this to your favoritesHollywood and the Growth of Health and Physical Fitness Gymnasiums
To say that the movie business has been responsible for the growth of health and physical fitness gymnasiums would be an understatement. Yet, despite the influence Hollywood has had on the physical fitness industry, the movie business does not always get the credit it deserves for promoting the physical fitness craze that begat the monstrous physical fitness industry that exists today.
The Early Days
The origin of health and physical fitness gymnasiums is somewhat quizzical and, in some ways, it would seem that the inclusion of a significant amount of health and physical fitness gymnasiums into American culture occurred despite a number of odds and obstacles. While it would seem unusual that there would be resistance towards improving one’s health and cardiovascular system, the concept of lifting weights in a gymnasium was often derided in popular culture significantly prior to the 1980’s. For instance, Arnold Schwarzenegger was the most famous bodybuilder in the world in the 1970’s. If you watch his appearance on the 1979 police drama THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO, he is portrayed as a luggish brute with limited intellect….solely because he lifts weights. Needless to say, the concept of selling weightlifting to the world was hard and the growth of health and physical fitness gymnasiums became limited.
And Then Came Conan The Barbarian
In 1982, Arnold’s fortunes would change when he landed the leading role in the cult classic film CONAN THE BARBARIAN. This was the springboard film that arrived at Arnold a major box office attraction and this attraction was, in large part, the result of his bodybuilder physique. Because of Arnold’s success, many other actors began to hit the gymnasium to develop a similar look. (Sylvester Stallone, most notably, packed on a ton of muscle mass during the same period of time as well) As increasingly Hollywood stars ditched the lean and mean physique look for a more massive one, the public started to clamor for a physical exercise broadcast that would provide them with a similar look. This type of appearance, however, couldn’t be achieved solely through dieting and body weight physical exercise; the usage of heavy weight was critical for success and as a result a number of health and physical fitness gymnasiums started to open across the fruited plain.
Nowadays, the population takes the presence of health and physical fitness gymnasiums for granted mainly because there is such a preponderance of them. However, their presence should never be assumed and neither should the movie industry’s great contribution to the presence of gymnasiums in the U.S..