June 14, 2022

How Women Revolutionized Fitness EP 6

35 minutes

Today I’m talking with author Danielle Friedman. She is an award-winning multimedia journalist who specializes in telling stories at the intersection of health, sexuality, and culture. Her first book, Let’s Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World is why I wanted to talk with her.

Working out is as accepted as it is expected, but it wasn’t always that way. For much of the 20th century sweating was considering un-lady like and there was an urban legend that running would make you manly. Crazy right?

I spent my younger years following all the fitness trends and classes. I admit to wearing leotards and tights; they were in style I promise you! When marriage and motherhood took most of my day, my relationship with working out was on pause. They I turned 50 and found running and continue that as part of my fitness routine.

You’ll love hearing the background story that Danielle shares about the impetus for the book. She is a feminist health reporter so when she wanted to get into shape for her wedding, she opened up to new options and kept her reporter’s hat on!

This began her 4-year dive into the history of women’s fitness and the most influential woman Lotte Burke. She has an incredible life story and Danielle shares some highlights with us. She was fearless, and a woman ahead of her time. She talked about sex and led a very flamboyant life when it just wasn’t done.

I loved hearing how the workout that began as part dance (hence the bar) and yoga with feminine terms transformed to the fitness and gym terms we use today. As part of that transition, women began to question if they were the weaker sex as we’d been taught, and began to defy that idea.

Title IX turns 50 later this month and it was another piece in the path of women embracing fitness and competing and embracing their strength and physical capabilities. It’s hard to remember that this wasn’t always the case.

Danielle shares some of the other fitness pioneers, including her favorite Kathrine Switzer. She credits her for being one of the women who had a lasting impact in women’s fitness history. She literally turned the tide around the concept of women’s strength, capacity and physical ability.

Inspirational takeaways from Danielle:

Women’s fitness is a privilege and there’s still work to be done to increase access.

Move in ways that feel good. Think about how you actually feel when exercising and let that be your guide. You can’t go wrong with that.

There is no age limit to fitness.

We can’t control getting older, but we can control how we do it!

Connect with Danielle:

Website

Book

Connect with Barbara:

Love Your Age: The Small-Step Solution to a Better, Longer, Happier Life

Barbara Hannah Grufferman website

Instagram @Barbara Hannah Grufferman